Developing a Contextualized Clinical Reasoning Module for Physiotherapy Students: A Research and Development Study
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Abstract
Clinical reasoning is a fundamental competency in physiotherapy education, yet many students struggle to develop this skill due to decontextualized learning materials that fail to connect theoretical knowledge with authentic clinical scenarios. Objective: This study aimed to develop, validate, and evaluate the effectiveness of a contextualized clinical reasoning module based on local clinical cases for physiotherapy students. Methods: This research employed a Research and Development (R&D) approach using the ADDIE instructional design model (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, Evaluation). The module was developed based on needs analysis involving 45 physiotherapy students and 10 clinical educators. Expert validation was conducted by three experts in physiotherapy education, curriculum development, and instructional media. The module was implemented with 30 fourth-year physiotherapy students, and its effectiveness was measured using pre-test and post-test clinical reasoning assessments. Results: Expert validation yielded scores of 91.5% (content validity) and 89.7% (media validity), both categorized as "Very Valid." Practicality assessment by clinical educators and students achieved 93.2%, categorized as "Very Practical." Students' clinical reasoning scores improved significantly from a pre-test mean of 52.4 to a post-test mean of 81.6 (N-Gain = 0.62, Moderate). Conclusion: The contextualized clinical reasoning module based on local clinical cases is valid, practical, and effective in improving physiotherapy students' clinical reasoning skills. This study contributes to the development of contextual learning resources that bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and clinical practice in physiotherapy education..
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