SOCIAL NETWORKING FOR ATHLETIC TRAINING CLINICAL EDUCATION

A THESIS
Submitted to the Faculty of the School of Graduate Studies
and Research
of
California University of Pennsylvania in partial
fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
Master of Science

by
Matthew J. Campbell

Research Advisor, Dr. Ellen J. West
California, Pennsylvania
2011

iii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to take this time to recognize the people
who have made the most impact in my life, and without their
support and guidance I would not have had the courage to
complete this task. First, I would like to thank my advisor
Dr. Tom West, my thesis chair, Dr. Ellen West, and the
members of my committee: Mr. Adam Annaccone and Mr. Mike
Meyer.

Without their knowledge, expertise, and experience,

I probably would not have been able to complete the huge
task of completing the thesis and the master’s program.
I would like to thank the faculty, and all my new
friends for the support and keeping everything interesting
and exciting. To my athletes and coaches at California Area
High School I would like to thank you for providing me with
an excellent experience and keeping me grounded this past
year.
Finally, I would like to thank my Mom and Dad for
their love and support that they have given to me during
this new phase in my life and constantly guiding me when
things seemed impossible. To Sydney and the whole Harris
family thank you for making this a very memorable year, and
for the love and food you fed me. I love you all very much

iv
without all of you this would have been a very daunting
task. THANK YOU!!

v
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page
SIGNATURE PAGE

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ii

AKNOWLEDGEMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
LIST OF TABLES
INTRODUCTION
METHODS

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Research Design. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Subjects

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Preliminary Research

. . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Instruments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Procedures

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Hypotheses

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Data Analysis
RESULTS

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Pilot Study Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Demographic Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Hypotheses Testing

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Additional Findings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
DISCUSSION .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Discussion of Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Implications to the Profession

. . . . . . . . . 28

vi
Recommendations for Future Research

. . . . . . . 28

Conclusion

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

REFERENCES

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

APPENDICES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
APPENDIX A: Review of Literature

. . . . . . . . . 34

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Social Networking within Medical Professions . . . . 35
Social Networking for Education . . . . . . . . . 38
Social Networking for Professionalism . . . . . . . 47
Issues with Social Networking

. . . . . . . . 51

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
APPENDIX B: The Problem . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Statement of the Problem

. . . . . . . . . . 58

Definition of Terms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Basic Assumptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Limitations of the Study . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Delimitation of the Study

. . . . . . . . . . . 60

Significance of the Study

. . . . . . . . . . . 60

APPENDIX C: Additional Methods . . . . . . . . . . 62
Social Networking Survey (C1)

. . . . . . . . 63

IRB: California University of Pennsylvania (C2) . . . 69
Cover Letter for Survey (C3)

. . . . . . . . . . 80

References (c4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
ABSTRACT

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86

vii
LIST OF TABLES
Table

Page

Frequency Table of Gender

. . . . . . . . . 13

Current Academic Standing

. . . . . . . . . 13

Frequency Table of District Reporting

Distribution of Network Usage Time . . . . . . 15

Mean Difference of Network Usage Time . . . . . 16

Comparisons of Hours Spent in Usage Areas
(Paired Samples Statistics and Correlation)

. . . . 14

. . 17

Comparisons of Hours Spent in Usage Areas
(Paired Samples Test) . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Social Networks Use Group Statistics . . . . . 18

Social Networks Use Independent Samples Test
Equal Variances Assumed . . . . . . . . . . 18

Frequency Table of Perceived Value of Teachable
Moments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Frequency Table of Viewing Evaluations and
Procedures
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Evaluation and Procedures Independent Samples
Test of Equal Variance Assumed
. . . . . . . 20

Frequency of Perceived Value of Professional
Growth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Professional Growth Independent Samples Test of
Equal Variance Assumed . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Perceived Value of Increased Quality of
Clinical Education . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Clinical Education Independent Samples Test of
Equal Variance Assumed . . . . . . . . . . . 22

INTRODUCTION

The use of social networks has become a major trend in
today’s society. These networks have grown beyond just
entertainment and recreation into the professional and
educational realms of the medical profession.5 These
networks have the potential to add valuable educational and
networking opportunities to students and working
professionals.

Social networks pose benefits but they also

have their potential negatives. This study examined if
entry-level athletic training education programs utilize
social networks and, if so, how they are used.

The goal of

the study was to identify the students’ perspectives on
social networks as an educational tool, how social networks
are used to help them increase in their education and if
the online social networks help increase the number of
teachable moments.
Other medical professions, such as nursing, use social
networks to maintain contacts with colleagues who are
separated by distance.

Nurses will use these connections

for potential job opportunities as well as a contact person
to assist with clinical issues and research topics.

This

2
type of network also allows medical professionals to remain
connected with their patients.5,6
Social networking as seen in other medical professions
has been found to be beneficial with helping career growth
and development. As stated above it allows colleagues to
work together on current cases and research topics. These
networks allow professionals to build bonds with others
that could become potential job opportunities and help with
the individual’s career growth.13-16
Social networks are by far the most popular among
teens and young adults.1 For this reason it could be a
beneficial tool in education. Social networks allow the
user to post videos and articles as well as files created
by the user. This ability to have such information
available can help aid students in seeing certain
techniques, review current up to date research, and even
remain current on athlete evaluations and injury
progression through dialogue with peers and instructors.
With these capabilities it may allow instructors to
increase the teachable moments that they have with the
students that they may not be getting while they are at
their clinical assignment.1-4,7-12
With all the benefits that are associated with the use
of these networks, there are also great downfalls and

3
deterrents from their use. These networks allow for the
potential of a patient’s private information becoming
public. Recently there have been firings because of
breaching the patient’s confidential information.17 Social
networks can also be viewed as a negative within education
by administration because the communication is not taking
place in the traditional sense, in the classroom, and it
has the potential to open up avenues of communication that
could be inappropriate.17-20
One negative with clinical education is the lack of
teachable moments that occur between the student and
instructor, as well as between students. This is due to the
time restraints that are imposed on the clinical instructor
with the daily tasks they need to do; the treatment times,
the pre-practice routine, and the potential injury that
demand the attention of the instructor. With the demands
placed on clinical instructors it limits the amount of time
that is present for the instructor to have with the
students to have discussions on evaluations, as well as
domains that need to be covered in the clinical setting.
Social networks can provide an additional tool to give the
students more teachable moments. They will allow the
students to see current evaluations, see techniques that
the instructor would like them to learn and to practice, it

4
also gives students and instructors the ability to post
research topics and articles.
The purpose of this study was to examine the athletic
training student’s perspective on how social networks
benefit or could benefit their education. Social networks
have been found to be very beneficial in other medical
professions as well as their educational programs. With the
available research in other medical professions that have
found that social networks are a viable tool in an
educational program’s success, there is reason to believe
that this can be a beneficial tool in athletic training
clinical education.

METHODS

The methods section of this study describes the
procedures used to conduct this research study.

This

chapter includes sections explaining: (1) Research Design,
(2) Subjects, (3) Preliminary Research,
(4) Instrumentation, (5) Procedures, (6) Hypotheses, and
(7) Data Analysis.

Research Design

A descriptive research design utilizing a survey was
used for this study.

