Education Commons^™

Sequential Simulations During Introductory Part-Time Fieldwork: Design, Implementation, And Student Satisfaction, Kaitlin R. Sibbald, Diane E. Mackenzie

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Simulation is used in various ways in occupational therapy education and is recognized as a replacement for some conventional fieldwork hours. However, design and student satisfaction has had limited exploration.

Method: Sequential best practice simulations were designed for Level 1 fieldwork objectives in mental and musculoskeletal practice. The Satisfaction with Simulation Education scale (SSES) and qualitative feedback were used to assess student satisfaction. An exploratory factor analysis was used to validate the SSES in occupational therapy, and a three-factor repeated measures ANOVA was used to determine factors contributing to satisfaction across simulations.

Results: A three-factor model …

Ot Graduate Students’ Perceived Preparedness For Level Ii Fieldwork: Traditional, Nontraditional And Mixed Fieldwork I Experiences, Reagan Bergstresser-Simpson, Emily Sweetman, Claudia Maloberti, Miranda Hall, Francis Hermes, Brody Worl

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

This study explored the perceived level of preparedness of occupational therapy (OT) graduate students for entering Level II fieldwork after completing nontraditional, traditional, and mixed Level I fieldwork experiences. This mixed-methods exploratory study included an online 22-question survey that was delivered to Occupational Therapy Doctoral (OTD) and Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) programs throughout the United States. Participants were selected through voluntary convenience response sampling. Students (N=145) self-reported their level of preparedness for Level II fieldwork experiences. The quantitative data collected in this study reflected a statistically significant difference between Level I fieldwork experience-related questions for the three groups, …

Occupational Therapy Students’ Perceptions Of Feedback During Pre-Fieldwork Simulation Debrief: Useful And Why, Kaitlin R. Sibbald, Diane E. Mackenzie, Jonathan Harris

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Simulation is increasingly used in occupational therapy education with the objectives of developing practice skill competency and enhancing clinical reasoning. Debriefing, an integral part of the simulation process, is critical to achieving these objectives. This study sought to determine the types of debrief feedback Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MScOT) students perceived as most useful and why, and how the advocacy inquiry model of debriefing influenced self-reported increases in clinical reasoning, client care, and planned implementation of feedback in practice. Using an embedded mixed method design with secondary data analysis, sixty-three first-year MScOT students provided 357 descriptions of the …

On-Campus Occupational Therapy Clinic: Exploring A Supervision Model For Level I Fieldwork Within Curriculum, Kelly Erickson, Serena Hutson

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

This study explored how a revised on-campus occupational therapy clinic model impacted occupational therapy graduate student professional development and clinical practice educator confidence in areas related to the on-campus clinic environment, professionalism, student learning, and collaboration. Specifically, clinical practice educator and student confidence were compared through quantitative survey data across multiple cohorts and clinical educators. This data was used to triangulate qualitative findings from focus groups and open-ended survey questions. Analysis across five years of qualitative data revealed themes related to professionalism including time management, planning, feedback, observation, collaboration, and communication. Quantitative data analysis found significant differences between clinical practice …

Impact Of Virtual Simulation-Based Level I Fieldwork On Level Ii Fieldwork Performance, Rebecca Ozelie, Maggie Moeller, Taylor Newmark

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Fieldwork is an essential part of a student’s education and development to become competent in entry-level occupational therapy skills (ACOTE, 2018). The implications of COVID-19 coupled with staffing shortages and an increase in academic programs resulted in academic fieldwork coordinators competing for a limited number of spots. The Accreditation Council of Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) integrated the use of simulation as an instructional method to meet Standard C.1.9 for Fieldwork I. This study used a retrospective cohort design to determine the impact of virtual simulation-based Level I fieldwork on performance in Level II fieldwork. Thirty-seven Doctor of Occupational Therapy students’ …

Evolution Of Level I Fieldwork During An International Pandemic: Students’ Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of Virtual Simulation-Based Level I Fieldwork, Rebecca Ozelie, Shiori Domenighetti, Amanda Sugar, Samantha Conrad

