S. Mollà-Casanova, M. Zarzoso, E. Muñoz-Gómez, M. Inglés, N. Moreno-Segura, H. González-Pons, P. Serra-Añó
Introduction:
Since statistics is a fundamental subject in the training of future physiotherapists, it is essential for students to clearly understand the importance of acquiring knowledge in this area. Therefore, it is crucial to present the relevance of applied statistics in a concrete and accessible way, demonstrating why applied statistics is important for their professional practice, as it will enable them to interpret data, make evidence-based decisions and improve the quality of care they provide to their patients.
Objective:
This educational innovation project aims to evaluate the impact of a didactic intervention based on the creation of a work dossier focused on the practical application of statistics in the context of health sciences, specifically in physiotherapy.
Method:
First-year Physiotherapy students were granted access to the activities one month prior to the exam. During the final class, a session was conducted for the presentation and resolution of the doubts that arose throughout the process. During this session, information related to the usefulness of the dossier, the "flipped classroom" methodology, the organization and resources used, the proposed activities, and a general assessment of the process were collected. Students were asked to rate each aspect using a scale from 0 to 10, where 0 represented total disagreement and 10 represented total agreement.
A descriptive analysis of the results was carried out using these data.
Results:
A total of 64 students completed the satisfaction questionnaire (25 men, 35 women, and 4 others), with a mean age (SD) of 19.12 (1.83) years. Overall, ratings indicated that expectations regarding the usefulness of the activity were met (Mean (SD) = 7.55 (1.67) points) and that the contents were perceived as relevant (8.06 (1.60) points). The applied methodology, including the flipped classroom and online modality, was evaluated positively (mean range score = 7.08–8.06), as were the organizational aspects such as resources, access, duration, and logistics (mean range score = 7.70–8.00 points). Activities were generally well received (8.11 (1.78) points), though slightly lower scores were observed for maintaining interest and fostering participation (7.17 (1.94) and 7.28 (1.78) points, respectively). The general evaluation revealed high levels of satisfaction (8.38 (1.35) points) and a strong willingness to recommend the activity to peers (8.25 (1.72) points).
Conclusions:
Since the subject of Statistics is typically not considered vocational in the Degree in Physiotherapy, it is essential to show its applicability in this field. The applied activities provided to the students facilitated their motivation and satisfaction towards the subject.
Keywords: Statistics, physiotherapy, practical cases.