The Social Networking for Athletic

Training Clinical Education Survey was distributed to 618
students in NATA Districts 1 and 2.

There were two

sections within this study and each had their own
independent and dependent variables. The first was usage
patterns and the associated values, which is given a pointvalue based on the five-point Likert rating scale, the
second was the potential value, this can be explained as
the potential benefit that students perceive they get from
online social networks. The independent variable for the
first section was the type of network chosen.

The

6
dependent variable was the usage score.

The independent

variable for the second section was current usage of a
network (yes or no).

The dependent variable was the

potential value of the usage area, classroom, clinical, and
professional development use.

The design of the study

possesses the potential to present information that could
be beneficial in improving athletic training clinical
education. The limitations of this study are the variations
in use of social networks for education by the subjects of
this study, the lack of use of social networks in the
educational setting, technology available to the students,
and the knowledge on how to use the social networks.

Subjects

The subjects used in this study included undergraduate
athletic training students from District 1 (Connecticut,
Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and Rhode
Island) and District 2 (New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania,
and Delaware) athletic training education programs
accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic
Training Education (CAATE). The survey was emailed to the
students associated with the education programs within the
two districts.

An email list of the sample was created by

7
the National Athletic Trainers’ Association survey system.
The entire sample received an email with the cover letter
with a link and instruction on completing the Social
Networking for Athletic Training Clinical Education Survey.
The subjects completed the survey electronically via the
Internet on SurveyMonkey.com, and implied informed consent
was given upon completion and submission of the survey to
the researcher.

The study was approved by the

Institutional Review Board (Appendix C2) at California
University of Pennsylvania.

Each participant’s identity

remained confidential and was not included in the study.
The surveys remained on a secure password protected website
(www.surveymonkey.com) and only the researcher and research
advisor had access to the surveys.

Preliminary Research

The survey was reviewed by a panel of experts.

The

panel members, whom were faculty members at California
University of Pennsylvania, added to the content validity
of the survey and made any necessary changes.

The panel

members were sent a cover letter (Appendix C3) explaining
the design and the experts’ responsibilities in this study
as well as a copy of the Social Networking for Clinical

8
Education Survey (SNCES) (Appendix C1).

Following survey

review the panel members provided critiques.

After the

review by the experts, a pilot study was conducted.

The

survey was administered to the undergraduate athletic
training education program students at the University of
Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) in District 8, to test the
effectiveness of the survey.

The surveys were collected

and the results were gathered and scored by the researcher.
One week later the survey was administered again to the
same group to test the validity of the population.

Instruments

The survey (Appendix C1) was created by the researcher
with the purpose of gathering information about the use of
social networks for clinical education.

The subjects were

asked to identify how or if a social network is used as a
tool in clinical education, the types of communication
styles presented in the clinical setting, and how
additional information or assignments are presented.

The

survey was estimated to take no longer then 10 minutes to
complete.

Procedures

Prior to start of research the researcher gained
approval from the California University of Pennsylvania
Institutional Review Board (IRB).

A request was sent to

the National Athletic Trainers’ Association survey service
for email information on the subjects.

The NATA survey

system sent an email to each subject. The subjects were
informed of the purpose of the survey and research in the
first email. The cover letter was included in the email, as
well as the first page of the survey. The subjects were
informed that participation was voluntary and they were
free to stop participation at any time without consequence.
Once the survey was completed and submitted to the
researcher on the survey website (www.surveymonkey.com),
informed consent was granted to use this information in the
research. The subjects had two weeks to complete the
survey.

The subjects received a reminder email at the end

of the first week and also halfway through the second week.
The survey was closed at the end of the second week and no
more surveys were accepted.

The data from the surveys were

collected and analyzed. The surveys were all anonymous, and
surveys were kept on a secure password protected website

10
with only the researcher and research advisor knowing the
password.

Hypotheses

The following hypotheses were based on previous
research and the researcher’s intuition based on a review
of the literature.
1. The amount of time spent utilizing online networks for
educational purposes will be dependent on the social
network chosen.
2. The students that utilize an online network will spend
more time using it for class experience when compared
to clinical and professional development.
3. Students who utilize an online network for educational
purpose will perceive a higher value in all usage
areas when compared to students who do not utilize an
online network for educational purposes.

Data Analysis

All data was analyzed using SPSS version 18.0 for
Windows at a significance level of ≤ α = .05 to test the
acceptability of the stated hypotheses.

11
Hypothesis 1: An ANOVA was used to compare the mean
scores of all networks chosen to determine if time spent
using a social network is dependent on the social network
that is chosen.
Hypothesis 2: An ANOVA was used to find the mean
scores of each usage areas. The ANOVA will determine if the
mean scores by the subjects is greater in classroom related
education when compared to the other usage areas.
Hypothesis 3: An independent t-test was used to
determine if the students who utilize a social network for
education had a higher perception value when compared to
the students who do not.

RESULTS

The following section encompasses the information
obtained through the collection and analysis of the Social
Networking for Athletic Training Clinical Education Survey
distributed to athletic training students in Districts 1
and 2. The results have been divided into the subsequent
sections: (1) Pilot Study Testing (2) Demographic Data, (4)
Hypotheses Testing, and (4) Additional Findings.

Pilot Study Testing

The Social Networking for Athletic Training Clinical
Education Survey was sent to the undergraduate athletic
training students at UNLV, to be used in a pilot study to
test the validity of the survey. The survey received equal
responses after the two weeks it was administered, and the
data was consistent when analyzed by the researcher and
determined that the survey was valid.

13
Demographic Data

Of the 618 athletic training students from Districts 1
and 2 that received the survey, 94 responded for a 15%
return rate. The sample consisted of 69 females and 25
males (Table 1).

Table 1. Frequency Table of Gender
Gender
Frequency

Percent

Male

26.6%

Female

73.4%

The age range of the subjects was 18 to 29 years of age
with a mean age of (21.1 years +/- 1.69). Table 2 reports
the findings for the current academic standing of each
individual that returned the survey.

Table 2. Current Academic Standing
Academic Year
Frequency

Percent

Freshman

3.2%

Sophomore

16%

Junior

38.3%

Senior

42.6%

14
The study focused on students within Districts 1 and 2
of the NATA. District 1 consists of Connecticut, Maine,
Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and Rhode Island.
District 2 consists of Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and
Pennsylvania. Table 3 reports the findings with the number
and frequency of the response rate within these two
districts.
Table 3. Frequency Table of District Reporting
District
Frequency
Percent
District 1

35.1%

District 2

64.9%

Hypothesis Testing

The following hypotheses were investigated by
this study:
Hypothesis 1: The amount of time spent utilizing
online networks for educational purposes will be dependent
on the social network chosen.
An ANOVA was used to compare the mean scores of all
networks chosen to determine if time spent using a social
network was dependent on the social network that was
chosen. Mean scores can be found in Table 4.

