Delwyn Nicholls1,2, Linda Sweet1,3, Jon Hyett4,5, Amanda Müller1. 1. College of Nursing and Health Sciences Flinders University Adelaide South Australia Australia. 2. Sydney Ultrasound for Women Sydney New South Wales Australia. 3. School of Nursing and Midwifery Deakin University and Western Health Partnership Burwood Victoria Australia. 4. Sydney Institute for Women, Children and their Families Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Sydney New South Wales Australia. 5. Discipline of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Neonatology Faculty of Medicine University of Sydney Sydney New South Wales Australia.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To report on the findings of a survey of sonographer skill-teaching practices in Australia using the SonoSTePs tool. METHOD: A cross-sectional survey of all qualified sonographers registered with the Australian Sonographer Accreditation Registry. RESULTS: The 528 responses showed the use of a two-step skill-teaching approach to teach scanning skills and the incorporation of additional instructional practices to support a learner's initial acquisition of scanning skills, which include: providing coaching and guidance as the skill is practised; performing physical guidance; providing immediate error correction; and providing end-task feedback. Based on our findings, sonographer skill-teaching practices fall short of best pedagogical approaches. CONCLUSION: There is a pressing need to identify the optimal pedagogical approaches to teach complex psychomotor scanning skills. Research is required to ensure that the scanning skills are taught efficiently and that the pedagogical approaches to teach scanning skills foster the learner's long-term retention of the skill. There is also an accompanying need for sonographers involved in teaching scanning skills to have knowledge of the motor-learning theories and principles related to teaching a complex psychomotor skill.
OBJECTIVE: To report on the findings of a survey of sonographer skill-teaching practices in Australia using the SonoSTePs tool. METHOD: A cross-sectional survey of all qualified sonographers registered with the Australian Sonographer Accreditation Registry. RESULTS: The 528 responses showed the use of a two-step skill-teaching approach to teach scanning skills and the incorporation of additional instructional practices to support a learner's initial acquisition of scanning skills, which include: providing coaching and guidance as the skill is practised; performing physical guidance; providing immediate error correction; and providing end-task feedback. Based on our findings, sonographer skill-teaching practices fall short of best pedagogical approaches. CONCLUSION: There is a pressing need to identify the optimal pedagogical approaches to teach complex psychomotor scanning skills. Research is required to ensure that the scanning skills are taught efficiently and that the pedagogical approaches to teach scanning skills foster the learner's long-term retention of the skill. There is also an accompanying need for sonographers involved in teaching scanning skills to have knowledge of the motor-learning theories and principles related to teaching a complex psychomotor skill.
Authors: Daniel Krause; Alexander Brüne; Susanne Fritz; Pascal Kramer; Peter Meisterjahn; Michael Schneider; Alena Sperber Journal: Percept Mot Skills Date: 2014-04