The perception of novice approved clinical instructors on their preparedness as clinical educators

Context. Approved Clinical Instructor (ACI) training is an important step in becoming a clinical educator within the field of athletic training, yet research with regards to the effectiveness of this training for certified athletic trainers (ATCs) is lacking. Furthermore, the perception of novice ACIs, who are being increasingly utilized as clinical educators within athletic training programs, on their preparedness to serve in that role has not been extensively researched. Objective. The purpose of this study was to determine novice ACIs\u27 perceptions of their preparedness to teach, supervise and evaluate athletic training students (ATS) after they have completed the ACI training course. Design. The design of this study was a descriptive analysis of novice ACIs\u27 views of their preparedness to work with ATS after completing the ACI training course. Setting. All 365 CAATE accredited Athletic Training Programs (ATEP) in the USA. Participants. This study included thirty eight novice ACIs from 365 Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE) accredited ATEPs who have completed the ACI training workshop and have been certified for at least one year and have had three years or less of clinical experience as an ACI. There were a total of 365 emails sent out to the PDs asking them to participate in the study. Of the 365 emails, 37 responses were received equaling a total of 130 novice ACI email addresses and therefore there was a 29% return rate. Of the 38 participants who responded to the survey, 52.6% (n=20) were GAs. All respondents (100%, n=38) reported being ACIs at their respective institutions. Thirty four percent (n=13) of the participants had less than one year of experience as an ACI, while (23.7%, n=9) indicated they were ACIs for more then two years. Sixty three percent (n=24) of the ACIs reported having more than two years experience as an ATC. When respondents were asked about their work settings, 84% (n=32) reported working in the college/university setting. Intervention. The subjects completed an electronic survey by a link given to them via an e-mail. The survey consisted of a demographics section, content section consisting of student learning styles, ACI responsibilities, evaluation and feedback on student performance, ACI preparation, and overall preparedness. Main outcomes measure. Novice ACIs will feel that the ACI training they underwent was not adequate enough to prepare them to supervise, evaluate and teach undergraduate athletic training students based on responses. Additionally, Novice ACIs will not feel sufficiently prepared to be an approved clinical instructor based on responses. Results. With regards to supervising ATSs, 50% (n=19) indicated they supervised 2 to 3 undergraduate ATSs. The majority of all of the participants felt prepared in the areas of learning styles, ACI responsibilities, evaluation and feedback of student performance, and ACI preparation. The participants felt most prepared to evaluate ATS clinical knowledge (61%, n=23) and least prepared to evaluate professional behaviors (47%, n=18). The participants felt most prepared to provide feedback in ATS professional behaviors (34%, n=13) and least prepared to provided feedback in clinical decision making (16%, n=6). The number one greatest challenge reported as a first year ACI was understanding the institutions policies and procedures (18.4%, n=7). The number two reported greatest challenge was controlling the learning environment (21.1%, n=8)and the third reported greatest challenge was providing feedback on clinical skills (15.8%, n=6). Finally, respondents rated their performance during their first year as an ACI (M = 6.57+ -- 1.0) using a 10 point Likert scale ranging from 0 being worst performance and 10 being the best performance. Conclusion. The participants who responded to the questionnaire, mostly felt prepared to be an ACI in their novice years based on responses. Literature has found that teaching, supervising and evaluating behaviors may be a weakness among novice ACIs. Most of the participants felt that the ACI training workshop was beneficial and prepared them to be ACIs, but there were some participants who felt that the training workshop was not beneficial to their development as an ACI