REHB9034 Rehabilitation Research Methods

2016

4.5

1 x 2-hour seminar weekly
1 x 2-hour on-line exercises weekly

1 Admission into MCR-Master of Clinical Rehabilitation
1a Admission into GDPCR-Graduate Diploma in Clinical Rehabilitation
1b Admission into MCRNOT-Master of Clinical Rehabilitation (Neurological Occupational Therapy)
1c Admission into MCRNPT-Master of Clinical Rehabilitation (Neurological Physiotherapy)
1d Admission into BEXSMCEXP-Bachelor of Exercise Science, Master of Clinical Exercise Physiology
1e Admission into MCEXP-Master of Clinical Exercise Physiology
1f Admission into MDHC/CW-Master of Disaster Health Care (Coursework)
Must Satisfy: ((1 or 1a or 1b or 1c or 1d or 1e or 1f))

Assignments: Tutorial participation and presentation or Online participation

This topic involves the identification of different types of research study designs, evaluating strengths and weaknesses and selecting appropriate designs in clinical rehabilitation practice. Students will be able to set realistic and appropriate aims and objectives for rehabilitation research projects and develop strategies for locating, accessing and evaluating information. This topic also aims to familiarise students with quantitative and qualitative approaches to clinical rehabilitation research to employ appropriate methods in conducting their own research. Students must enrol in and complete this topic to be able to enrol in REHB9101 Clinical Rehabilitation Research Project Design and REHB8021 Advanced Rehabilitation Practice Project Design.

This topic aims to enable students to:

• review the strengths and weaknesses for rehabilitation research methodologies

• review appropriate study designs for rehabilitation research questions

• provide an opportunity for students to develop a preliminary proposal on an area relevant to practice in their professional workplace or a specific field of interest

On completion of this topic, students should be able to demonstrate an ability to:

• Critically analyse the role of theory in underpinning rehabilitation research

• Critically evaluate the characteristics of good rehabilitation research

• Critically evaluate the importance of study design issues in rehabilitation research such as validity, reliability, bias and sample size

• Identify different types of study design in rehabilitation research, evaluate their strengths and weaknesses and select appropriate designs in practice

• Develop a preliminary rehabilitation research proposal in seminar format for the topics on which they will continue including REHB9101 Clinical Rehabilitation Research Project Design and REHB8021 Advanced Rehabilitation Practice Project Design

• Demonstrate an understanding of methods for collecting, recording and analysing qualitative data (interview techniques, focus groups, transcripts etc) in rehabilitation research

• Demonstrate an understanding of methods for collecting and recording quantitative data (to include questionnaire design, devising and testing measurement tools, designing data record sheets) in rehabilitation research.