Educational Effectiveness of a 5-Country Virtual Exchange Program for Internationalization in Occupational Therapy Education: Mixed Methods Study

Abstract

Background: Global health care education that cultivates international orientation is important for providing medical care in consideration of diverse backgrounds and collaboration with foreign medical professionals. Virtual international exchange programs could be a new type of global education in the present postpandemic era. Objective: This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of a virtual international exchange program in fostering quality academic and professional learning and international orientation from student perspectives across 5 countries. This research is expected to contribute to education for the development of global human resources in the health professions. Methods: This quasi-experimental study used a before-and-after design using a convergent parallel mixed methods approach. In this study, a 5-day interactive virtual program was offered to occupational therapy students from Bangladesh, Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines, and Thailand. The students were asked about their expectations and international orientation before the program, and about their evaluation of the program and international orientation afterward. Numerical data from a questionnaire on program expectations and evaluations were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Data on international orientation were subjected to qualitative analysis using steps for coding and theorization. Results: In total, 29 students participated in the program, out of which 12 students (response ratio 41.4%) answered the research questionnaires both before and after the program. Overall, the students’ expectations of the program were met in terms of expertise, scientific learning skills, and group interactions. Comparing before and after the program, mean scores of how the program met expectations increased, and the mean scores after the program in all 12 items asking about program evaluation were from 3.8 (SD 1.19) to 4.9 (SD 0.67; range: score 1 [lowest]-5 [highest]). Even though their motivation for participating in the program was not specific before the program, after the program, they reported having a more concrete image and specific form of what they learned from an international perspective. The participants enjoyed communication with others from diverse backgrounds while recognizing the difficulty of understanding different values. They also expressed satisfaction with their understanding of occupational therapy professionals and diverse societies, including medical systems from other countries. Conclusions: Even though the analyzed sample data were small, these findings suggest that the program in this study may provide the participants with valuable opportunities. The virtual exchange program could foster students to cultivate qualities such as problem-finding or problem-solving and having interactions with groups from diverse backgrounds. © Natsuka Suyama, Kaoru Inoue, Norikazu Kobayashi, Anuchart Kaunnil, Supatida Sorasak Siangchin, Muhammad Hidayat Sahid, Erayanti Saloko, Sk Moniruzzaman.

Keywords

Author Keywords

Intercultural competence health professions education global education international orientation occupational therapy education virtual exchange program

Index Keywords

Author Affiliations

Department of Occupational Therapy, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan

Department of Occupational Therapy, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Chiang Mai, Thailand

Division of Occupational Therapy, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand

Department of Applied Health Sciences, Universitas Indonesia, Depok, West Java, Indonesia

Department of Occupational Therapy, Polytechnics of Health Surakarta, Surakarta, Indonesia

Department of Occupational Therapy, Bangladesh Health Professions Institute, Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Funding & Acknowledgements

Tokyo Metropolitan University, TMU

We wish to thank all the faculty members at Tokyo Metropolitan University, Angeles Foundation University, Bangladesh Health Profession Institute, Chiang Mai University, Thailand; Mahidol University, Thailand; The Surakarta Ministry of Health Polytechnic, Indonesia; and the University of Indonesia, as well as all participating students. In particular, Ms. Mohuya Akter and Ms. Cahya Ramadani Renhoran were very supportive of the progress of this program. The authors also thank FORTE Science Communications [43] for English language editing. This work was partially supported by the General Research Fund of Tokyo Metropolitan University for manuscript writing and publication.

Universitas Indonesia, UI

We wish to thank all the faculty members at Tokyo Metropolitan University, Angeles Foundation University, Bangladesh Health Profession Institute, Chiang Mai University, Thailand; Mahidol University, Thailand; The Surakarta Ministry of Health Polytechnic, Indonesia; and the University of Indonesia, as well as all participating students. In particular, Ms. Mohuya Akter and Ms. Cahya Ramadani Renhoran were very supportive of the progress of this program. The authors also thank FORTE Science Communications [43] for English language editing. This work was partially supported by the General Research Fund of Tokyo Metropolitan University for manuscript writing and publication.

Forskningsrådet för hälsa, arbetsliv och välfärd, FORTE

We wish to thank all the faculty members at Tokyo Metropolitan University, Angeles Foundation University, Bangladesh Health Profession Institute, Chiang Mai University, Thailand; Mahidol University, Thailand; The Surakarta Ministry of Health Polytechnic, Indonesia; and the University of Indonesia, as well as all participating students. In particular, Ms. Mohuya Akter and Ms. Cahya Ramadani Renhoran were very supportive of the progress of this program. The authors also thank FORTE Science Communications [43] for English language editing. This work was partially supported by the General Research Fund of Tokyo Metropolitan University for manuscript writing and publication.

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Educational Effectiveness of a 5-Country Virtual Exchange Program for Internationalization in Occupational Therapy Education: Mixed Methods Study

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