15
Conclusion: A one-way ANOVA was used to compare the
amount of time that was spent using an online network with
the possible network choices. A significant difference was
found between students that used Blackboard and students
that used a “Combination” network (F(4,61) = 3.446, p <
.05). Tukeys HSD was used to determine the nature of the
difference between the networks that were chosen. This
analysis revealed that the mean score of students who chose
Blackboard spent less time using the network (m = 3.2, sd =
2.00) than students that chose a combination of networks (m
= 6.2, sd = 4.45). The students that chose the other
networks were not significantly different from the other
groups.
Table 4. Distribution of Network Usage Time
Network
N
Mean
SD

2.6

1.67

.7483

3.2

2.00

.4359

3.4

1.2

.4199

2.0

.00

.0000

6.2

4.45

.8901

Total

4.4

3.46

.4429



Networks code: 1= Facebook, 5= Blackboard, 6= Desire 2 Learn, 7= Other,
8= Combination of more than 1 network used

16
Table 5. Mean Difference of Network Usage Time
(I) Network (J) Network
Mean Diff.
SE
1

*.


Sig.

5
-.6381
1.5962
.994
6
-.7750
1.8287
.993
7
.6000
2.6839
.999
8
-3.560
1.5715
.172
_______________________________________________________
1
.6381
1.5962
.994
6
-.1369
1.3327
1.000
7
1.2380
2.3738
.985
8
-2.9210
.9495
.026*
_______________________________________________________
1
.7750
1.8287
.993
5
.1369
1.3327
1.000
7
1.3750
2.5360
.982
8
-2.7850
1.3030
.219
_______________________________________________________
1
-.6000
2.6828
.999
5
-1.2381
2.3738
.985
6
-1.3750
2.5360
.982
8
-4.1600
2.3573
.404
1
3.5600
1.7515
.172
5
2.9219
.9495
.026*
6
2.7585
1.3030
.219
7
4.1600
2.3572
.404
The mean difference is significant at the 0.05 level

**.

Networks code: 1= Facebook, 5= Blackboard, 6= Desire 2 Learn, 7=
Other, 8= Combination of more than 1 network used

Hypothesis 2: The students that utilize an online
network will spend more time using it for class experience
when compared to clinical and professional development.
An ANOVA was used to find the mean scores of each
usage areas. The ANOVA will determine if the mean scores by
the subjects is greater in classroom related education when
compared to the other usage areas. A table of means can be
found in Table 6.

17
Conclusion: A one-way repeated measures ANOVA was
calculated comparing the amount of time that students spend
utilizing online networks in the three educational usage
areas of class, clinical, and professional development;
when compared to each other. A significant effect was found
(F(2,122) = 14.06, p < .001). Follow-up protected t tests
revealed that an increase in time spent increased
significantly from clinical use (m = .9, sd = 1.10) to
professional development use (m = 1.3, sd = 1.32) and again
from professional development to class use (m = 2.1, sd =
2.07).
Table 6. Comparison of Hours Spent in Usage Areas (Paired
Samples Statistics + Correlation)
Pair
Mean
N
SD
Pair 1 Class
2.1
62
2.07
Clinical
.9
62
1.10
Pair 2 Class
2.1
62
2.07
PD
1.3
62
1.32
Pair 3 Clinical
.9
62
1.10
PD
1.3
62
1.32
Table 7. Comparison of Hours Spent in Usage Areas (Paired
Samples Test)
Pair
Mean
SD
T
df sig(2-tailed)
Class-Clinical 1.1
1.85
5.093 61
.000
Class-PD
.8
2.16
3.059 61
.003
Clinical-PD
-.3
1.37
-2.042 61
.045

Hypothesis 3: Students who utilize an online network
for educational purpose will perceive a higher value in all

18
usage areas when compared to students who do not utilize an
online network for educational purposes.
An independent samples t-test was used to determine if
the students who utilize a social network for education had
a higher perception value when compared to the students who
do not.
Conclusion: An independent-samples t test comparing
the mean scores of the students that use online networks
for educational use and students that do not found a
significant difference between the means of the two groups
(t(85) = 2.614, p < .05). The mean of the group that
utilizes online networks was significantly higher (m = 3.2,
sd = .92) than the mean group of students that do not (m =
2.6, sd = 1.06).
Table 8. Social Networks Use Group Statistics
(Yes(1)/No(2))
Value
N
Mean
SD
1
57
3.2
.92
2
28
2.6
1.06
Table 9. Social Networks Use Independent Samples Test Equal
Variances Assumed
t
df
Sig. (2-tailed)
Mean Diff.
SE
2.614
83
.011
.58605
.22417

19
Additional Findings

Additional t-tests were completed to obtain additional
findings of further questions asked of the subjects that
were not related to findings dealing with the hypotheses.
The subjects were asked additional questions to gain their
perceptions on how an online network may further benefit
their clinical education.
A relationship was calculated comparing perceptions of
how online networks could aid in the increase of teachable
moments in clinical education between subjects that already
use social networks for educational use and the subjects
that do not. No significant difference was found (t(87) =
.994, p > .05). The mean perception value of the students
that use online networks for educational use (m = 3.2, sd =
1.13) was not significantly different from the mean
perception value of the students that do not utilize an
online network for educational use (m = 2.9, sd = .82).
Table 10. Frequency Table of Perceived Value of Teachable
Moments
Value
SNuse
Total
1
2
1
6
1
7
2
10
7
17
3
15
13
28
4
24
8
32
5
5
0
5
Total
60
29
89

A t-test was used to calculate the mean scores of the
students that use online networks for educational use and
students that do not to see if there were significant
findings on their perceived value of being able to view
evaluations and procedures on an online network for
education. It was found that there was a significant
difference between the two groups (t(89) = 2.312, p < .05).
The mean of the students that use an online network (m =
3.8, sd = .97) was higher than the mean score of students
Table 11. Frequency of Benefit of Viewing Evaluations and
Procedures
Value
SN use
Total
1
2
1
2
1
3
2
5
8
13
3
8
4
12
4
33
14
47
5
12
2
14
Total
60
29
89
Table 12. Evaluations and Procedures Independent Samples
Test of Equal Variance Assumed
t
df
Sig(2-tailed)
Mean diff.
SE
2.312
87
.023
.524
.227
A t-test was used to calculate the mean scores on the
perceived value of the how online networks could increase
communication in clinical education of the two groups of
students that already use social networks and the group
that does not.

21
The mean scores of the two groups were calculated
using an independent t-test to find if there was any
significance for the effects of using online network to
help with professional growth in athletic training. No
significant difference was found between the two groups
(t(87) = .713, p > .05). The mean scores of the students
that utilize an online network for education was not
significantly higher (m = 3.9, sd = 1.15) than the students
that do not use an online network for education (m = 3.7,
sd = .90).
Table 13. Frequency of Perceived Value of Professional
Growth
Value
SNuse
Total
1
2
1
3
0
3
2
5
3
8
3
7
6
13
4
21
14
35
5
24
6
30
Total
60
29
89
Table 14. Professional Growth Independent Samples Test of
Equal Variance Assumed
t
df
Sig. (2-tailed)
Mean diff.
SE
.713
87
.478
.174
.243

An additional independent-samples t-test was
calculated comparing the mean score of students who use an
online network for education to the mean score of students
that do not use an online network for education on the
perceived value of how online networks could increase the

22
quality of clinical education. No significant difference
was found (t(87) 1.640, p > .05). The mean of students that
do use an online network (m = 3.2. sd = 1.01) was not
significantly higher than the students that do not use an
online network for education (m = 2.8, sd = 1.002).
Table 15. Perceived Value of Increased Quality of Clinical
Education
Value
SN use
Total
1
2
1
4
4
8
2
10
4
14
3
19
15
34
4
24
5
29
5
3
1
4
Total
60
29
89

Table 16. Clinical Education Independent Samples t-test of
Equal Variance Assumed
t
df
Sig (2-tailed)
Mean diff.
SE
1.640
87
.105
.372
.277

DISCUSSION

The discussion section will be divided into three
subsections: 1) Discussion of the Results, 2) Implications
to the Profession, and 3) Recommendations for Future
Research.

