Publication Date

2024

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

First Advisor

Bergan-Roller, Heather

Degree Name

Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy)

Legacy Department

Department of Biological Sciences

Abstract

Communication is a critical component of effective healthcare. Students interested in going into healthcare fields require training to learn how to effectively communicate. These students have a need to learn communication skills. Understanding students’ value for learning these skills is necessary for increasing the motivation to learn. In this study, a mixed method approach was used to investigate the value that students on a healthcare track had for learning communication skills. Quantitative methods were used to develop a survey measuring student value and then evaluate students’ value when completing a communication skills activity in a gross human anatomy course. Qualitative methods were then used to interview the students about their experience when completing the communication skills activity. This work concludes by combining the survey results and interview analyses to gain a more nuanced understanding of student value.

The Student Attitudes Toward Communication Skills Survey (SATCSS) was developed and validated with an undergraduate student population. These students found learning communication skills to be important and relevant (high attainment and utility value) but not interesting (low intrinsic value) and costly in terms of how they used their time. A written communication activity was added to a Gross Human Anatomy course to investigate graduate physical therapy students’ value for learning communication skills. This activity did not affect students’ overall value when compared to students who did not complete the activity. Graduate students also found learning communication skills to be important and relevant but not interesting and a poor use of their time. During interviews, graduate students described how the communication activity had value, but many students required reflection time before recognizing this value. During the semester, some students were focused on the challenges of their workload and did not appreciate the value of additional work. All students felt that translating jargon into more patient-centered language was difficult, but having the time to write out their thoughts was helpful, particularly for students for whom English is a second language.

Cost is likely the most important factor affecting the value that students hold for classroom activities regardless of how they feel about the skills being practiced. Students can see value in learning certain skills, but the stresses experienced with challenging coursework can overshadow this value when balanced with concerns about time and other costs.

This study suggests that instructors do not have to convince students that communication skills are important and relevant. Instead, the focus should be on making learning activities that are interesting to students and that they will find worth their time. Students interested in healthcare are not the only beneficiaries of this research. Many disciplines and careers require effective communication skills, and these results will help guide the implementation of communication skills practice across disciplines.

Extent

166 pages

Language

en

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.

Media Type

Text

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