Introduction Physiotherapy education, like so many fields today, faces a relentless influx of new technologies. From digital patient records to AI-powered rehabilitation tools, innovations are constant. And it makes sense to advocate for the inclusion of these new services and platforms into physiotherapy education, as we prepare graduates for the world of work. But as…
Leave a CommentHome ยป Newsletter
Category: Newsletter
At the broadest level, institutions do cool stuff for the benefit of society, and in return they get money to do cool stuff and suffer minimal outside interference in so doing. Alex Usher Introduction In the midst of the current financial crisis gripping UK higher education, the question of purpose looms large. What are universities truly for?…
Leave a CommentThe one about Wikipedia
Published November 2, 2023 by Michael Rowe
Start with Wikipedia. But don’t stop there. Stephen Downes Introduction I made my first Wikipedia edit on the Physical Therapy article, at 23:21 on 25 April 2004. I was living in Ireland at the time and had just learned about a new kind of website, called a wiki, that anyone could edit. And so I…
Leave a CommentThe one about Blended Learning
Published October 2, 2023 by Michael Rowe
A blended approach to learning and teaching integrates different learning environments in complementary ways, such that the strengths of each compensates for the weaknesses of the other. Introduction Given that I did my PhD on blended learning in health professions education, and that I continue thinking about it often, I’m surprised I haven’t included a…
Leave a CommentThe one about Craft
Published September 1, 2023 by Michael Rowe
Craft is a word to start an argument with. David Pye (1978) Introduction I’ve been thinking about craft lately, particularly in the context of increasingly competent AI. A lot of the commentary in this area suggest that the value of human beings will be in the ‘art’ and ‘craft’ of teaching, with the implication being…
Leave a CommentThe one about Innovation
Published August 1, 2023 by Michael Rowe
Vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity, and change. Brene Brown Introduction Innovation has been on my mind as we come to the end of the 22-23 academic year. I’ve been in my new post (AP for Digital Innovation) for about 18 months and thought it was a good time to reflect on what it…
Leave a CommentThe one about Academic Podcasting
Published July 3, 2023 by Michael Rowe
…in a world where managerial pressure seeps into our writing, mainstream media oversimplification, and hostile anti-science discourse, there is something wonderfully freeing and exciting about scholarly podcasting. Ian Cook (2023) Introduction I’ve been working on a podcast project at work and so have been thinking about podcasting more often than usual. I keep bringing it…
Leave a CommentIn programmatic assessment, you can imagine assessment information as pixels, where each assessment is only a single pixel in a picture; the more information (pixels) you have, the better the image will be. Cees van der Vleuten (2018) Introduction Programmatic assessment is a fascinating approach to assessment that seems like it would address many of…
Leave a CommentThe one about Creativity
Published May 2, 2023 by Michael Rowe
Quote Peace of mind is the most important prerequisite for creative work. Richard Feynman Introduction Not much of an introduction this week as time is short and I have a PhD thesis to finish marking. However, I was re-reading Eight Marvelous & Melancholy Things I’ve Learned About Creativity a couple of days ago, and figured it’d be…
Leave a CommentThe one about Learning
Published April 1, 2023 by Michael Rowe
Quote The aim of teaching is simple: it is to make student learning possible. Paul Ramsden (2003) Introduction Learning is one of those things that are so fundamental to what we do on a daily basis, that it’s seldom something we even stop to think about. What, exactly, do we mean when we talk about…
Leave a Comment