4.0 Online survey

Online survey, focus groups and case studies

Read about how an online survey was used to gather information for the review.

4.1 Overview

An online engagement platform was used to host information about the current status of digital technology and skills in undergraduate and preregistration health and care education review and how people could contribute to the project.

The survey aimed to collect initial insight into the current use and teaching of digital technologies from key stakeholders who have specific knowledge and experience in this area.

The survey was targeted to the following stakeholders in particular.

  • Students.
  • Members of staff at Higher Education Institutions.
  • Practice education facilitators.
  • Members of staff responsible for educational strategy, policy and design (including staff of regulatory and professional bodies).

The survey opened on Monday 12 December 2022 and closed on Wednesday 8 February 2023.

4.2 Survey demographics

Overview: 268 participants completed the survey, with the highest response rate being from members of staff at Higher Education Institutions (43%).

Most of these responses have been from individuals in the Nursing profession with 53 responses (20%) followed closely by those from the Psychology profession with 38 responses (14%) and Medicine with 29 responses (11%). However, for the following professions, there had been less than 5 responses: Anaesthesia Associate, Art Therapy, Drama Therapy, Music Therapy and Orthoptics. In terms of response rates by region, the South East had the highest response rate with 51 responses (19%) followed by the London region with 41 (15%) responses. East of England had the least representation with the region having 9 responses (3%).

A pie chart showing the number of respondents from each demographic group. 80 respondents were students. 116 respondents were members of staff at a Higher Education Institute. 46 respondents were Practice Education Leads (Clinical Placements). 26 respondents were members of staff at professional group/regulatory body.
Figure 1: Chart showing number of respondents from each group

The graph below displays the overall number of participants who were associated with professions, whilst also stating their role within the survey. All participants except students were offered the option to select “All” as an option. In addition, students were only able to select 1 profession as an answer whereas the other participants were able to select multiple professions.

Please note that for those who selected “other”, their stated profession was:

