Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Journal of
Bodywork and
Movement Therapies
www.intl.elsevierhealth.com/journals/jbmt
Department of Psychology, Loyola University, 6363 St. Charles Ave., New Orleans, LA 70118, USA
Received 19 February 2004; received in revised form 30 March 2004; accepted 31 March 2004
Integrating research competencies in research literate has been apparent in the recent
massage therapy education efforts of several notable leaders in the field (e.g.,
AMTA Foundation, 2002; Kahn, 2001a, b; Ostendorf
The massage therapy professions current focus on and Schwartz, 2001). Of particular significance was
ensuring that licensed/certified practitioners are the March 2003 date mandated by the Commission
on Massage Therapy Accreditation (COMTA) for the
$
inauguration (in the USA) of specific competency-
Revised paper originally presented via poster session at the based standards for massage therapy and bodywork
annual meeting of the American Massage Therapy Association,
Portland, OR, October 2002.
educational programsFinclusive of a standard for
*Tel.: 1-504-865-3257; fax: 1-504-833-3713. research-based competencies at an introductory or
E-mail address: hymel@loyno.edu (G.M. Hymel). entry level.
1360-8592/$ - see front matter & 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.jbmt.2004.03.006
ARTICLE IN PRESS
44 G.M. Hymel
With this relatively recent development in mind, research course being included in the massage
an earlier paper (Hymel, 2003) has suggested the therapy schools curricular offerings. Positioning
following eight dimensions that must be considered such a course among the initial courses required in
if the profession is to advance in a comprehensive a massage therapy program would allow for
way, the acquisition of massage therapy research concurrent and subsequent coursework to build on
competencies (MTRCs) at a fundamental level by its those research skills developed at the outset of
members: (a) Dimension #1Fcurricular and in- ones studies.
structional contexts for teaching MTRCs; (b) Di- A strongly recommended follow up or sequel to
mension #2Fapplication tasks for demonstrating this core research course might be that of a
MTRCs; (c) Dimension #3Flearning activities for research skills instructional unit or module placed
enhancing MTRCs; (d) Dimension #4Fprint, elec- at the beginning of each of the other individual
tronic, and personnel resources; (e) Dimension #5 massage therapy courses throughout the curricu-
Fvarieties of massage therapy research docu- lum, thus allowing the students to apply their
ments; (f) Dimension #6Fpotential research stra- earlier-acquired basic research literacy to the
tegies; (g) Dimension #7Fpotential areas of unique issues and demands now confronting them
inquiry in massage therapy research; and (h) in a specific course.
Dimension #8Forganizational contexts for sup- A third possible context for teaching MTRCs is
porting massage therapy research. that of continuing education workshops or mini-
This paper speaks primarily to the first of these courses. This would be an appropriate route not
eight dimensions in elaborating on the curriculum only for massage therapy educators preparing to
development and instructional design contexts for infuse their curriculum with research-focused
advancing MTRCs. instructional units, but also for in-service practi-
tioners whose earlier education predated the
current research emphasis. Finally, a fourth con-
text involves networking educational seminars for
The scope of curricular and instructional interested health care professionals who might
contexts for teaching MTRCs have overlapping interests in the research agendas
of massage therapists.
Any discussion of curricular and instructional Whether the context for teaching MTRCs be that
contexts for teaching MTRCs must of necessity of a foundational core research course, research
assume that the designated instructor is an appro- skills instructional unit/module, continuing educa-
priately educated professional whose academic tion workshop or mini-courses, or networking
credentials and experiential background ensure educational seminar, a systems-based model ap-
research competencies appropriate to anyone proach to competency-based education is available
assuming such an instructional leadership role. that provides explicit guidelines for designing
Although the initial level at which both pre-service instruction at the course syllabus and instructional
and in-service massage therapists would be trained unit levels (Hymel, 1984). What follows is an
in the research process is admittedly very basic and explication of those generic guidelines pertinent
foundational, it is axiomatic that the instructor to designing an instructional unit, with a specific
must possess a degree of research sophistication illustration of an over-arching introductory unit on
that would permit not only instructing students at the experimental research process that might be of
an entry-level but also possibly mentoring them in a use to massage therapy educators as the quest
context beyond their massage therapy education. begins to make the profession more research
This latter point may take the form of the literate and proficient.