Discussion of the Results

The purpose of this study was to examine athletic
training student’s perception on how social networks
benefit their education or could be a benefit to their
education. Research has been completed dealing with the
student’s perception of the benefit of online social
networks for education. There is little research done with
the true effectiveness of this tool in the educational
setting.
The results of the Social Networking for Athletic
Training Clinical Education Survey are subjective and some
subjects may have perceived a greater value than others
based on the educational setting and the social network
that was used for that educational setting.

Since this

survey was not standardized there was margin for error in

24
assessing the student’s true perception of the benefits
that these social networks may provide.
This study found that there were significant findings
depending on the network that was used for athletic
training education and the amount of time spent using the
network.

The significant difference was found between

students that use Blackboard and a combination of networks
(Table 5). These combination networks consisted of Facebook
and Blackboard, Blackboard and Desire 2 Learn, Blackboard
and Ning, Blackboard, Twitter, and Facebook, and Blackboard
and other networks not included in the survey.

This

finding could be a result of the total number of
combination networks and the time spent between these
multiple networks was significantly higher than the use of
one network alone.

Although Blackboard, Desire 2 Learn,

Ning, and the other networks that were chosen are not
typically considered “social networks” they do have a
social networking aspect built into them. Despite the
difference between the networking capabilities of each of
the networks the combination networks had significantly
more time spent on them than students who only used
Blackboard (Table 5). The idea behind the theory of
hypothesis one is that if the student took a higher
interest in the network that they were using than they

25
would spend more time on the chosen network. This revealed
similar findings to Skiba’s research11. These findings
supported the statement in hypothesis one that students
will spend more time using an online social network based
on the network chosen and the findings revealed that
students spend more time using multiple online social
networks than simply Blackboard alone.
According to the research in this study, students that
use an online social network spend more time using the
network for class experience when compared to professional
development and clinical use and also for professional
development more than clinical use, Table 6 supports these
findings. There were significant findings between the three
pairs of data (Table 7). The data collected from the
subjects supported the second hypothesis that the students
that use an online social network will spend more time
using the online social networks for class use than for
clinical and professional development. The findings for
time spent for class and professional development where
similar to what was found in other research in other
medical professions.7-12 The differences between clinical use
and professional development in this study were unexpected
to the researcher. These findings were unexpected because
athletic training education has a central focus on clinical

26
use the researcher anticipated that the students would
respond with more time spent using the online social
networks for clinical use then what was responded. The data
found on this hypothesis are original but the data findings
are similar to other research done in other medical
professions. Nursing and podiatry studies report a lot of
use with the social network for class use7-13 and for
professional development.7,9,11-13,15
The final hypothesis stated with the perception value
of students that use an online social network as a tool in
their education being higher than the perceived benefit of
students that do not us these online networks. The data
supported this hypothesis. The independent t-test revealed
that the mean perception value of students that used online
social networks were significantly higher than the
perceived mean value of students that do not (Table 9).
This information supported the researcher’s anticipated
data findings, but the mean scores were not as high as
expected. This could be attributed to the networks used the
most were not used effectively or did not provide adequate
tools to meet the needs of the students, which lead to
lower mean values. The data of this hypothesis were
original and do not support any available research found,
but were anticipated by the researcher.

27
Additional t-tests were done on questions in the
survey that were not associated with the data of the
hypotheses. Of the five additional questions that were
asked only one had significant findings. The mean scores of
viewing evaluations and procedures were higher for students
that use an online social network than the mean score of
students that do not use an online social network. Findings
might suggest students that do use these online social
networks understand the benefits that these networks give
to them that having this additional tool would benefit them
even further (Table 12). As stated above the other four
questions did not have any significant findings. Although
the findings were not significant the data found supported
findings in other research based on issues with teachable
moments, communication, and professional growth.1-4,9-11 The
additional information was interesting because it provided
high mean scores for both groups of students although
statistically not significant.
Of the 618 students attending an athletic training
education program in Districts 1 and 2 of the NATA in which
the survey was sent, 94 responded. The total response rate
was 15%. Due to this low number of completed and returned
surveys these findings may not be completely accurate and
indicative of the population.

Implications to the Profession

The findings of this research provide some possible
implications for the profession. The research in this study
shows that many athletic training education programs
already provide students with the tool of an online social
network for their education. This provides the potential of
a specific online social network being created specifically
for the use in athletic training education and athletic
training clinical education. The online social networks
could provide a new tool to better communication between
students and their educators and or clinical instructors.
This tool would need to be original and created based on
the needs of the students and be able to be altered and
changed as the educational demands at each institute
change.

Recommendations for Future Research

The research study, Social Networking for Athletic
Training Clinical Education has explored one very small
population(ATEP students in Districts 1&2) and one
potential tool of online social networking that could be

29
more utilized in athletic training clinical education. The
results of the study have yielded a few primary
recommendations by the researcher.
The first recommendation is to further look into the
use of social networks as a tool on a broader scale.
Expanding the sample size so that all athletic training
student’s perceptions are collected and analyzed. The data
could provide a different outcome the than the small sample
of the two districts that were utilized in this study.
The second recommendation is to find what applications
within the social networking program are the most
beneficial to the students. If a program is designed
directly for the use in clinical education, it could be
designed directly to what the students believe would best
benefit them.

Conclusions

The results of the study revealed the following major
conclusions:
1) Students that use a combination of networks for their
athletic training education spend more time on those
networks then students who only use Blackboard for
their education.

30
2) Students spend more time using online social networks
for class use over clinical and professional
development. And also use online social networks more
for professional development than clinical use.
3) Students that use online social networks in their
education perceive a higher benefit that this tool
provides their education than the perceived benefit
than students who do not use these networks in their
education.
4) Students that use online social networks in their
education feel that being able to view evaluations and
procedures on online social networks would have a
higher benefit to their education than students who do
not use the online social networks.

31
REFERENCES
1.

Berry D, Miller M, Berry L. Effects of clinical
field- experience setting on athletic training
students’ perceived percentage of time spent on
active learning. J Athl Training. 2004;39:176-84.

Rich V. Clinical instructors’ and athletic training
student’s perceptions of teachable moments in an
athletic training clinical education setting. J Athl
Training. 2009;44:294-394.

Henning J, Weidner T, Jones J. Peer assisted
learning in the athletic training clinical setting. J
Athl Training. 2006;41:102-109.

Weidner T, Noble G, Pipkin J. Athletic training
students in the college/ university setting and the
scope of clinical education. J Athl Training.
2009;41:422-427.

