Perceived effectiveness of the person–environment–occupation innovative teaching model in rehabilitation therapy students

Abstract Background Given the characteristics of the rehabilitation therapy specialty and the drawback of the traditional didactic teaching approach, we developed the innovative teaching approach from the students’ perspective using the person–environment–occupation (PEO) model. The new model was developed from the original PEO model to be applied in pedagogical contexts and tailored to the characteristics of an application-oriented specialty, such as rehabilitation therapy. The present study aimed to examine the perceived effectiveness of the PEO innovative teaching model applied to rehabilitation therapy students. Methods A pre–post descriptive study was conducted to compare the perceived effectiveness of the PEO innovative teaching model for two consecutive student cohorts. A purposive sampling method was used to recruit students from two cohorts of junior medical students majoring in rehabilitation therapy in the spring semesters of 2020 and 2021. A questionnaire was developed to evaluate the perceived effectiveness of the PEO innovative teaching model. SPSS version 26.0 was used to perform data analysis. Results A total of 112 students were included in the study and completed both pre- and post-tests. Of 112 received questionnaires, 101 were considered as valid questionnaires after the quality check (effective rate 90.18%). In the 2020 and 2021 cohorts, students rated the PEO innovative teaching model significantly higher than the didactic teaching approach in the following aspects: the teaching content is highly professional and valuable; the course is extensively expounded; the clinical reasoning is strengthened; problem-solving ability is developed; communication skills are improved; and teamwork skills are developed. Conclusion The PEO innovative teaching model was perceived to be an effective teaching strategy to enhance students’ academic performance. In addition, three core skills including clinical reasoning, problem-solving ability, and communication skills were improved by the PEO innovative teaching model.