Abstract
The purpose of this special series, as stated in the initial call for proposals in 2014, is "to focus on identifying the curricular elements and instructional changes that will be necessary to ensure the provision of high quality physical therapy services for pediatric patients and adults with lifelong developmental disabilities." While the literature on the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) in physical therapy education continues to expand in both breadth and depth, the variability of educational practices relative to the education of pediatric physical therapy knowledge, skills, and abilities is highly variable across professional physical therapy curriculum. [...]many of the concerns first identified in 1993 by Cherry and Knutson1 and by Martin2 regarding the limited amount of time spent and the variability in teaching pediatric content as part of the entry-level physical therapy curriculum are still unresolved. [...]perhaps more notable, has been the encouragement of the coeditors, through editorials and their own contributions to the literature, acknowledging that research of physical therapy education needs to be supported by evidence and sound methodology.3-4 In her 2011 McMillan lecture, Dr Jensen spoke directly to the need for educational research that will provide evidence on best practices in physical therapist education.5 And more recently, Jensen et al proposed "a compelling rationale for building a much needed foundation for education research in physical therapy"6 The foundations for our work on this series began around the same time. [...]these first manuscripts span the 4 topic areas requested in our call and broadly represent the...