instructor serving as an advisor/mentor for those
students who are inclined to pursue further school-
ing at the university level in research methods and
related areas such as measurement, statistics, and Systems-based model for designing an
evaluation. Such a follow up to the research instructional unit
introduction provided in the massage therapy
curriculum would obviously allow those students The instructional unit represents the most specific
so motivated to expand their research knowledge level at which instruction is designed. Figures 1
base and, thereby, be in a position to contribute in and 2 represent the systems-based model and
some capacity as a member of a research team. accompanying checklist, respectively, for the
Perhaps the most basic context in which MTRCs three phases of the design effort, viz., prepar-
might be taught is that of a foundational core ing, implementing, and evaluating instruction.
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Integrating research competencies in massage therapy education 45
To
Course
Syllabus
Description
Rationale
Performance
Objectives
Prerequisite
Competencies
Associated with each phase, furthermore, are tioned feature could be encompassed in this units
specific components that operationalize the pre- rationale by acknowledging to the student that a
paration, implementation, and evaluation aspects later unit will focus on deviations from this RCT
of instruction and the resulting type of documenta- gold standard when a nonmanipulated indepen-
tion that is the instructional unit product. dent variable is used as the basis for nonexperi-
mental comparison groups.
The performance objectives component is like-
wise an aspect of preparing instruction at the unit
Phase I: preparing instruction level. It specifies in a detailed fashion the precise
behavior (learning) for which the student is to be
The unit description and rationale components are held accountable after instruction, including an
features of preparing an instructional unit and indication of the conditions under which the
should reflect the unit goal specified in the course behavior is to be demonstrated and the proficiency
syllabus. It may be presumed here that the level to be attained. This component should
delineation of course goals, in the course syllabus, provide a basis for (a) communication between
reflects in large measure the goals of those units teacher and student as to behavioral expectations,
constituting the course. (b) planning on the part of both teacher and
With respect to the unit rationale, an attempt is student, and (c) evaluation of student performance
made here to justify a given unit in the course by and instructor effectiveness.
appealing to (a) its unique value as a dimension of Another component of the unit that relates to
the course, (b) its relationship to previous topics as the preparation of instruction involves the identi-
a continuation of or sequel to what has already fication and/or assessment of prerequisite compe-
been covered in the course, and (c) its relationship tencies. Because the progression in learning is
to future topics as a prerequisite or foundation to obviously from the known to the unknown, it is
material still to be addressed. As an illustration of important that a determination be made of the
the first of the three features just mentioned, i.e. exact prerequisite competencies required of, and
(a) above, a research courses instructional unit on supposedly possessed by, the student upon entry
the True Experimental/Randomized Controlled into the unit. Otherwise, the appropriate starting
Trial Research Method could have its unique value point in the presentation of a new topic would not
justified by an appeal to its gold standard status be known by the teacher.
among the various research methods available. The For example, a statistics or quantitative analysis
second feature above could be accommodated for courses instructional unit on the Independent
this same unit by relating the focus of the unit to Groups t-Test would indeed necessitate at least an
the courses presumed earlier treatment of those acknowledgment that the student should be famil-
variable control features of a research method that iar with the distinction involving between- and
holds the possibility of perhaps arriving at cause within-subjects independent variables. This pre-
and effect conclusions. Finally, the third aforemen- requisite competency, that has its roots in an
ARTICLE IN PRESS
46 G.M. Hymel
Check When
Completed
3. State the rationale for the inclusion and location of the unit
in the course. ___________
(b) Prepare a form that reports the results of the formative test
and establishes a correspondence between items missed on the
formative test and learning correctives. ___________
earlier research methods course, is so critical that function of the nature of the material to be
a statistics instructor would perhaps be well covered. The former would probably suffice if the
advised to actually test students beforehand on material were not highly sequential or hierarchical;
this and related prerequisite competencies that are otherwise, both the identification and assessment
necessary antecedents to discussing any type of of prerequisite competencies might be in order.
