Developing Capability: Transforming Massage Therapy Education through Inquiry-based Learning

Massage therapy education programs are responsible for preparing graduates for complex professional environments, while also ensuring graduates can access the profession by passing the regulatory body’s standardized certification or licensing examination. Massage therapists are regulated health care professionals in four Canadian provinces. They are autonomous practitioners and an integral part of the health care regime for patients with complicated health presentations. As such, they must think critically about patients’ presentations and determine the most appropriate care. This article describes the process undertaken by the faculty team of Humber College’s Massage Therapy Program in an effort to transform the existing teaching and learning strategies by incorporating principles of inquiry-based learning (IBL).