Semester

Summer

Date of Graduation

2005

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Type

EdD

College

College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences

Department

Physical Education Teacher Education

Committee Chair

Andrew Hawkins

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify: (1) Who are ACIs; (2) What are the perceptions of the clinical education process since the implementation of the 2001 Proficiencies, Standards, and Guidelines; (3) What factors are most and least facilitating to the clinical education process; and (4) What factors should be first addressed to improve the clinical education process. Online surveys were sent to 298 Program Directors and they were asked to distribute them to ACIs in their programs. Two weeks later, the survey was posted on the Athletic Training Education Listserve. Two hundred and twelve surveys were returned. The results indicated that 205 (97%) of the ACIs sampled, identified this as an important topic for athletic training research the results also indicated that ACIs are generally satisfied with the implementation of the 2001 Proficiencies, Standards, and Guidelines. The ACIs that responded to the survey believed that personal factors within their control generally facilitated the clinical education process, while those institutional factors (e.g. time, documentation, etc.) facilitate less. Possibly the most important finding of this study is that although the implementation of the 2001 Proficiencies, Standards, and Guidelines was met with significant resistance from the ground level (practitioners), ACIs, currently feel reasonably satisfied with their ability to perform in the clinical education process. This is crucial in that the overall findings of this study were so positive especially when considering the top down nature of these changes to the Proficiencies, Standards, and Guidelines. Future research should examine the "less facilitating" factors and seek steps to improve these factors.

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