Technical Standard Examples That May be Required in a Lecture Class

The technical standard examples below reflect only a sample of possible performance abilities and characteristics that are necessary to complete the requirements of the PTA program. Once enrolled in the PTA program, students will be required to meet the expectations of each technical standard.

Behavioral Skills

Standard: Display professional behavior appropriate for a lecture classroom.

Example Behaviors:

• Refrain from talking to classmates when teacher is lecturing and limit use of technology to only course-appropriate activities.
• Meet all professional behavior expectations for students enrolled in the PTA program.
• Come to class in clothing appropriate for program dress code.

Standard: Demonstrate accountability

• Accept the various roles of a PTA student (learner, peer, future PTA…).
• Take charge of your own learning and help to create a positive learning environment for your peers and faculty.
• Reflect on your actions or performance outcomes to continue to learn and grow.

Standard: Demonstrate appropriate stress management behaviors and flexibility during changing or unknown situations

Example Behaviors:

• Adapt to various teaching methods, learning activities, and teaching styles in the classroom.
• Recognize your own stressors, seek assistance when needed.
• Work to find a balance between school and personal life.
• Display calm behavior in the face of uncertainty or change.

Standard: Demonstrate a commitment to learning.

Example Behaviors:

• Remain active and engaged in the learning process by participating in classroom activities, ask questions if material is unclear, prepare for lecture before arriving to class.
• Independently schedule meetings with faculty if you have any questions/concerns or need to review course material.

Standard: Demonstrate compassion, caring, and trustworthiness

Example Behaviors:

• Consider the views, opinions, perspectives, and feelings of others.
• Reflect on the impact of your actions on others.
• Consider the “whole person” in all your interactions.
• Recognize your own biases and do not let them influence your interactions.
• Take time to listen to others.

Standard: Demonstrate concentration and the ability to attend to instructor during lecture courses.

Example Behaviors:

• Remain focused during lecture time and complete in-class activities to expectations of instructor.
• Demonstrate ability to not be distracted by technology and to not distract others with your use of technology.

Standard: Demonstrate effective use of time and resources.

Example Behaviors:

• Arrive to class on time and with necessary materials.
• Submit all assignments by the posted due date.
• Plan and prioritize studying strategies to manage course load and test preparation.

Standard: Demonstrate integrity and responsibility.

Example Behaviors:

• Abide by college and program academic integrity policies and student conduct policies (ex: no cheating or plagiarism).
• Abide by APTA Code of Ethics for the Physical Therapy Profession and the APTA Core Values for the PT and the PTA as these standards apply to the classroom setting.
• Contribute to a safe learning environment.
• Follow through on commitments, completes projects and assignments without prompting.
• Identify, acknowledge, and accept responsibility for actions and report errors.
• Demonstrate the ability to meet attendance standards for the program.

Standard: Demonstrate respect for others and follow the college stance on non-discrimination

Example Behaviors:

• Respect the ideas, experiences, and backgrounds of others.
• Do not bully or show disrespect for others, even if their ideas or experiences are different than your own.
• The program and college prohibit sex discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual assault, sexual exploitation, domestic violence, stalking and retaliation and promotes and maintains educational opportunities without regard to race, color, sex, ethnicity, religion, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, national origin, or other non-merit factors.

Standard: Professionally accept, respond to, and integrate feedback.

Example Behaviors:

• Don’t become defensive when provided with feedback.
• Integrate feedback to improve skills, behaviors, or knowledge.
• Acknowledge and thank those who provide you with feedback.

Communication Skills

Standard: Communicate professionally with faculty and other classmates at all times.

Example Behaviors:

• Speak in a calm and professional tone with faculty and classmates.
• Use instructor titles (ex: Dr., Ms., Professor) and send emails with proper format and professionalism as defined in PTA student handbook.
• Display non-verbal communication appropriate for the environment (ex: maintain eye contact when speaking with classmates, maintain composure even when frustrated).

Standard: Demonstrate interpersonal and collaborative skills.

Example Behaviors:

• Effectively communicate with members of a team or group.
• Clearly communicate with group members while completing a group project.
• Be an effective team member in a group by completing all assigned tasks.

Standard: Effectively communicate with a diverse population of students and faculty.

Example Behaviors:

• Demonstrate the ability to communicate and interact with all classmates and faculty regard to race, color, sex, ethnicity, religion, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, national origin, or other non-merit factors.

Intellectual & Conceptual Skills

Standard: Demonstrate critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Example Behaviors:

• Answer increasingly difficult test questions and assignment scenarios during the progression of the program.
• Apply and incorporate information from various sources (lecture, textbook, videos…) to correctly answer test questions.

Standard: Demonstrate academic readiness for clinical rotations.

Example Behaviors:

• Successfully pass didactic coursework with a C or better.
• Demonstrate ability to perform self-assessment and make behavior changes based on self-assessment.

Standard: Possess the academic ability to complete a rigorous curriculum in the allotted time frame.

Example Behaviors:

• Complete all courses in the plan of study with a C or better (77% for PTA courses, grading scale, course-specific grading scale for support courses).
• Complete courses with both a standard 16-week format and an accelerated time frame.
• Retain information across semesters to allow for concept development and successful passing of licensure exam.
• Demonstrate ability to be successful (C test average) in written tests which simulate PTA National Physical Therapy Licensing Exam.

Use of Sensory System

Standard: Utilize sensory systems to be effectively engaged in the teaching and learning process present in the classroom portions of the program.

Example Behaviors:

• Take in course information through visual and auditory systems.
• Take in lecture material from a variety of formats (ex: written, video, audio).
• Complete written tests in both paper and computer format.
• Answer test questions based on video or images.