"Oh, the Thinks You Can Think! (with a nod to Dr. Seuss): Teaching and Learning Clinical Reasoning in Speech Pathology"
Tracks
7
Practice (clinical) education
Research
Student
| Saturday, June 14, 2025 |
| 1:40 PM - 1:50 PM |
| Knowledge Hub | Halls MNO, Ground Level |
Overview
Kathryn Fitzgerald
Details
⏫ Rapid impact
⏲️ 1.40pm - 1.50pm
⌛ 10-minutes
📚 Assumed knowledge of attendees: Foundational (new/casual familiarity with the topic e.g. treated a single case)
⏲️ 1.40pm - 1.50pm
⌛ 10-minutes
📚 Assumed knowledge of attendees: Foundational (new/casual familiarity with the topic e.g. treated a single case)
Presenter
Mrs Kathryn Fitzgerald
The University Of Western Australia/ Wa Centre For Rural Health
"Oh, the Thinks You Can Think! (with a nod to Dr. Seuss): Teaching and Learning Clinical Reasoning in Speech Pathology"
1:40 PM - 1:50 PMPresentation summary
This presentation is based on a Doctor of Education qualitative research project investigating the perceptions of clinical educators and final-year speech pathology students on the development of clinical reasoning during placements. While significant research exists on clinical reasoning as a whole, there is limited focus on its development specifically during student clinical placements.
This research was conducted within an interpretive paradigm, utilising a case study design. The central research question was: What are the perceptions of speech pathology students and clinical educators regarding the development of clinical reasoning during final-year clinical placements?
Sixty-four students and practice educators participated across three sources of data collection:
• Source 1: Online self-administered Qualtrics questionnaires were distributed throughout Western Australia: one for final-year speech pathology students and one for practice educators. The questionnaires gathered initial information and understanding of speech pathologists and speech pathology students’ perceptions of their knowledge, experience and feelings about teaching and learning clinical reasoning.
• Source 2: In-depth interviews were conducted with final-year students at two points in their placement to understand their perceptions as they develop clinical reasoning during their final-year clinical placements.
• Source 3: In-depth interviews were completed with speech pathology practice educators during a time when they were the primary practice educator for a final-year speech pathology student on clinical placement.
This presentation will share key findings from the research, including the major themes that emerged around teaching and learning clinical reasoning. It will also explore the synthesis of perspectives from both students and clinical educators.
The research highlights the challenges and successes experienced during clinical placements while identifying opportunities and strategies to better support the development of clinical reasoning skills in final-year students.
This research was conducted within an interpretive paradigm, utilising a case study design. The central research question was: What are the perceptions of speech pathology students and clinical educators regarding the development of clinical reasoning during final-year clinical placements?
Sixty-four students and practice educators participated across three sources of data collection:
• Source 1: Online self-administered Qualtrics questionnaires were distributed throughout Western Australia: one for final-year speech pathology students and one for practice educators. The questionnaires gathered initial information and understanding of speech pathologists and speech pathology students’ perceptions of their knowledge, experience and feelings about teaching and learning clinical reasoning.
• Source 2: In-depth interviews were conducted with final-year students at two points in their placement to understand their perceptions as they develop clinical reasoning during their final-year clinical placements.
• Source 3: In-depth interviews were completed with speech pathology practice educators during a time when they were the primary practice educator for a final-year speech pathology student on clinical placement.
This presentation will share key findings from the research, including the major themes that emerged around teaching and learning clinical reasoning. It will also explore the synthesis of perspectives from both students and clinical educators.
The research highlights the challenges and successes experienced during clinical placements while identifying opportunities and strategies to better support the development of clinical reasoning skills in final-year students.
Refrences
Cook, K. J., Messick, C. K., Ramsay, R. M. A., & Tillard, G. D. (2019). A Preliminary Investigation in the Use of Questions by Clinical Educators When Working With First- and Final-Year Speech-Language Pathology Students. Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups, 4(2), 363-371.
Cook, K. J., Tillard, G., Wyles, C., Gerhard, D., Ormond, T., & McAuliffe, M. (2019). Assessing and developing the written reflective practice skills of speech-language pathology students
Ginsberg, S. M., Friberg, J. C., & Visconti, C. F. (2016). Diagnostic Reasoning by Experienced Speech-Language Pathologists and Student Clinicians. Contemporary Issues in Communication Science & Disorders, 43, 87-97.
Higgs, J. (2019). Clinical reasoning in the health professions (4th ed.). Elsevier, Churchill Livingstone
Hoben, K., Varley, R., & Cox, R. (2007). Clinical reasoning skills of speech and language therapy students. International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders, 42(SUPPL. 1), 123-135.
Kenny, Davenport, R., & Johnson, R. (2019). Speech-Language Pathology Students Learning Clinical Reasoning. In J. Higgs (Ed.), Clinical Reasoning in the Health Professions (4th ed., pp. 367-376). Elsevier.
McAllister, S., Lincoln, M., Ferguson, A., & McAllister, L. (2010). Issues in developing valid assessments of speech pathology students' performance in the workplace. International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, 45(1), 1-14
Mok, C. K. F., Whitehill, T. L., & Dodd, B. J. (2008). Problem-based learning, critical thinking and concept mapping in speech-language pathology education: a review. International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 10(6), 438-448.
Morris, R. J., Brockner, A. E., & Coleman, S. E. (2019). Effectiveness of two methods for teaching critical thinking to communication sciences and disorders undergraduates. Canadian Journal of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, 43(1), 21-3
Patel, R., Sandars, J., & Carr, S. (2015). Clinical diagnostic decision-making in real-life contexts: A trans-theoretical approach for teaching: AMEE Guide No. 95. Medical Teacher, 37(3), 211-227
Speech Pathology Australia. (2011). Competency-based Occupational Standards for Speech Pathologists Entry Level.
Speech Pathology Australia. (2018). Clinical Education in Australia: Building a Profession for the Future
Speech Pathology Australia. (2022). Position statement: Practice(clinical) education within the speech pathology profession.
Yin, R. K. (2018). Case study research and applications : design and methods (Sixth edition. ed.). SAGE Publications, Inc.
**********
Kathryn is a speech pathologist who has worked in rural and remote Western Australia for many years. She has worked in clinical roles as well as policy and now works in clinical education at the Western Australian Centre for Rural Health. She is completing her Doctor of Education, looking at learning and teaching clinical reasoning for speech pathology students during final year clinical placements.
The information contained in this program is current at of the time of publishing but is subject to changes made without notice.
Disclaimer: © (2024) The Speech Pathology Association of Australia Limited. All rights reserved.
Important Notice, please read: The views expressed in this presentation and reproduced in these materials are not necessarily the views of, or endorsed by, The Speech Pathology Association of Australia Limited ("the Association"). The Association makes no warranty or representation in relation to the content, currency or accuracy of any of the materials comprised in this presentation. The Association expressly disclaims any and all liability (including liability for negligence) in respect of use of these materials and the information contained within them. The Association recommends you seek independent professional advice prior to making any decision involving matters outlined in this presentation including in any of the materials referred to or otherwise incorporated into this presentation.
.
