Peer-assisted learning and orthopaedic evaluation psychomotor skills.
BACKGROUND
Athletic training educators often anecdotally suggest that athletic training students enhance their learning by teaching their peers. However, peer-assisted learning (PAL) has not been examined within athletic training education to provide evidence for PAL's current use or for its use as a pedagogic tool.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the effectiveness of intentional, formal PAL on the performance of psychomotor skills and to identify students' perceptions of PAL.


METHODS
Randomized, pretest-posttest experimental design.


METHODS
Athletic Training Research and Education Laboratory.


METHODS
Fifty-one undergraduate students (27 athletic training majors, 24 nonmajors).


METHODS
Review sessions led by either an Approved Clinical Instructor or peer tutor.


METHODS
We assessed pretest and posttest performance scores (number of correct skills) and the amount of time to complete the psychomotor skills in 3 categories of orthopaedic evaluation of the hand and wrist for subjects assigned to either a peer tutor or an Approved Clinical Instructor review group. Using the Athletic Training Peer-Assisted Learning Assessment Survey, we evaluated the perceptions of students assigned to the peer-tutor group regarding the benefits of, and preferences for, PAL.


RESULTS
Differences in the pretest-posttest skill scores were noted in both groups (P < .05). No differences in the posttest skills scores or the times to perform the skills were seen between the groups. The Athletic Training Peer-Assisted Learning Assessment Survey revealed that most (n = 19, 70.4%) of the subjects felt less anxious when practicing psychomotor skills with peer tutors than with the laboratory instructor, and many students (n = 12, 44.4%) felt more self-confident when practicing psychomotor skills with a peer tutor.


CONCLUSIONS
Peer-assisted learning appears to be a valid method for improving athletic training psychomotor skills. Peers can be resources for practicing clinical skills and report benefiting from the collaboration. Peer-assisted learning should be deliberately integrated into athletic training education programs to enhance student learning and collaboration.
Weidner
Thomas G
TG
Ball State University, Muncie, IN 47306, USA. tweidner@bsu.edu
Popp
Jennifer K
JK
D000293:Adolescent; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004517:Education, Professional / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D008297:Male; D009985:Orthopedics / Q000193:education*; D010379:Peer Group; D010806:Physical Education and Training; D011336:Probability; D018794:Problem-Based Learning; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D012016:Reference Values; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013177:Sports / Q000193:education*