Developing Learning Outcomes For An Ideal Msc Course In Sports And Exercise

Introduction

Postgraduate education in sports medicine varies throughout the world from short term courses to long term specialty programmes. In some countries postgraduate courses in this field are offered as an MSc/Dip course. These courses differ in their objectives, learning outcomes and structures. The objective of this study was "to develop learning outcomes for an ideal MSc in sports and exercise medicine course". Writing new learning outcomes could be the first phase of curriculum development [1]. The developed learning outcomes could be useful for designing a new MSc/Dip course in sports and exercise medicine and developing the current courses.

Methods

Twenty-nine learning outcomes were developed based on the learning outcomes, aims and objectives of current sports medicine courses, occupational standards and other related data. Using a Likert scale, the opinion of MSc/Dip course directors in the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa as well as teachers, graduates and students of the MSc/Dip course at the University of Nottingham and teachers at the University of Tehran were surveyed. An email questionnaire listing the 29 learning outcomes was sent to the subjects. A mixed reminder via email or mail was used. The results were treated as ordinal data, and reliability and internal consistency of questionnaire was tested using Cronbach’s alpha.

Results

Response rates were high( 75% course directors, 79%,54% and 78% University of Nottingham teachers graduates and students respectively, and 75% University of Tehran teachers). The questionnaire was highly reliable (alpha >0.8).The total scores of all but one of the responders, was above the midpoint (>87, possible range 29-145).The majority of course directors (>80%) agreed or strongly agreed with each of the learning outcomes, with the exception of two of the learning outcomes. Most of the other subjects also agreed or strongly agreed with the learning outcomes, with few exceptions.

Discussion / Conclusions

The results suggest that there is a consensus among subjects that the final listed learning outcomes can be the learning outcomes of an ideal MSc in sports and exercise medicine.

References

1. Smith, S. R. & Dollase, R. (1999). Medical Teacher, 21(1), 15-22.