Teacher characteristics affecting clinical education in audiology
Abstract
Background and Aim: Clinical education is a major component of the Audiology curriculum. Clinical teachers and instructors play an important role in achieving clinical education goals. This research was conducted to survey the view point of Audiology students, teachers, and graduates about clinical teachers’ characteristics affecting clinical education.
Methods: Through purposeful sampling method, 14 senior undergraduate students, 4 BSc. Graduates, and 7 teachers participated in this qualitative study. The relevant data were collected via focus group discussions and semi-structured interviews. The obtained data were analyzed by conventional content analysis.
Results: After data analysis and classification of codes, two main themes and some sub-themes were emerged. Themes included professional characteristics of clinical experience, educational ability and rigor as well as personality characteristics of behavior, motivation and compassion, discipline and timeliness. They were recognized as influential attributes of a clinical teacher by the study participants.
Conclusion: It seems that clinical experience, educational ability, rigor, behavior, motivation, timeliness and discipline play an important role in increasing the quality of clinical education. Therefore, the choice of qualified clinical teacher is important in conducting the best clinical education course in the field of Audiology.