difference-oriented statistical test, be that test A final component related to the preparation of
one of the t-test family or the analysis of variance instruction involves the delineation and sequencing
family. of topics comprising the unit by way of an advance
Accordingly, whether the prerequisite competen- organizer. This is typically a written aid that
cies appropriate to a unit are simply identified by students can use to help them relate the poten-
the instructor for the benefit of the students, or tially meaningful material to be learned to the
actually assessed by the teacher, is partially a cognitive base (structure) they already possess.
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Integrating research competencies in massage therapy education 47
The advance organizer provides students with a resources, instructor-developed resources, and
general overview of the more detailed material resource personnel in an effort to augment those
prior to their actual encounter with it. Although the teaching methods and learning activities decided
typical advance organizer is a written narrative upon earlier.
that makes use of the students established knowl-
edge to increase the familiarity and learnability of
the new material, other formats such as a topical Phase III: evaluating instruction
outline, schematic illustration, flowchart, video-
tape, or demonstration may be employed. As indicated in the systems-based model for
As an illustration, the appended instructional designing an instructional unit, formative evalua-
unit titled The Experimental Research ProcessF tion and learning correctives represent two im-
An Overview of Essential Concepts, Principles, and portant components. Although they are crucial
Procedures contains an advance organizer in sequels to the initial delivery of instruction on unit
topical outline form. This component of the unit topics, and perhaps could be justified as aspects of
serves the function of providing the student with a implementing instruction, they are cited here as
panoramic view of the content coverage of the components of the evaluation phase which have a
unit prior to and during the instructors actual pronounced instructional value.
treatment of the units topics and sub-topics at a Formative evaluation (variously known in the
considerably greater level of specificity and detail. present context as criterion-referenced trial test-
The prior and ongoing overview of the material is ing, practice testing, or diagnostic testing) provides
intended to facilitate the students being able to ongoing, intermittent feedback to the teacher and
grasp more easily the divisions and sub-divisions of student covering the latters progress at various
the material as it is presented. stages in a given unit of instruction. This form of
criterion-referenced testing occurs several times
prior to the completion of the unit and makes
Phase II: implementing instruction possible the identification of learning deficiencies
and the subsequent prescription of alternative
Quite obviously, the instructional methods selected remedial measures. Formative evaluation, then,
and used by the teacher in a unit as well as the provides the diagnostic part of any attempt at
student learning activities assigned for completion diagnostic-prescriptive teaching.
in and out of class are features of implementing As the flowchart indicates, the results of the
instruction. Of particular note here is the necessity formative testing suggest the effectiveness/inef-
for the instructional methods and student activities fectiveness of the sequencing of topics via the
to reflect the performance objectives of the unit. advance organizer, the instructional methods, the
For example, a segment of an instructional unit learning activities, and the resources used at
that calls for a student to be able to differentiate various stages in the unit. In those instances where
between a randomized controlled trial (RCT) study the formative test results indicate a learning
and a correlational study necessitates that both the deficiency on the part of the student, learning
instructors methods and the students learning correctives may be prescribed. These may include
activities/assignments be reflective of this perfor- alternative ways of sequencing the material,
mance objective. Specifically, a critical feature of delivering instruction, involving students via assign-
the instructional delivery effort must highlight at ments, and employing resources. The learning
the outset a demonstration and explanation of (a) correctives, then, represent the prescriptive
both a manipulated independent variable and a part of any attempt at diagnostic-prescriptive
dependent variable in the RCT and (b) the presence teaching.
