Active Learning and EBP Competency in Undergraduate Physiotherapy

Impact of Active Learning on Beliefs, Attitudes, Perceived Skills, and Application of Evidence-Based Practice in Undergraduate Physiotherapy Students

This study aims to evaluate the effect of an active learning-based educational intervention on competencies related to evidence-based practice (EBP) in undergraduate physiotherapy students. The intervention was embedded within a four-month Research Methods course and focused on small group activities involving literature search, critical appraisal, oral presentations, and formative assessment through rubrics.

The study follows a pre-post quasi-experimental design without a control group. Primary outcomes include students' beliefs, attitudes, perceived skills, and frequency of EBP application, assessed through a custom-developed and validated questionnaire. Secondary outcomes include academic engagement, measured using the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale - Student Version (UWES-S), and student satisfaction with the educational approach, measured using the Student Outcomes Survey. Data were collected at baseline, post-intervention, and one week after course completion.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Health Education
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Active Learning-Based Research Methods Course

Detailed Description

This quasi-experimental study without a control group will be conducted at the Universidad Nacional de La Matanza (UNLaM), Argentina, between March and July 2025. The study aimed to evaluate the effect of an educational intervention based on active learning strategies on evidence-based practice (EBP) competencies among physiotherapy students.

The intervention was implemented as part of a four-month Research Methods course and included weekly group-based activities such as literature retrieval, critical appraisal, oral presentations, peer feedback, and structured assessments using rubrics. The course aimed to strengthen students' beliefs, attitudes, perceived skills, and frequency of use related to EBP.

Outcomes were assessed using a custom-developed and validated questionnaire covering four domains and key competencies in EBP. Secondary outcomes included academic engagement, measured with the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale - Student Version (UWES-S), and student satisfaction, assessed through the Student Outcomes Survey. Data collection occurred at baseline, at the end of the course, and one week after completion. The study followed TREND reporting guidelines and was approved by the institutional research ethics committee at UNLaM.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 38
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Mauro F Andreu, PhD; Phone Number: (+54) 9 11 6 878 8298; Email: mfandreu@gmail.com

Study Locations

• Argentina
  • Buenos Aires
    • San Justo, Buenos Aires, Argentina, B1754
      • Recruiting
      • Universidad Nacional de la Matanza
      • Contact: Mauro F Andreu, PhD; Phone Number: 1168788298; Email: mandreu@unlam.edu.ar
      • Contact: Tatiana Dias de Carvalho, PhD; Email: tdiascarvalho@unlam.edu.ar

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Undergraduate students enrolled in the Research Methods course at the Universidad Nacional de La Matanza during the March-July 2024 term.
• Provided written informed consent.
• Attended at least 80% of course sessions.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Students who withdrew from the course before completion of the follow-up period.
• Incomplete or missing baseline or final evaluation data.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Other
• Allocation: N/A
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Intervention / Treatment

Experimental: Active Learning Group; Participants in this arm are fourth-year undergraduate physiotherapy students enrolled in a Research Methods course. They will receive a four-month educational intervention based on active learning strategies, including weekly group-based activities such as literature search, critical appraisal, structured presentations, peer feedback, and formative assessment using rubrics. The aim was to improve beliefs, attitudes, perceived skills, and frequency of use of evidence-based practice.

Behavioral: Active Learning-Based Research Methods Course; A four-month educational intervention based on active learning strategies, delivered as part of a Research Methods course for fourth-year undergraduate students in physiotherapy. The intervention included weekly group activities focused on literature retrieval, critical appraisal, oral presentations, peer feedback, and structured formative assessments using rubrics. The aim was to improve beliefs, attitudes, perceived skills, and frequency of use of evidence-based practice.; Other Names: AL-EBP

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Beliefs about Evidence-Based Practice	Assessed as part of a custom-developed and validated questionnaire covering four domains and EBP-related competencies. Items were rated on a 5-point Likert scale.	Baseline and immediately after the 4-month intervention
Attitudes toward Evidence-Based Practice	Assessed as part of a custom-developed and validated questionnaire covering four domains and seven EBP-related competencies. Items were rated on a 5-point Likert scale	Baseline and immediately after the 4-month intervention.
Perceived Evidence-Based Practice Skills	Assessed as part of a custom-developed and validated questionnaire covering four domains and EBP-related competencies. Items were rated on a 5-point Likert scale.	Baseline and immediately after the 4-month intervention.
Frequency of Evidence-Based Practice Application	Assessed as part of a custom-developed and validated questionnaire covering four domains and seven EBP-related competencies. Items were rated on a 5-point Likert scale	Baseline and immediately after the 4-month intervention.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Academic Engagement	Measured using the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale - Student Version (UWES-S), a validated 9-item instrument assessing three dimensions: vigor, dedication, and absorption. Each item is rated on a 7-point Likert scale ranging from 0 ("never") to 6 ("always")	Baseline and immediately after the 4-month intervention.
Student Satisfaction with Teaching and Assessment	Measured using the Student Outcomes Survey (Fieger, 2012), which includes 20 closed-ended items rated on a 5-point Likert scale. The scale is organized into three domains: satisfaction with teaching (items 1-6), assessment methods (items 7-11), and learning experience (items 12-19). Item 20 assesses overall satisfaction.	One week after the completion of the 4-month intervention.

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Universidad Nacional de la Matanza

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): March 31, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): July 31, 2025
• Study Completion (Estimated): July 31, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 18, 2025
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 18, 2025
• First Posted (Actual): April 25, 2025

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 25, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 18, 2025
• Last Verified: April 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Physical Therapy Specialty; Education, Professional; Evidence-Based Practice; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
• Other Study ID Numbers: UNLaM-AL

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No