INDAK Teacher Training Course Pilot Study

Introduction: Improving Neurocognition through Dance and Kinesthetics (INDAK) is a modular dance-based intervention developed for Filipino older adults with mild cognitive impairment. Technical and pedagogical competencies required of INDAK delivery creates an instructor capacity gap that constrain program scalability. A structured Teacher Training Course (TTC) was developed to prepare instructors for community implementation.

Objective: To evaluate the pilot INDAK TTC and identify trainee-reported facilitators and constraints relevant to community-level scale-up.

Methods: This cross-sectional pilot study was conducted in Bohol, Philippines, from February to June 2026. Thirty Department of Science and Technology scholars majoring in psychology completed Level 1 of the eight-module TTC. Participants rated Training Delivery, Training Content, Training Organization, and Overall Training Evaluation using a five-point Likert scale and provided open-ended feedback. Descriptive statistics and thematic analysis were conducted.

Results: Participants had a mean age of 19.9 years; 73% were female and 67% self-rated as beginners. Ratings were uniformly high (≥4.5), with 29 of 30 participants recommending the course. Overall Training Evaluation had the highest mean rating (4.96), followed by Training Content (4.95), Training Delivery (4.94), and Training Organization (4.78). Individualized instructor feedback was highly valued, while module depth received the lowest rating. Five themes emerged: supportive instruction; development of dance, teaching, and cognitive skills; accessible learning materials and instructional clarity; time, practice, complexity, and practical application; and overall positive experience. Participants requested additional practice time, particularly for partner-dances, as well as plainer instructional language, visual resources, and supervised opportunities to practice with older adults.

Conclusion: The pilot TTC was feasible, highly acceptable, and perceived as relevant and practical. However, high trainee satisfaction alone may not indicate implementation readiness. Expanded skills practice, accessible instructional resources, refresher training, and supervised practicum are recommended to strengthen the training-to-practice pathway and develop a competent instructor workforce for scalable community delivery of INDAK.