Abstract
Background: Changes in the higher education landscape, accelerated by COVID-19, have resulted in an increase in online health education globally. A blended online Master of Speech Pathology commenced in Australia in 2014, making speech pathology training available across geographic and social boundaries.
Aims: To understand the ‘online speech pathology student’, this project investigated:
• Who are the students undertaking the blended online course?
• What influenced the students to study speech pathology online?
• How do students describe the experience of online learning?
• Where do students plan to work in their future career?
Method: A mixed methods online survey was distributed to students of a blended online Master of Speech Pathology. Descriptive statistics was applied to numeric data (n=44), along with inferential statistics to explore relationships between factors. Content analysis was applied to qualitative data.
Results: A ‘typical’ student was a 30-49 yo female (n=39), with 45.46% (n=20) living in a major city. Without the blended online option, 74.99% of participants (n=33) would not have studied speech pathology. Fit to family, work and lifestyle were key reasons for seeking an online course. Of those who reported their ideal work location (n=41), 82.92% indicated a preference for working within 50km of home, with 53.66% preferring to work in regional, rural or remote locations
Conclusion: This study highlights the role of online speech pathology education in reducing barriers to studying speech pathology and in providing a diverse workforce that is helping address issues of access and equity in service delivery across Australia.
Aims: To understand the ‘online speech pathology student’, this project investigated:
• Who are the students undertaking the blended online course?
• What influenced the students to study speech pathology online?
• How do students describe the experience of online learning?
• Where do students plan to work in their future career?
Method: A mixed methods online survey was distributed to students of a blended online Master of Speech Pathology. Descriptive statistics was applied to numeric data (n=44), along with inferential statistics to explore relationships between factors. Content analysis was applied to qualitative data.
Results: A ‘typical’ student was a 30-49 yo female (n=39), with 45.46% (n=20) living in a major city. Without the blended online option, 74.99% of participants (n=33) would not have studied speech pathology. Fit to family, work and lifestyle were key reasons for seeking an online course. Of those who reported their ideal work location (n=41), 82.92% indicated a preference for working within 50km of home, with 53.66% preferring to work in regional, rural or remote locations
Conclusion: This study highlights the role of online speech pathology education in reducing barriers to studying speech pathology and in providing a diverse workforce that is helping address issues of access and equity in service delivery across Australia.
| Original language | English |
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| Number of pages | 1 |
| Publication status | Published - May 2021 |
| Event | Speech Pathology Australia National Conference 2021 - Online conference, Darwin, Australia Duration: 30 May 2021 → 02 Jun 2021 https://www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au/SPAConf2021/Home/SPAConf2021/Home.aspx?hkey=d59455de-9844-4a9f-bcf5-eacdb146deb2 (conference website) https://www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au/SPAweb/Professional_Education/Past_and_Future_National_Conferences/SPAweb/Professional_Development/National_Conference/Past_and_future_Conferences/Past_and_future_Conferences.aspx?hkey=95135a9e-4016-40a6-9f85-9181118f3297 (Abstracts) |
Conference
| Conference | Speech Pathology Australia National Conference 2021 |
|---|---|
| Abbreviated title | Local contexts, global practice |
| Country/Territory | Australia |
| City | Darwin |
| Period | 30/05/21 → 02/06/21 |
| Other | Each year Speech Pathology Australia conducts a National Conference for the benefit of its members and the speech pathology profession. The event provides delegates with a prime opportunity to update their knowledge and skills, while building networks to enable them to remain leaders in a competitive field. On this page are the programs for previous conferences. |
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