An investigation into the current practices and educational theories that underpin the teaching of palpation in osteopathic education: A Delphi study

This study investigates current best practice and the educational theories that underpin the teaching of a core element of osteopathic technique; palpation. It develops conclusions reached in an earlier commentary1 and uses the modified Delphi method to investigate the opinions of a panel of expert osteopathic palpation teachers. The study identified that the experts combined elements from different theories in their teaching. They primarily used constructivism, in particular Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development and Lave and Wenger's Communities of Practice, in association with elements of Design Based theory. Consensus was that palpation classes should be non-judgemental and encourage free discussion. Exploration without direction was a contentious issue; in particular with regard to the meaning of the phrase ‘without direction’.