On-Demand: The Art of Teaching Pediatrics: Creating Learning Activities Using an Evidence “Paint Palette”

For almost a decade, pediatric physical therapy educators have implemented the pediatric essential core competencies (ECCs) into professional physical therapist education curricula. More recently, the National Study of Excellence in Pediatric Physical Therapy Education (NSE-Peds) introduced a conceptual framework of key dimensions and related elements to prepare physical therapist students to support children and families in their future practice.

The NSE-Peds conceptual framework and the ECCs provide a “paint palette” that supports teaching and learning practices. “Child and family as teacher,” the central dimension of the NSE-Peds conceptual framework, serves as a foundational and unifying base for excellence in pediatric physical therapy education. However, it can still be challenging for faculty to implement the ECCs and to draw from the NSE-Peds framework due to programmatic and curricular constraints. Other barriers can include limited access to resources to support experiential learning or a lack of pediatric core faculty.

During this session the speakers will share real-world examples of how they creatively use the ECCs and apply the key dimensions and elements of the NSE-Peds in their teaching portfolio. The speakers are diverse in their years of experience (early to mid-career) and the types of DPT programs they represent (3-year residential, 2-year hybrid, stand-alone and integrated pediatric content, and competency-based education).