Factual Survey of Education Using ICT Including E-learning in Japanese Physical Therapy Schools

[Purpose] A questionnaire survey on e-learning in Japanese physical therapy schools was conducted in order to examine the efficiency and potential of the ICT-supported education by comparing the results with general Japanese higher education institutions. [Subjects and Methods] The questionnaire prepared by NIME in 2006 for higher education institutions was revised, and posted to 228 physical therapy schools in Japan (69 universities and 159 technical schools). [Results] Of all the questionnaires, 53.6% (37/69) and 42.8% (68/159) were returned from the universities and technical schools, respectively. Many items in the questionnaire showed similar tendencies to the results of the NIME's survey. However, the "ascertainment of the learning effect of e-learning" showed a different tendency from general Japanese higher education institutions (p = 0.000). [Conclusion] Physical therapy schools less frequently ascertain the learning effect of e-learning than general Japanese higher education institutions. The fact suggests that e-learning may not have been adapted by physical therapy education due to factors deemed unsuitable for e-learning such as the school capacity issues and technique-centered education.