Wynn P. Social networking craze connects nurses.
Healthcare Traveler. 2010;17:18-9, 2.

Puertz BE. Networking. PUBLIC HEALTH NURS.
2007;24:577-579.

Supe A. Networking in medical education: creating and
connecting. IJMS. 2008;62:118-123.

Delisio E. Merging online education with social
networking: welcome to present. Podiatry Management.
2009;28:73-74,76.

Hansen M, Erdley S. Youtube and other web 2.0
applications for nursing education. OJNI. 2009;13:120.

10.

Skiba D. Nursing education 2.0: social networking.
Nursing Education Perspectives. 2008;29:370-371.
McKenzie AB. What about social networking? JCEN.
2009;40:436-437.

11.
12.

Moule, P. E-learning for healthcare students:
developing the communities of practice framework.
JAN. 2006,54:370-380.

13.

Owens L, Young P. You’re hired! The power of
networking. JVR. 2008;29:23-28.

14.

Allen L. Business Side. Tap into social networking.
Massage & Bodywork. 2009;24:24-27.

15.

Kaweckyj N. Networking within your professional
association. Dental Assistant. 2009;78:12,14-15, 54.

16.

Wolf G, Moser K. Effects of networking on career
success: A longitudinal study. JAP. 2009;94:196-206.

17.

Facebook firings show privacy concerns with social
networking sites: remind staff about slippery slope
with online postings. Healthcare Risk Management.
2009;31:49-52.

18.

Taylor L, McMinn M, Bufford R, Chang K.
Psychologist’s attitudes and ethical concerns
regarding the use of social networking web sites.
PROF PSYCHOL-RES PR. 2010;41:153-159.

19.

Minerof P. Social networking: can it harm…. or
benefit your practice? Do you have a face book page
yet? Podiatry Management. 2010;29:117-118, 120, 122.

20.

Foulger T, Ewbank A, Kay A, Popp S, Carter H. Moral
spaces on MySpace: pre-service teacher’s perspectives
about ethical issues in social networking. JRTE.
2009;42:1-28.

21.

Watson M. Social networking: an opportunity for
health and social care. Journal of Integrated Care.
2008;16:41-43.

APPENDICES

APPENDIX A
Review of Literature

REVIEW OF LITERATURE
The purpose of this literature review was to focus on
how social networking has become a major component of
communication in today’s society.

The review examined how

other allied health care professions use these social
networks within the respected professions.

With this

popular use of social networks comes the issue of
disclosure of personal information, and in the
medical/education fields, patients’ medical records.

The

review of literature centered on the following sections
with each having their own respective subsections, (1)
Social Networking Within the Medical Profession, (2) Social
Networking for Education, (3) Social Networking for
Professional’s Growth and Career Building, (4) Issues With
Social Networking.

Social Networking within the Medical Profession

The use of social networks has become a trend within
society today. It allows for individuals to communicate
with each other for free while removing the issue of
distance. The social networks like Facebook, MySpace, and

36
Twitter are the top three networks that provide these
advantages to their members.1 There has been an increase in
popularity with these sites among medical professionals.
It allows them to network within their respective fields to
collaborate and exchange ideas with each other as well as
promote potential job opportunities.
An article by Wynn1 investigated how nurses use social
networks.

One nurse that was interviewed worked fulltime,

raised a family and still had time to spend approximately
20 hours a week on a social networking site. She mostly
used a social networking site called allnurses.com, a
social networking site that was geared directly to and for
nurses. It allowed nurses to discuss clinical issues and
problems, job postings and discussion forums.
The use of social networks in the professional domain
can be very beneficial to medical professionals. An article
by Puertz2 discussed creating a circle of people that one
works with or has a very good relationship with is a great
asset to one’s career. The author discussed that this type
of communication benefits everyone that is involved whether
directly or indirectly. The relationships that are built
can range from educational to professional. These
relationships can expand career opportunities for the
individuals that are involved.

37
Social networks’ education opportunities are endless.
They are fast, free, and more importantly fun according to
an article by McKenzie.3 The fun atmosphere allows everyone
to engage in the topic of discussion or staying up to date
with people that are in ones “circle” of friends discussed
by McKenzie. McKenzie3 also discussed social networks can
benefit students and professionals, which are in a setting
that have time constraints, by allowing them to remain
connected with customers and patients. The social networks
allowed the patients to give feedback and maintain some
kind of dialogue with their healthcare provider, which
provided additional tools of communication to maintain a
good relationship.
Another research study performed by Park4 examined the
popularity of social networks. Park4 surveyed nurses to see
what they were looking for from a social network and what
gratifications were gained from them. It was found that
nurses needed a social network that provided them with a
place of socialization, entertainment, status selfseeking, and information. As changes in demographical data
occurred, such as age, sex and location, so did the needs
from the social network that the individual used. The
younger group desired for the social, and entertainment,
while the older group had a need to maintain business

38
contacts and information on research to maintain the
gratification in the network.
With the social networks being the current craze and
the fastest, easiest of communicating within other medical
professions, it is evident how such networks or something
similar created for athletic trainers, and athletic
training students, could benefit the profession. By giving
clinical instructors, athletic trainers and athletic
training students a place to correspond about new and
current research will help aid the students in becoming
more informed researchers and clinicians.

Social Networking for Education

The use of social networks is the most popular among
teens and younger adults. The use of social networks in
education can be a major tool in athletic training clinical
education. Websites like Facebook and Youtube provide
instructors the ability to post videos of techniques that
can benefit the students. It allows the students an
additional communication tool with instructors and fellow
classmates when they are not in class. This type of
communication gives instructors and students the ability to

39
post links and information to new and current research that
may benefit the class.
In an article by Moule5, the author studied the use of
e-learning for healthcare students. The author examined
whether health care students were able to develop
communities of learning when engaged in online education.
The author found that students were able to develop some
essential elements of a community of learning. These
elements included mutual engagement, joint enterprise, and
shared repertoire. The author found some issues with this
type of learning as they lacked an element of trust that
students get from face to face interactions in the class
room, and the students were not all committed to their
assigned group. The author concluded that these types of
community learning would work well with students that share
common interests and are separated by distance.
Berry6 studied the effects of clinical field experience
setting on how student athletic trainers perceived the
amount of time that they spent actively learning. The
authors studied how much time that the students actually
spent actively learning at their clinical site. The authors
used a questionnaire to evaluate how the students felt the
time at their clinical site was being used. It was found
that the students spent about half of their time actively

40
engaged in learning at their clinical site while 17% was
unengaged activities, 23% waiting for assigned tasks and 9%
working on some kind of managerial task. The authors
discovered that the type of clinical field experience
setting and the assignment had an effect on the amount of
time spent actively learning. The authors concluded that
each clinical site needs to evaluate the students
experience on an individual basis to meet the needs of the
students to keep them actively engaged in learning.
In an article about peer assisted learning Henning7
studies the effects on peer assisted learning in the
athletic clinical education setting. The author focused on
finding the prevalence of peer assisted learning in the
clinical setting and how the students feel about this style
of learning. The authors found that a large number of the
students spent a majority of their time at their clinical
site engaged in learning with their peers. It was found
that over 60% of the students reported that they felt less
anxious when practicing and performing their skills in
front of peers than for their clinical instructor. The
author suggested that peer assisted learning should not
take the place of the student- clinical instructor learning
atmosphere. They proposed that allowing students to use
each other to learn as well as collaborating with their