of two dependent variables in the correlational The summative evaluation component of this
study. Furthermore, a viable student assignment model refers to a criterion-referenced assessment
might be that of requiring the learner to locate in at the end of the unit to determine a students
the published professional literature one article numerical/letter grade as based on demonstrated
that provides an illustration of each type of study, mastery of the units prescribed performance
along with a narrative explanation of why each objectives. This would apply, of course, primarily
illustration represents the type of study being in an instructional unit for which academic credit is
cited. being awarded. Appropriate adjustments would
Instructional resources naturally represent an- necessarily be made here if the context for the
other facet of implementing instruction. The unit were that of a continuing education effort or
teacher can select from commercially prepared networking educational seminar experience.
ARTICLE IN PRESS
48 G.M. Hymel
Finally, the unit evaluation component refers to the experimental research process. The specific
the students opportunity to assess the instruc- issues covered are intentionally generic in nature
tional quality of the unit (perhaps via a brief and lend themselves to applications across diverse
questionnaire) and to the type of achievement fields in the behavioral and health sciences.
distribution attained on the summative test if the Unit rationale: This unit is predicated on the
unit were part of an academic credit experience. In belief that the research process traditionally
this latter regard a negatively skewed distribution designated as true experimental is most inclusive
curve would suggest instructional effectiveness of those concepts, principles, and procedures that
assuming it was obtained in the context of a valid constitute scholarly inquiry which is both rationa-
and reliable testing instrument. listic and empirical. Furthermore, this unit con-
tends that the true experimental research process
is an appropriate base from which to consider
An illustrative unit overviewing the alternative research strategies that to lesser and
experimental research process greater degrees differ from the true experimental
model. Accordingly, the topics surveyed here
As alluded to earlier, Appendix A that follows should provide an appropriate baseline from which
contains an illustrative instructional unit titled (a) greater elaborations on true experimentation
The Experimental Research ProcessFAn Over- can proceed and (b) necessary deviations from true
view of Essential Concepts, Principles, and Proce- experimentation can ensue when the research
dures. This unit could very well serve any one or questions at hand require it.
more of the following functions: (a) an initial unit Performance objectives: Upon completion of
among several constituting a foundational core this instructional unit, and without access to
research course that is part of a massage therapy reference notes and materials, the student should
schools curriculum; (b) a self-contained unit that is be able to complete the following tasks with 90%
the focal point of a massage therapy continuing accuracy:
education workshop or mini-course; and (c) a
generic unit that gives direction to a networking 1 Differentiate among the following terms: mea-
educational seminar among diverse health science surement, statistics, research, and evaluation.
professionals. As the title suggests, its intent would 2 Given an illustrative vignette or case study of a
be to provide a grand-mosaic, panoramic view of true experimental investigation appropriate
the experimental research process that could serve to the students behavioral and/or health
as a foundation for more in-depth work on the science area of study, identify and explain the
individual stages of the research endeavor. role played by each of the following research
components:
(a) research question and professional litera-
Acknowledgements ture review;
(b) population and sample;
Reactions to this paper are indeed encouraged as (c) random selection and random assignment;
well as suggestions for collaborative efforts in the (d) variables of an independent, dependent,
many areas of inquiry challenging the massage extraneous, control, confounding, and inter-
therapy and bodywork profession today. vening nature;
(e) research, null, and alternative hypotheses;
(f) parameter & statistic;
(g) statistical testing and inference, alpha
Appendix A.
level or probability of a Type I error, P value or
level of significance, statistical power, confi-
An illustrative instructional unit dence intervals, and effect size;
overviewing the experimental research (h) internal and external validity;
process (i) experimental research design notation.
3 Characterize the nature of a difference-or-
Unit title: The Experimental Research ProcessFAn iented research strategy.
