INTRODUCTION OF SOME PRINCIPLES OF ELECTRONIC LEARNING IN THE EVALUATION OF THE EFFICACY OF EDUCATION IN THE FIELD OF REHABILITATION IN BULGARIA

Current article presents the introduction of computer-based technologies in the education and the evaluation of the theoretical knowledge and practical skills in the field of rehabilitation in Bulgaria – in the special disciplines: Physical therapy, Kinesitherapy, Massage and Soft tissue techniques, Occupational therapy.

A bank with approximately 1000 questions for evaluation of professional competences in the field of rehabilitation was created. After a tailored approbation we created a computer-based system, capable to make an automatic structuration and quantitative evaluation of tests (groups of questions), oriented to different types of staff in the rehabilitation field (students and workers): medical doctors – specialists and during specialization in Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine (PRM), students and specialists in Rehabilitation, Medical Rehabilitation and Ergotherapy, Kinesitherapy. We effectuated too an exploration of student’s opinion and worker’s opinion on some organization problems of Bulgarian rehabilitation.

Some of principles of structuration of the ICT programme are presented.
During the period September 2006 – September 2016 the quality of education of a total of 1276 students of the rehabilitation field (students, doctors during specialization, and specialists during long life learning) was investigated. Current article presents the evaluation of the level of competences (theoretical knowledge & practical skills) in the field of the basic disciplines: Kinesitherapy, Physical therapy, Massage, Occupational therapy – of the students of bachelor’s degree [specialties Rehablitation, Medical Rehabilitation and Ergotherapy (MRET), Kinesitherapy (KT)] and master’s degree [Medical Rehabilitation & Balneology, MRET and Medicine – course V] in different Bulgarian Medical Schools (3 Universities and 2 Colleges). We realized a comparison between students’ competencies and workers’ competencies (specialists in Rehabilitation, Medical rehabilitation & Ergotherapy, Physiotherapy; medical doctors – trainees and specialists in PRM).

Our work is the first step of creation of a total electronic system in the rehabilitation in our country. We consider that the modernization of didactic concepts should promote the education in the rehabilitation field and the adaptation of the education to the needs of clinical practice, respectively to the amelioration of quality of care of patients.