  • Business Management
  • Advanced Clinical Practitioner
  • Educational Practitioner
  • General Practitioner
  • Information Governance
A bar chart showing the profession studied or managed by group. Profession studied or managed group – number of respondents Profession: Anaesthesia Associate Student 0 Member of staff at a Higher Education Institute 1 Practice Education Leads (Clinical Placements) 0 Member of professional group/regulatory body 1 Profession: Art Therapy Student 0 Member of staff at a Higher Education Institute 0 Practice Education Leads (Clinical Placements) 0 Member of professional group/regulatory body 2 Profession: Dentistry Student 0 Member of staff at a Higher Education Institute 1 Practice Education Leads (Clinical Placements) 5 Member of professional group/regulatory body 3 Profession: Dietetics Student 4 Member of staff at a Higher Education Institute 1 Practice Education Leads (Clinical Placements) 4 Member of professional group/regulatory body 4 Profession: Drama Therapy Student 0 Member of staff at a Higher Education Institute 0 Practice Education Leads (Clinical Placements) 0 Member of professional group/regulatory body 2 Profession: Healthcare Science Student 0 Member of staff at a Higher Education Institute 14 Practice Education Leads (Clinical Placements) 1 Member of professional group/regulatory body 3 Profession: Medicine Student 2 Member of staff at a Higher Education Institute 20 Practice Education Leads (Clinical Placements) 12 Member of professional group/regulatory body 6 Profession: Midwifery Student 0 Member of staff at a Higher Education Institute 13 Practice Education Leads (Clinical Placements) 3 Member of professional group/regulatory body 4 Profession: Music Therapy Student 0 Member of staff at a Higher Education Institute 0 Practice Education Leads (Clinical Placements) 1 Member of professional group/regulatory body 1 Profession: Nursing Student 9 Member of staff at a Higher Education Institute 41 Practice Education Leads (Clinical Placements) 14 Member of professional group/regulatory body 8 Profession: Nursing Associate Student 1 Member of staff at a Higher Education Institute 12 Practice Education Leads (Clinical Placements) 11 Member of professional group/regulatory body 5 Profession: Occupational Therapy Student 6 Member of staff at a Higher Education Institute 14 Practice Education Leads (Clinical Placements) 6 Member of professional group/regulatory body 5 Profession: Operating Department Practitioners Student 0 Member of staff at a Higher Education Institute 8 Practice Education Leads (Clinical Placements) 4 Member of professional group/regulatory body 3 Profession: Other Student 1 Member of staff at a Higher Education Institute 4 Practice Education Leads (Clinical Placements) 3 Member of professional group/regulatory body 4 Profession: Orthoptics Student 0 Member of staff at a Higher Education Institute 0 Practice Education Leads (Clinical Placements) 1 Member of professional group/regulatory body 3 Profession: Paramedic Science Student 1 Member of staff at a Higher Education Institute 8 Practice Education Leads (Clinical Placements) 9 Member of professional group/regulatory body 2 Profession: Pharmacy Student 5 Member of staff at a Higher Education Institute 10 Practice Education Leads (Clinical Placements) 1 Member of professional group/regulatory body 3 Profession: Physician Associate Student 0 Member of staff at a Higher Education Institute 5 Practice Education Leads (Clinical Placements) 6 Member of professional group/regulatory body 2 Profession: Physiotherapy Student 2 Member of staff at a Higher Education Institute 17 Practice Education Leads (Clinical Placements) 6 Member of professional group/regulatory body 5 Profession: Podiatry Student 0 Member of staff at a Higher Education Institute 4 Practice Education Leads (Clinical Placements) 3 Member of professional group/regulatory body 3 Profession: Prosthetics and Orthotics Student 0 Member of staff at a Higher Education Institute 1 Practice Education Leads (Clinical Placements) 1 Member of professional group/regulatory body 3 Profession: Psychology Student 36 Member of staff at a Higher Education Institute 11 Practice Education Leads (Clinical Placements) 2 Member of professional group/regulatory body 0 Profession: Radiography - Diagnostic Student 9 Member of staff at a Higher Education Institute 17 Practice Education Leads (Clinical Placements) 2 Member of professional group/regulatory body 3 Profession: Radiography - Therapeutic Student 2 Member of staff at a Higher Education Institute 7 Practice Education Leads (Clinical Placements) 1 Member of professional group/regulatory body 1 Profession: Social Work Student 0 Member of staff at a Higher Education Institute 6 Practice Education Leads (Clinical Placements) 2 Member of professional group/regulatory body 1 Profession: Speech and Language Therapy Student 2 Member of staff at a Higher Education Institute 4 Practice Education Leads (Clinical Placements) 6 Member of professional group/regulatory body 3
Figure 2: The response rates from each associated profession
A bar chart showing the response rate for each region by group. Response rate for each region by group Region: Southeast Student 16 Member of staff at a Higher Education Institute 29 Practice Education Leads (Clinical Placements) 19 Member of professional group/regulatory body 6 Region: Southwest Student 8 Member of staff at a Higher Education Institute 12 Practice Education Leads (Clinical Placements) 9 Member of professional group/regulatory body 2 Region: Midlands Student 4 Member of staff at a Higher Education Institute 16 Practice Education Leads (Clinical Placements) 8 Member of professional group/regulatory body 1 Region: Northeast & Yorkshire Student 9 Member of staff at a Higher Education Institute 20 Practice Education Leads (Clinical Placements) 7 Member of professional group/regulatory body 1 Region: Northwest Student 9 Member of staff at a Higher Education Institute 18 Practice Education Leads (Clinical Placements) 0 Member of professional group/regulatory body 3 Region: East of England Student 2 Member of staff at a Higher Education Institute 7 Practice Education Leads (Clinical Placements) 1 Member of professional group/regulatory body 3 Region: London Student 33 Member of staff at a Higher Education Institute 15 Practice Education Leads (Clinical Placements) 1 Member of professional group/regulatory body 5 Region: National Student 0 Member of staff at a Higher Education Institute 0 Practice Education Leads (Clinical Placements) 1 Member of professional group/regulatory body 6 Region: Online/Open University Student 0 Member of staff at a Higher Education Institute 0 Practice Education Leads (Clinical Placements) 0 Member of professional group/regulatory body 6
Figure 3: The response rates from each region

The above graph displays the overall number of participants associated with each region. Within the survey, only the student participants were offered the opportunity to select online/open university as an option. All other groups were given the opportunity to select “National” as an option to encompass online education, such as educators at open universities, and those responsible for national programmes of work in this area. In addition, the staff at high education institutions (HEIs), Practice Education Leads and Professional Group/Regulatory body were offered a “National” option whereas students were not.

Student demographics

Out of the 80 student responses, 79 respondents were undergraduate preregistration students, and 1 respondent was classed as ‘undergraduate other’. The graph below shows the split of the level of study across the student participants.

Figure 4: The response rates from students broken down into their related year group. Please note, there was only one student participant from 4th year and one from 5th year.

Page last reviewed: 9 May 2023
Next review due: 9 May 2024