2026-10-07T12:22:14Z https://api.figshare.com/v2/oai

oai:figshare.com:article/33653230 2026-09-16T08:31:39Z category_27241 portal_753 item_type_3 month_year_09_2026

Reimagining otoscopy education : designing a theory-informed virtual clinical experience Maria Cochrane-Boeyens (18295588) Divhanani Sithi (23596860) Renata Eccles (9940307) Samantha Govender (23596852) Other health sciences not elsewhere classified Virtual clinical experiences (VCEs) Clinical training teaching Health professions education Otoscopy Deign-based methodology Audiology Clinical skill SDG 4 Quality education <p dir="ltr">This study aimed to design a theoretically grounded and contextually responsive virtual clinical experience teaching strategy to support the development of otoscopy skills in undergraduate audiology students. A design-based research process was employed, informed by a previously published scoping review, Kern's six-step curriculum development model, the Capability, Opportunity, Motivation-Behaviour framework, and a needs analysis questionnaire. Purposive sampling recruited 44 participants from a South African undergraduate audiology programme, including academic staff (<i>n</i>=11), senior students (<i>n</i>=29), and community service audiologists (<i>n</i>=4). The needs analysis was informed by the capability, opportunity, and motivation-behavior framework. Quantitative data were analysed descriptively and qualitative data thematically. Kern's six-step curriculum development model guided the first three steps: problem identification, targeted needs assessment, and goals and objectives. The needs analysis identified limited opportunities for deliberate practice, student anxiety about clinical performance, gaps in clinical reasoning and otoscopy interpretation, and contextual barriers, including connectivity constraints and load shedding. Synthesis of the scoping review and needs analysis yielded six evidence-informed design principles: deliberate practice, scaffolded learning, timely feedback and reflection, authentic case-based learning, curriculum and competency alignment, and contextually responsive learning. These principles informed the development of a virtual clinical experience prototype incorporating virtual otoscopy cases, progressive case complexity, embedded feedback, and flexible access. Integrating empirical evidence, stakeholder perspectives, and iterative design-based research enabled the development of a theoretically grounded and contextually responsive teaching strategy for otoscopy.</p> 2026-09-16T08:31:39Z Dataset Dataset 10.25403/UPresearchdata.33653230.v1 https://figshare.com/articles/dataset/Reimagining_otoscopy_education_designing_a_theory-informed_virtual_clinical_experience/33653230 CC BY 4.0