Overview of Essential Concepts, Principles, and 4 Discuss the distinctions among and recognize
Procedures. case illustrations of the following four types of
Unit description: This instructional unit provides difference-oriented research strategies:
a comprehensive survey of those foundational (a) true experimental (or, RCT);
concepts, principles, and procedures that define (b) quasi-experimental;
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Integrating research competencies in massage therapy education 49
4. Discuss in writing a true experimental study from Unit evaluation: A Likert-type questionnaire will
the professional literature in your area of study be administered subsequent to the summative test
using as critical criteria the concepts, principles, in order to obtain your evaluation of this instruc-
and procedures addressed in this unit. tional unit. An analysis will also be made of the
type of distribution of achievement scores resulting
from the summative test.
Resources: The principal resources used in this
unit are as follows:
1 Chapters in textbooks
(a) Ernst, E. (2002). Evidence-based massage therapy: a contradiction in terms? In G. J. Richs (Ed.),
Massage therapy: The evidence for practice (pp. 1125). New York: Mosby.
(b) Graziano, A.M. and Raulin, M.L. (2000). Chapter 2FResearch is a process of inquiry. In A. M.
Graziano & M. L. Raulins Research methods: A process of inquiry (4th ed.) (pp. 2853). Needham
Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
(c) Hicks, C.M. (1999). Chapter 2FResearch design and statistics: Some basic concepts. In
C. M. Hicks Research methods for clinical therapists: Applied project design and analysis (3rd ed.)
(pp. 1317). New York: Churchill Livingstone.
(d) Menard, M.B. (2002). Methodological issues in the design and conduct of massage therapy
research. In G. J. Richs (Ed.), Massage therapy: The evidence for practice (pp. 2741). New York:
Mosby.
(e) Menard, M.B. (2003). Types of journal articles and study designs. In M. B. Menards Making sense of
research: A guide to research literacy for complementary practitioners. Toronto, Ontario, Canada:
Curties-Overzet Publications, Inc.
(f) Polgar, S. and Thomas, S.A. (2000). Chapter 1FThe scientific method and health research. In
S. Polgar & S. A. Thomass Introduction to research in the health sciences (4th ed.) (pp. 316).
New York: Churchill Livingstone.
2 Internet Resources (Specifics links at each website will be designated in class)
(a) http://www.abacon.com/graziano
(b) http://trochim.human.cornell.edu
3 Vignettes/case studies in behavioral and health science areas (to be identified and distributed in class)
Kahn, J.R., 2001b. Research matters. Massage Magazine (93), Sciences, 4th Edition. Churchill Livingstone, New York, pp.
5761. 316 (Chapter 1).
Menard, M.B., 2002. Methodological issues in the design and
conduct of massage therapy research. In: Rich, G.J. (Ed.), Glenn M. Hymel, EdD, LMT, is Associate Professor and Former
Massage Therapy: The Evidence for Practice. Mosby, New Chair, Department of Psychology, Loyola University New
York, pp. 2741. Orleans. Dr Hymels areas of specialization are educational
Menard, M.B. (Ed.), 2003. Types of journal articles and study psychology, research and statistics, positive psychology, and the
designs. In: Making Sense of Research: A Guide to Research psychology of personal adjustment. He is a graduate of the Blue
Literacy for Complementary Practitioners. Curties-Overzet Cliff School of Therapeutic Massage (Metairie, LA) and has a
Publications, Inc., Toronto, Ont., Canada. particular interest in the areas of stress management, chronic
Ostendorf, C., Schwartz, J., 2001. COMTA begins move toward pain, chronic fatigue, and fibromyalgia. He is currently serving as
competencies. Massage Therapy Journal 40 (3), 116120. Chair of the AMTA Foundations Massage Therapy Research
Polgar, S., Thomas, S.A. (Eds.), 2000. The scientific method and Database Committee as well as the Research Grant Review
health research. In: Introduction to Research in the Health Committee.