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Fieldwork education is an essential component of occupational therapy (OT) curriculum; yet national shortages and the COVID-19 pandemic have affected fieldwork availability. To combat the shortage, some academic programs implemented simulation-based Level I fieldwork experiences. The objective of this research study was to compare the perceived knowledge, confidence, and attitude of OT students that completed a virtual simulation-based Level I fieldwork to those that completed a traditional Level I fieldwork. This study involved a sample of 26 doctorate of OT students that completed a traditional or virtual simulation-based Level I fieldwork. Students completed pre-and-post fieldwork surveys regarding their perceived knowledge, …

Validation Of Objective Structured Clinical Examination (Osce) Based On The Occupational Therapy Practice Framework (Otpf): A Pilot Study, Marzieh Pashmdarfard, Afsoon Hassani Mehraban, Narges Shafaroodi, Kamran Soltani Arabshahi, Soroor Parvizy, Akram Azad, Samaneh Karamali Esmaeili

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Fieldwork education is an integral part of the educational process in occupational therapy and assessing student competency at the end of fieldwork is important. The aim of this study was to design and conduct an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) based on the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework (OTPF) for occupational therapy students on Level II fieldwork in Iran. A seven-station OSCE was designed and conducted with 13 students. Face and content validity of the exam scenarios and grading checklists was assessed via faculty review. The correlation between scores from each station and total OSCE scores were obtained to assess construct …

Level I Fieldwork Using Simulation: Student Performance Outcomes And Perceptions, Nicole C. Harris, Sarah Nielsen, Marilyn G. Klug

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

The purpose of this study was to examine students’ perceptions and performance outcomes of a virtual fieldwork using Simucase® in conjunction with supplemental activities and debriefing opportunities. The simulation replaced Level I clinic-based fieldwork experiences that were cancelled due to COVID-19. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected using a modified evaluation tool to assess student performance outcomes and perceptions for students in the Year one Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) cohort (n=57) and the Year two Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) cohort (n=57) enrolled in a public university in the rural Midwest. Student ratings were compared using chi-square test of independence …

Fundamentals Of Anthropology As Effective Experiential Learning Strategy To Promote Social Justice, Chelsea G. Abbas

Experiential Learning & Teaching in Higher Education

Experiential learning (EL) as it relates to the social sciences, involves going out into the community to conduct field studies or work with different groups who provide new approaches and collaborative perspectives to student learning. EL relies on the fact that students can communicate with distinct populations and oftentimes bridge cultural, linguistic, racial, generational, or geographical divides. As we emerge from a pandemic-induced social isolation into an increasingly siloed and divided political world, creating generative dialogue and skill sets to promote social activism and empathy for the common good is of utmost importance, especially for college students. Two EL experiences, …

Negative Emotions In Fieldwork: A Narrative Inquiry Of Three Efl Researchers’ Lived Experiences, Adilur Rahaman, Shuvo Saha

The Qualitative Report

Through narrative inquiry this research depicts and interprets the negative emotions that three English as Foreign Language (EFL) researchers experienced in different research sites during their fieldwork. Narrative inquiry informs the design of this investigation as the approach is particularly useful for understanding lived experiences. The study draws on autobiographical as well as narrative data to report the negative emotions that evolve during English language education fieldwork, an aspect absent in the existing literature. Findings suggest that the researchers experienced a wide range of negative emotions namely ethical dilemma, anger, anxiety, guilt, and shame. These results carry implications for language …

Occupational Therapy Student Readiness For Transition To The Fieldwork Environment: A Pilot Case Study, Pamela Karp

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

The classroom and the field represent diverse and unique teaching and learning environments that students are required to navigate successfully. Facilitating student success in these environments requires the efforts of educators and the students themselves. This qualitative pilot study sought to elucidate perspectives regarding student readiness from the viewpoint of occupational therapy academic and fieldwork educators. Data for the study was collected from interviews and a focus group. The results of the study revealed that academic and fieldwork educators value similar characteristics of student readiness for transition to fieldwork. However, there is a need for collaborative strategies between the academic …

Correlation Between Simulation And Fieldwork Performance In Adult Physical Rehabilitation, Whitney Lucas Molitor, Ranelle Nissen

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between performance in simulation used as a learning method in an adult physical rehabilitation and Level II fieldwork. A retrospective cohort research design was utilized to analyze data gathered from occupational therapy student cohorts between 2011-2017 enrolled in an entry-level Masters (MS) and Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) program located in the Midwest United States. Course performance on skills checks, which utilized simulation methods, as well as final exam and course grades were analyzed and compared to performance scores on the FWPE. The overall course exam performance is the strongest …

