An evaluation of the associate in health science education curriculum in De La Salle University Health Sciences Campus College of Physical Therapy

• Main Author: Saqueton, Ethel Asuncion
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2004
• Subjects: Curriculum evaluation; Medical sciences—Study and teaching; Curriculum and Instruction
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_masteral/6896
• Institution: De La Salle University

The main purpose of the study was to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the Associate in Health Science Education (AHSE) in De La Salle University-Health Sciences Campus, College of Physical Therapy using Stufflebeam's Context-InputProcess-Product evaluation model. A total of 258 participants took part in the study. These consisted of a random sample of 133 first-year physical therapy (PT) students, 10 (PT) alumni, the total population of 92 third-year physical therapy students, 5 AHSE faculty, 6 College of Physical Therapy (CPT) administrators, 10 allied health professionals, and 2 AHSE community coordinators. The study used seven sets of researcher-made questionnaires. The items were mostly based on the objectives of AHSE as specified in CHED Memorandum No. 27, Series of 1998 and from AHSE syllabi provided by the National Teachers Training Center for the Health Professionals. The results of the study under context evaluation showed that as a whole, the objectives of the AHSE curriculum are responsive to the expectations of the students, although in varying degrees. Two of those objectives are most responsive to students’ needs. These are to provide them with the knowledge and skills that will be useful to their field of specialization and to increase their career options in the health-sciences field. On the other hand, one of the major objectives of AHSE, which is to enable students to be employed as community health workers/ aides after completing the AHSE curriculum, is least expected by the student-respondents. However, prior to the adoption of AHSE, one administrator pointed out that the following students’ needs were not met by the old PT curriculum: early exposure to community work and ease in shifting from health-related program to another. Although these were not affirmed by the other participant administrators, perusal of the objectives of AHSE showed that these needs are responded to by the curriculum’s objectives. Results under input evaluation showed that the entry level qualifications of students, teachers, and administrators met the criteria set for the study. However, participation of faculty in AHSE-related training programs, adequate financial and library holdings in support of the AHSE curriculum did not met the criteria. Under process evaluation, the collective teaching performance of AHSE faculty was very satisfactory. Individual ratings of the faculty members surpassed the criterion set for the study. However, implementation of the AHSE curriculum was accompanied by numerous problems because the college of physical therapy of the participant school was unprepared to implement the said curriculum at the time of the study. Recommendations were offered by the participants to prevent those problems from recurring. Under product evaluation, findings showed that the AHSE curriculum was moderately effective in academically preparing students to pursue any health-related profession, function as health science-oriented professionals, and attain the predefined objectives of the courses under the said curriculum. With regard to the objective of engaging graduates to become community health workers/ aides, no AHSE graduate was found to be employed in the community health centers. In addition, the curriculum was not effective in facilitating shifting of students to other health professional courses which is another major objective of AHSE. Failure of the curriculum to meet these two objectives may be attributed to the AHSE students’ intention of completing the PT program and to differences in prerequisite units that the other health-science programs require. Based on the findings of the study, it is recommended that CHED provide implementing rules and guidelines concerning the AHSE curriculum. The same agency should conduct a comprehensive formal evaluation on the degree of attainment of the AHSE objectives across the different health programs. In addition, orientation of freshman students regarding the goals and objectives of the AHSE curriculum should be done before they start with the program. It is also recommended that the curriculum committee of the college of physical therapy must look into students’ overloaded units, the lack of an organic chemistry course in the PT curriculum, and the improvement of the curriculum, based on the identified weaknesses.