Digitalization in physiotherapy and rehabilitation education: RenPy based interactive learning experience

Advances in health professions education increasingly emphasize the integration of digital technologies to enhance student engagement and support diverse learning needs. In technically complex subjects such as electrotherapy, conventional instruction alone may be insufficient to promote active learning and retention. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of Ren'Py-based interactive learning materials on the learning processes of undergraduate physiotherapy students. The research was conducted as a three-arm, single-blind, randomized controlled trial. A total of 80 second-year students who had not previously taken an electrotherapy course were randomly assigned to three groups: Conventional Education (CE) Group (n=23), Digital Education (DE) Group (n=29), and Conventional and Digital Education (GvDE) Group (n=28). All groups received theoretical and practical training followed by theory and practical exams. The conventional training took approximately 3 hours, while the digital module took an average of 45 minutes to complete. Additionally, the Cognitive Load Scale, Attitude Towards the Physiotherapy Profession Scale (ATMS), and Instructional Material Motivation Scale (IMMS) were used. Results showed that theoretical exam scores were similar across groups (p=0.616). In practical exams, the GE and GvDE groups performed significantly better than the DE group (p=0.007 and p=0.002, respectively). The GvDE group had higher MCQ scores than the GE group (p=0.022), and cognitive load was significantly higher in the GE group than in the GvDE and DE groups (p=0.020 and p=0.016, respectively). Findings suggest that digital tools alone are not sufficient, but hybrid models can support practical skills by increasing motivation.