Media Ethnography: Demands Alternative, Bishal Kumar Bhandari Mr

The Qualitative Report

The heart and soul of ethnography lies in anthropological study within specific caste, ethnicity, and gender. In mass media research, the anthropological ethnography dominates through some of the aspects that focuses on geographical locations and ethnicity which is not relevant in the age of media and technology. The mass media has gained its own gravity, uniqueness, and distinctiveness at present as it fulfills the need and interest of individuals/society. As such fieldwork, participants, and positioning a debate within the realm of “anthropological ethnography” is not sufficient to understand the subjectivities of mass media. In such a context, this article analyzes …

Occupational Therapy Student Conceptions Of Self-Reflection In Level Ii Fieldwork, Susan L. Iliff, Gaylene Tool, Patricia Bowyer, Diane Parham, Tina S. Fletcher, Wyona M. Freysteinson

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Self-reflection is paramount to the development of professionalism and serves as the foundation of adult education and lifelong learning. Pedagogical approaches in health sciences programs that promote self-reflection are growing in popularity. Current literature identifies a gap in what and how students conceive self-reflection and whether self-reflection is creating professionals that meet the challenges of today’s healthcare climate. This qualitative study explores the conceptions of self-reflection for occupational therapy students in Level II Fieldwork. The use of phenomenographic methodology guided the collection of information-rich data through semi-structured interviews. Twenty-one occupational therapy graduates volunteered to participate in the interviews. Verbatim transcripts …

Conflict Management In Occupational Therapy Education: Process Drama As A Teaching Strategy, Theresa Delbert, Tyson Schrader

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

The stressful and demanding environment of a healthcare facility can lead to interpersonal conflict. As a result of working in these environments, occupational therapy students may experience such conflict during Level II fieldwork. Research has shown that effective conflict management is an important component of success on Level II fieldwork; however, occupational therapy students often self-report a lack of confidence, comfort, and competence with managing conflict. Forty Master of Occupational Therapy students took part in a 2-day conflict management workshop. The workshop consisted of didactic training of conflict management concepts; large group process drama activities that introduced relevant role-play concepts; …

Epistemological Ruptures: Flashback On Fieldwork Dilemmas While Doing Research On Friends At Home, Israel Aguilar

The Qualitative Report

While doing fieldwork at home and/or with people who are familiar can yield new knowledge, researchers using ethnographic techniques ought to first assume the role of apprentice and enact vulnerability before they can represent findings that represent what really happened. Doing otherwise can tarnish relationships or jeopardize a study. The history of narrative within ethnographic research is discussed as an introduction to the author’s own personal narrative, which is in the form of a flashback that illustrates the journey he embarked on in 2010 when he initiated dissertation research in his hometown of south Texas. It is here where he …

Underperforming Students: Factors And Decision-Making In Occupational Therapy Programs, Beth Cardell, Jeanette Koski, Jessica Wahl, Wendi Rock, Anne Kirby

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

The purpose of this study was to better understand factors related to occupational therapy (OT) educators’ decisions to fail underperforming students and to clarify why educators sometimes fail to fail or pass students despite sub-standard performance. Assessing student competence is an essential part of ensuring the safety of those receiving occupational therapy services and ensuring the integrity of the OT profession. Educators in academic and fieldwork settings are responsible for confirming that students who graduate from their programs are able to demonstrate skills required for entry into the profession. A total of 323 OT academic and fieldwork educators responded to …

Preparing Pre-Service Teachers For Professional Engagement Through Place/Community Pedagogies And Partnerships, Monica M. Green

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

There is an expectation that Australian teachers engage professionally in all aspects of teaching and learning, including engagement with teaching networks and broader communities. This paper reports on a partnership between a teacher educator and an environmental educator who set out to expand pre-service teachers’ professional knowledge, engagement and practice in an undergraduate Bachelor of Education (primary) course. The paper reports on a study about teacher education students’ perspectives of fieldwork-based learning and its potential to inform students’ future engagement with the broader school community. Using a conceptual framework of place- and community based education, the study examined data from …