41
clinical instructor that it will greatly increase their
learning.
In a recent article done by Rich8, the author studied
clinical instructors and athletic training students’
perception of the teachable moments that occur in the
clinical setting in athletic training education. The author
explained that there is no universal definition of a
teachable moment within athletic training clinical
education. The objective of Rich’s8 research was to
recognize and define a teachable moment in clinical
education and to identify the barriers that prevent
teachable moments from happening. The following were the
three major themes that the author found where a teachable
moment became clear; (1) professional discourse about
skills, techniques, research and special cases; (2)
authentic experience or actual hands-on experience; and (3)
skill development or time for skill instruction, practice,
role playing and simulations. A few of the barriers found
by the author included lack of time, clinical instructor
being busy with other duties, and lack of student
initiative. The author concluded that teachable moments
would enhance the quality of clinical instruction and
education. The author found that once the clinical
instructors and students were aware of these teachable

42
moments that both sides began to seek out the opportunities
to have them occur.
Brady9 recently studied the use of social networking
sites in the higher educational setting. The author focused
on a new social networking site called “Ning” while
conducting their research. The author found that an
increasing number of higher education instructors are
beginning to use social networking sites in their classes
as an educational tool. Ning has been shown to build
communities of practice and to help facilitate a kind of
social presence for students that use it. The author
explored the use of these networks for distance education
and the attitudes of the students to the use of this tool
for education and its productivity for teaching and
learning. The author found that education based social
networking sites can be used effectively for distance
education.
In an article by Supe10, the author examined the
increasing fade of social networks use among students. The
author discussed how the networks help to create high
educational bonds and allows students to learn collectively
with each other. One of the major topics that the author
discussed in this article was how networking in the
professional setting can become blurred with work related

43
issues and social issues. Supe10 discussed that by linking
the two together it increased the bonds within the work
place and the classroom. By increasing these bonds, it
allows the students to clear up confusing information with
each other and to communicate with each other their own
experiences with certain situations. Supe10 also reported
that social networking in education increases the student’s
ability to connect with potential employers and increases
the number of people who they know within the respected
profession.
Delisio11 in an article examining merging online
education with social networking, discussed that linking
online education with social networking can benefit
student’s education. The author investigated a podiatry
website that allows residents to take their classes and at
the same time be linked with other students, professors,
and other doctors within the profession. The website gave
students the ability to access their weekly assignments,
giving them access to forums where doctors present case
studies. These forums allow doctors and students to comment
on the cases and give the students an additional venue for
education by allowing them to learn through the experiences
of others. The site also incorporated a few programs that

44
allow the students to have live meetings and conferences
among themselves and their professors.
In an article by Hansen et al12 it was discussed that
Web 2.0 programs like Youtube and Facebook helped to
enhance all health professionals’ proficiencies in basic
information technology. The author reported these types of
programs serve as a great teaching tool for health
professionals. It was discussed that these tools enhanced
learning by giving students the ability to view procedures
in a non-pressure situation. The procedures are posted on
the site and can be viewed as often as needed by the
viewer. The students can then post links of these
procedures on a different network page or their own so that
their classmates may view this same procedure.
An article by Skiba13 followed the same focus as the
article by Hansen.12 The article focused on how to educate
students on how to use their social networking site as a
link with colleagues, so that students can communicate
information better among each other. Skiba13 is also
interested in how to better educate students on how to make
their social network more professional. The author believed
that this is important because it is a way for many
colleagues communicate with each other. The author

45
discussed that this type of communication with social
networks saves money for everyone that is involved.
An article by Young14 examined the use of mentoring and
networking among male and female administrators in the
NCAA. The study found that the administrators involved
regularly mentored students as well as young professionals.
It was found that most mentoring and networking took place
in both informal and formal venues. The study found that
the subjects felt that networking this way is very
important to an individual’s professional and personal
development.
Lou’s15 article on social networking websites looked at
how students use online social networks to socialize with
their peers and how to develop a professional network based
on the information that they found. The author studied both
Facebook and a social network that was created on one
university campus. The study found that social networking
online was the second most popular form of socialization by
the students at the university. The study gathered
information on how to create a social network that would
remove hindrances that the students reported they had with
social networks that they used.
Gunawardena16 performed research in higher education
that was interested in online communities of practice that

46
are within social networking; it was found that the use of
Web 2.0 technologies is challenged the existing learning
theories. The author hypothesized that this is because the
theories were developed when online communication was not
so vast and not possible. The authors suggested that the
Web 2.0 programs are changing the learning theories and are
no longer adequate at describing how to properly learn with
these programs. The authors felt that because of this a new
theoretical framework needs to be developed. The author
believed that the best way to use social networking with
education is to develop a community of practice, which has
incorporated the three structural elements of education,
domain, community and practice, which would take the place
of conventional education.
Using social networks would be an excellent tool for
athletic training clinical education.

Social networks will

provide students with a place to collectively work on a
current issue within athletic training or on an evaluation
that they performed at their clinical site. They allow for
the clinical instructor the ability to post case studies
for the students to work on while offering their feedback
on the issue to provide guidance. Social networks provide
the ability to increase the teachable moments that students

47
can gain from their clinical site and their clinical
instructor.

Social Networking for Professionals: Growth and Career
Building

Social networking for professional use can greatly
benefit ones business and help increase the number of
patients that visit a practice. Additionally, it is a great
public relations tool. Social networks allow professionals
to connect with colleagues, discuss current cases and work
together on research. The use of these networks help to
build long term relationships that benefit everyone
involved.
In an article by Owens et al17 the authors looked at
how to social network after being hired. They discussed
that networking can grow relationships among coworkers,
other professionals, as well as potential clients and
future employers. Owens17 commented in the article that
networking isn’t about “closing the deal,”17 that it should
be about building long term relationships with all that are
involved. Owens17 pointed out that networking should not be
done just to find a job, it should be done to create
connections with people that have similar interests in the

48
profession, and that if there is a potential job available
then it will make itself available at the right time.
Allen18 wrote an article looking at how social
networking has benefitted massage therapists. Allen18 found
that many therapists like to twitter to help with public
relations for their business. It was found that most
therapists like to use these social networks to notify
clients of vacant time slots and to fill cancellations.
Allen18 found that they also used the social networks to
keep updated with fellow colleagues. It allows them to stay
up to date with conferences that are coming up and
meetings. Additionally it allows them to learn new
techniques that are being used and to discuss the effect of
them. Finally, Allen found that therapists that use
Facebook get special notifications about new products that
have recently came out on the market.
In an article in Dentist Assistant, Kaweckyj19 looked
at how dentists networked. The author discussed the
importance of networking face to face as well as using
technology to network.

