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What’s up! WhatsApp: an additional teaching-learning tool in Physiotherapy Education


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Category
Articles
Publisher
Scholink
Publishing Date
01-Sep-2019
volume
2
Issue
4
Pages
136-146

Introduction: More recently, there is growing use of WhatsApp as a communication platform for teachers and their students. It seems that WhatsApp has advantages over other technological tools employed by the educational system. However, in the context of medical education this concept is still nascent. Hence, the purpose of this retrospective analysis is to explore the effects of WhatsApp use for Physiotherapy education as an adjunct to traditional teaching and to determine the opinions of the students towards this process.Methods: A facilitator created a group for the students, separate for every class. A total of 250 students from I year to IV year Physiotherapy undergraduate program participated voluntarily. Activities undertaken were discussion on academic topics, feedback on exam performance, guidance on seminar presentation, etc., and students’ doubts were answered with more elaborate explanation on the topic. Retrospective analysis of the students’ feedback obtained at the end of the program and content analysis was done from the themes identified.Results: Success of the program:• Professional, as well as comfortable learning environment, is created on WhatsApp• Low cost, simplicity, accessibility, efficiency & natural language• Fosters high interactions with the facilitator and knowledge sharing between students as well• Learning material—easy accessibility, variety of resources increases the flexibility, quick sharing of related links• Use of different emotional gestures add humor and fun to TL• Promotes proactive learning and critical thinking • Learning independently at anytime and anywhere (no geographical boundaries)• Students are more open to ask questions as it provides privacy and confidentiality• One student’s doubt solving benefits the entire group • Especially helpful during exam preparation for immediate feedback & quick problem solving, discussion of important topics, etc.• Effective method for doubt solving, explanation with voice notes, video