The American Dental Assistant’s

Association has its own Facebook page that allows dentists
to exchange ideas and to discuss topics within dentistry.
The author stated that the use of the social network is a
convenient way for professionals to students and young

49
professionals in the profession. The author also found that
it is an easier way for them to reach out to patients that
are hearing impaired. The networks allow them to schedule
appointments and to present information about procedures to
them so that they better understand what is going on.
A study done looking at the effects of networking on
career success, the author, Wolf20, found that there is a
strong correlation between networking ability and the
relation of strong career success. The author also found
that this ability to network provided the individual with
the ability to better themselves in their career and held a
higher position within their respected field. Wolf20 found
that there are six scales to networking: (1) building
internal connections, (2) maintaining contacts, (3) using
the contacts, (4) building external contacts, (5)
maintaining the contacts, and (6) using the contacts. The
study showed individuals that maintained their contacts had
an increase in annual income.
In an article by Honor21 on how nurses networked,
Honor21 found that networking along with collaboration and
partnering help to enhance the practice of the profession.
The study showed that it had an even greater effect with
nurse practitioners, and more advanced nurses. The research
stated that exploiting certain networking situations and

50
goals are the key to success with networking. It was also
reported in the research by Honor that networking allows
for mentoring to happen which allows more experienced
professionals help newer younger professionals advance
their skills in the field.
In a study of athletic trainers done by Pitney22,
athletic trainers who worked in the high school setting
socialized and how they networked within the profession of
athletic training. The researchers were interested in
getting a better understanding of the profession and the
position that they are in. The study found that athletic
trainers in the high school setting did not have a lot of
socialization in the field and that they did not network
well to benefit themselves.
Watson23 wrote an article investigating how social
networking is done within the medical profession. The study
found that employers discouraged the use of such networks
because they were afraid that if the employees used them
that it would take away from productivity. The author also
found that social networks need to be easy to use. Watson23
also discussed that professionals need to find a framework
that works for them and that will meet their needs.

Issues with Social Networking

There have been recent issues with medical
professionals using social networks, and then losing their
jobs in cases where patients’ medical records have been
leaked onto the web. These job loses have had a negative
effect on the use of social networks within medical
professions. Without intentionally meaning to disclose this
private information when looking for guidance on certain
cases from mentors or other professionals it has resulted
in termination of their employment. Many businesses fear by
using these networks it will result in the loss of privacy
and potential liability.
In an article by Scott et al24 covering recent firings
of nurses who used Facebook it was found that the nurses
posted private patient information on their social network.
The authors discussed that risk management advisors need to
discuss the importance to the employees of not posting any
private information online, and if they question whether or
not they should post, they probably should not. Good
privacy training and implanting sanctions for people who do
post this information will protect the employer as well as
the employee. It was also found that the employees within a

52
profession that are most likely to post this kind of
information are the young employees and the new hires.
Taylor et al25 conducted a study that investigated
graduate psychology students and their use of social
networks to see who posted patient information and if they
had posted any unethical information. The study looked at
695 students and their online social network profiles. The
authors concluded in the study that most of the students
did not have a social networking page or did not really
know how to use it. The main focus of this study examined
if students posted unethical information on their page. The
authors also found that because not many people used the
sites, or knew how to, it showed that they lacked people
that could police the sites to insure that patients records
are being protected.
Breslin26 wrote an article that investigated the issues
when social networks enter the workplace. The author found
that when professionals are allowed to use social networks
at work that the quality of work done by the employees
drastically decreased. The author discussed that these
networks leave employees susceptible to possible
termination for posting pictures and private information on
their network page. Information technology (IT) employees
that were interviewed state that by not allowing employees

53
access to these social networks while at work will better
protect the patients’ records and at the same time protect
the employees’ jobs.
Minerof27 reported in an article dealing with social
networking within the podiatry field that many of these
professionals are very hesitant to use a social networking
page for their practice as well as a personal page. The
article reported that the professionals are concerned with
using social networks with fear that they will be liable
for loss of personal privacy as well as medical records.
The author discussed that even though there are many
negatives with using social networks for professional use,
they also offer many benefits. The social networks
strengthen connections with patients and colleagues, and
help to reach out to new potential cliental.
Rigiero28 suggested in an article concentrated on
social networking post in the professional setting, that
when individuals are looking to run for a professional
office or applying for a prestigious position at a hospital
they need to be cautious with the information that they
shared on social networking sites. The author suggested
that individuals need to consider the information that they
post about them on social networking sites because once the
information has been posted it cannot be taken back and

54
will always be posted on the networks framework. The author
discussed that it is important to never post anything on
social networks from a job related, or work place computer
network. The author stated that this is important because
the information can be traced by IT, and it is professional
courtesy to the company or work place.
In an article looking at ethical issues with social
networking in education, Foulger29 reported that these
social networks, such as Facebook and Myspace are
innovative tools that surpass the norms of traditional
social interactions. However, in some instances, when these
tools have been used they have had negative reactions. The
authors have developed a case-based reasoning intervention
to support more informed decisions by the teachers. The
results were criteria for students who participate in
social networking sites were created. The authors believed
that these types of guidelines will harness a positive
potential in education that will remain professional and
positive.

55
Summary

Every day hundreds of millions of people access online
social networks. The use of social networks has added many
benefits to the medical field. This tool of communication
has aided other medical professionals’ in maintaining
connections with those colleagues that are either close, or
a large distance away. With this increased communication it
has benefitted them to collaborate on research, issues with
patients’ health, and potential job opportunities. The use
of online social networks also has proven to have the
potential to be an exception tool for educational use. It
allows students the ability to work on case studies and
work with their peers on certain issues, while at the same
time still having the guidance of their instructor. By
using social networks in clinical education there is a
potential to help increase the likelihood of teachable
moments between instructors and students. Social networks
also have a benefit for professional use and career
building. Social networks allow for connection with
colleagues all around the world which can help increase an
individual’s career growth. By implementing social networks
in clinical education the athletic training students can
learn how to properly network and begin to grow their

56
network base with their peers and instructors. With the
added benefit of social networks there are many issues with
patients’ personal information being posted and many people
becoming liable. Students learning how to use social
networks in a monitored environment and with guidance of
their instructor will help reduce the likelihood of
students posting confidential information. Overall, by
using online social networks as a tool in clinical
education, it has the potential to greatly benefit the
students’ education and set them up for success in their
future career in athletic training. A platform needs to be
created based on the needs of the students, and that can be
easy changed and adapted to meet the needs of the
institution following some of the guidelines that Watson23
stated in his research.

APPENDIX B
The Problem

58
Statement of the Problem

The purpose of this study is to examine the use and
the effect of social networks in athletic training clinical
education.

Social networks have become a major component

in communication today at the personal and professional
level.

An issue with clinical education is that there is a

lack of teachable moments between the instructor and the
students due to the high demand on the clinical
instructor’s time, and at times a lack of student
initiative.

If we know what the students feel is the most

beneficial way for them to learn in the clinical setting,
then we can limit the restrictions on education.
Additionally, with the popularity of the social networks,
we can incorporate them as a tool within clinical education
to increase the teachable moments and help provide
information to the students in a fashion that may meet
their needs.

Definition of Terms
The following definitions of terms will be defined for
this study:

59
1)

Social Networks- a social structure made up of
individuals or organizations which are connected by
one or more specific types.

Web 2.0- associated with web applications that
facilitate interactive information sharing,
interoperability, user-centered design, and
collaboration on the World Wide Web.

Teachable Moment- the time (in education) at which
learning a particular topic or idea becomes possible
and easiest.

Basic Assumptions
The following are basic assumptions made in regards to
this study:
1)

The subjects were honest when they completed the
demographic portion of the survey.

The subjects answered the survey questions to the best
of their ability.

The survey provided beneficial information regarding
the student’s perceptions on education.

Limitations of the Study
The following are possible limitations of the study:
1)

The validity of the survey has not been established.

60
2)

There is no current research regarding this topic.

Students may not know what they want out of education.

The resources may not be available to the students to
gain access to the online networks.

The students may not have the knowledge about how to
use these online networks.

Delimitation of the Study
The following statement reflects the potential delimitation
of the study:
1)

Only student NATA members of Districts 1 and 2 were
surveyed.

Students only had two weeks to complete the survey.

Only current students where surveyed.

Significance of the Study
The results of this study provide athletic training
clinical instructors and educators with information
suggestive of what the students believe they need from
clinical education, with the use of social networks as a
tool.

This information is very important to the field of

athletic training education because it will tell us how to
can best meet the needs of the students in terms of social
networking.

In an era where education has not evolved with

the ever-changing technology environment, this study will

61
provide feedback to what needs to be changed.

It will also

provide information and insight of what students need out
of clinical education, which they may not currently be
getting.

APPENDIX C
Additional Methods

APPENDIX C1
Social Networking for Clinical Education Survey

APPENDIX C2
Institutional Review Board –
California University of Pennsylvania

Institutional Review Board
California University of Pennsylvania
Psychology Department LRC, Room 310
250 University Avenue
California, PA 15419
instreviewboard@cup.edu
instreviewboard@calu.edu
Robert Skwarecki, Ph.D., CCC-SLP,Chair

Mr. Campbell,

Please consider this email as official notification that your proposal titled
“Social Networking for Athletic Training Clinical Education” (Proposal #10045) has been approved by the California University of Pennsylvania
Institutional Review Board as submitted, with the following stipulations:
In the consent form/cover letter: In the phrase “discontinue participation
at any time” the text “without penalty” must be inserted.
The following must appear “This approval is effective 02-24-11 and
expires 02-23-12” [actual dates will be provided by the IRB].
Once you have made this revision, you may immediately begin data
collection. You do not need to wait for further IRB approval. [At your
earliest convenience, you must forward a copy of the revised consent form
for the Board’s records].

(1)

(2)
(3)
(4)

The effective date of the approval is 02-24-2011 and the expiration date is
02-23-2012. These dates must appear on the consent form .
Please note that Federal Policy requires that you notify the IRB promptly
regarding any of the following:
Any additions or changes in procedures you might wish for your study
(additions or changes must be approved by the IRB before they are
implemented)
Any events that affect the safety or well-being of subjects
Any modifications of your study or other responses that are necessitated
by any events reported in (2).
To continue your research beyond the approval expiration date of 02-232012 you must file additional information to be considered for continuing
review. Please contact instreviewboard@cup.edu
Please notify the Board when data collection is complete.
Regards,
Robert Skwarecki, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
Chair, Institutional Review Board

APPENDIX C3
Cover Letter

Date 5/6/11
Dear Athletic Training Student:
My name is Matthew Campbell and I am currently a graduate student at California
University of Pennsylvania pursing a Master of Science in Athletic Training. Part of the
graduate study curriculum is to complete a research thesis through conducting research. I
am conducting survey research to determine if Social Networks can be used as tool in
clinical education.
Athletic training students from CAATE accredited programs in NATA Districts 1 and 2
are being asked to participate in this study; however, your participation is voluntary and
you do have the right to choose not to participate. You also have the right to discontinue
participation at any time during the survey completion process, without penalty, at which
time your data will be discarded. The California University of Pennsylvania Institutional
Review Board has reviewed and approved this project.
All survey responses are anonymous and will be kept confidential, and informed consent
to use the data collected will be assumed upon return of the survey. Aggregate survey
responses will be housed in a password protected file on the CalU campus. Minimal risk
is posed by participating as a subject in this study. I ask that you please take this survey
at your earliest convenience as it will take approximately 10 minutes to complete. If you
have any questions regarding this project, please feel free to contact the primary
researcher, Matthew Campbell at (cam3225@calu.edu) you can also contact the faculty
advisor for this research Dr. Ellen West at (west_e@calu.edu). Thanks in advance for
your participation. Please click the following link to access the survey:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/RX8GY8J
Thank you for taking the time to take part in my thesis research. I greatly appreciate your
time and effort put into this task.
Sincerely,

Matthew Campbell, ATC
Primary Researcher
California University of Pennsylvania
250 University Ave
California, PA 15419
207-694-1914
cam3225@calu.edu

Ellen J. West, EdD, ATC
Faculty Advisor
California University of Pennsylvania
250 University Ave
California , PA 15419
724-938-4356
Email: west_e@calu.edu

Appendix C4
References

83
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86
ABSTRACT

Title:

SOCIAL NETWORKING IN ATHLETIC TRAINING
CLINICAL EDUCATION

Researcher:

Matthew Campbell

Advisor:

Dr. Ellen West

Date:

May 2011

Research Type: Master’s Thesis
Context:

The reason for this study was to evaluate
the use of social networks in the athletic
training educational setting, and the
perceived benefit of how the students
believe it aids in their education and the
potential benefit for clinical education.

Objective:

The purpose of this study is to examine the
use and the effect of social networks for
athletic training education and clinical
education.

Design:

Descriptive research study

Setting:

The NATA survey system distributed via email
the (Social Networking for Clinical
Education Survey) to athletic training
education program students of District 1 and
District 2.

Subjects:

Athletic training students of CAATE
accredited programs within NATA Districts
1&2.

Interventions: The independent variables within the study
were the type of network selected and the
current use of a network of educational use
(yes or no). The survey was created by the
researcher and was administered via email by
an online survey system
(www.surveymonkey.com). The email list was
created by the NATA survey system, the cover

87
letter and link to the survey was emailed to
the subjects. The data was analyzed using
SPSS at a significance level at α ≤.05.
Measurements:

All data analyzed at a significance level at
α ≤.05 for all hypotheses. H1: an ANOVA was
used to compare mean scores of time spent
with network that was chosen. H2: an ANOVA
was used to compare time spent between the
usage area for class, clinical and
professional development use. H3: an
independent t-test was used to compare the
mean values of the perceived benefit between
students who use an online social network
and students who do not use an online social
network.

Results:

All hypotheses had findings that were
significant. H1: (F(4,61) = 3.446, p < .05).
H2: (F(2,122) = 14.06, p < .001). H3: (t(85)
= 2.614, p < .05).

Conclusion:

The study revealed that undergraduate
athletic training education program students
who use an online social network will spend
more time using multiple networks than just
Blackboard. Students that use an online
social network will spend more time using it
for class use than for professional
development and clinical use, and more time
for professional development than clinical
use. Students that use an online social
network for education have a higher
perception value of the networks than
students that do not use an online social
network for education.