Digital Commons Network^™

Artworks: Art As Occupation, Erin Barrus

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

A collaborative effort from various artists at MRC artWorks located in Kalamazoo, MI contributed to the cover art for the Winter 2024 issue of the Open Journal of Occupational Therapy (OJOT). MRC Industries is a non-profit organization that focuses on supporting individuals with developmental disabilities, cognitive or emotional impairments or illnesses, and people who have experienced traumatic brain injuries. One particular program has become a staple in the Kalamazoo community – MRC artWorks, a professional working art studio for adults with disabilities to learn skills, both physical and emotional, through art instruction and art-making.

Exploring The Spiritual Alliance Of Maintaining A 5-Acre Tropical Farm Through The Lens Of Occupational Engagement, Jose Rafols, Amy Wagenfeld

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Large-scale commercial farmers and small scale “hobby” farmers engage in growing crops for subsistence and survival for themselves, their families, communities, and beyond. Their reverence and passion for farming make them good stewards of both community and world population nourishment. We suggest there may be a collective physical, emotional, and spiritual draw to farming that is interwoven with occupational engagement. Through a personal narrative approach, we reflect on the meaning and the work-focused occupation of farming and specifically how spirituality may be a guiding force that supports engagement despite seemingly insurmountable environmental and personal hardships. With an increasing interest in …

Occupational Therapists' Role In Sexual Education For Teens And Young Adults Living With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Taylor M. Urban, Reeti R. Douglas

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Teens and young adults living with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) do not have equal access to sexual education, thus having lower sexual awareness, little knowledge of preventative sexual health care, and having a more difficult time reading sexual body language (Hannah & Stagg, 2016; Holmes et al., 2019; Mogavero & Hsu, 2020). Deficits in these and many other skills may make it more challenging for teens and young adults living with ASD to engage in an intimate or sexual relationship with a consenting partner. Skilled intervention on the occupation of sexual activity and its related dimensions, such as communication and …

When Music Becomes Me: Occupational Therapy’S Role In Caring For Upper Extremity Disorders In Musicians, Kathryn S. Halsted, Kristin Biggins, Kimberly Davis

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Musicians are a distinct population with a high rate of developing musculoskeletal and neurological disorders affecting their ability to participate in music-based occupations. These injuries negatively affect the musician’s health and well-being in physical, financial, psychosocial, and emotional dimensions. Given music’s complex and integrated role in the musicians’ life, treatment must be multi-dimensional, considering aspects of the person, the type of instrument, environment, context, and social obligations. Occupational therapy providers are uniquely qualified to treat musicians because of their focuse on holistic, occupation-based, and client-centered care. This manuscript describes the role of occupational therapy in this client population based on …

Outcomes Of The Nurosleeve And Occupational Therapy On Upper Limb Function Of An Individual With Chronic Hemiparesis Following A Stroke: A Case Report, Nicole M. Gerhardt, Jeremy P. Armstrong, Mijail D. Serruya, Mj Mulcahey

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Upper limb neuromuscular impairments can adversely impact function. This case report investigates the process and outcomes of occupational therapy (OT) for training in the use of the NuroSleeve, a novel research-grade exoskeletal powered orthosis, with a participant with chronic right hemiparesis following a stroke.

Method: The participant engaged in 24 OT sessions using the NuroSleeve over 10 weeks. Therapeutic interventions included neuromuscular reeducation, device management, and engagement in occupation-based activities with training to use the NuroSleeve. The Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM), ABILHAND, Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Upper Extremity Short Form 7a (PROMIS UE SF), …

Covid-19 Pandemic’S Effect On Occupational Therapy Students’ Time-Use And Occupational Engagement On Returning To In-Person Learning, Jhannell Hannah D. Ocampo, Susan Macdermott, Karen Mccarthy

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

The COVID-19 pandemic emotionally and physically impacted students in occupational therapy and occupational therapy assistant programs. College students lost autonomy and access to meaningful occupations and environments. As students returned to campus, they struggled to navigate and adapt to in-person occupations and how they use their time. This study uses a mixed method descriptive research design to understand how the pandemic affected occupational therapy students' time-use and occupational engagement during the transition to in-person learning. Seventy-three students completed an online survey, while 12 of those students additionally participated in a follow-up time-use diary and interview. Eighty-three percent of the participants …

Osces’ Impact On Occupational Therapy Student Learning: Insights From Second- And Third-Year Focus Groups, Craig R. St. Jean, Karin Werther, Mary R. Roberts

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) are widely used in health programs to assess clinical skills. We present results of a qualitative study investigating occupational therapy students’ perceptions of OSCEs’ impact on their learning and readiness for clinical practice.

Method: Six second and six third year students in the University of Alberta’s Master of Science in Occupational Therapy program were interviewed in separate focus groups. Independent reviewers applied thematic analysis to the focus group transcripts to identify, analyze, and report themes in the data.

Results: Five themes were constructed from the data: from learning to action, transition …

Hand Strength Changes Following A Clinical Rotation In Hand Therapy: A Pilot Study, Gretchen L. Bachman, Josh Macdonald, Rhian Sage

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Hand therapy clinical rotations are 12 weeks, and one common anecdotal change frequently expressed is an increase in hand strength. Quantifiable measures of change are not documented in the literature. The purpose of this study is to determine if students experience significant increases in strength during a clinical rotation.

Methods: This study is a quasi-experimental, double-blinded, non-randomized sample of convenience. Grip and pinch strength were assessed pre, mid, and post clinical rotation. Demographic data were collected and reported. Paired t-tests were used to compare means between groups. SPSS 27.0 was used for data analysis.

Results: After …

Predictors Of General Well-Being In Postprofessional Students Of Occupational Science And Occupational Therapy, Elena Wong Espiritu, Paul E. Yeatts, Cynthia L. Evetts

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Doctoral students experience decreased well-being during their educational experience. Self-compassion, engagement in meaningful occupations, and occupational balance positively impact well-being in individuals. This study examined the relationships between these constructs in postprofessional occupational science and occupational therapy students.

Method: This quantitative cross-sectional study collected national survey data (N = 113) using the Self-Compassion Scale – Short Form, the Engagement in Meaningful Activities Survey, the Occupational Balance Questionnaire 11, and the 14-item Scales of General Well-Being. Multiple linear regression analysis determined how well each construct predicted general well-being and the strength of each construct’s relationship compared to other …

A Scoping Review Of Universal Design For Learning In United States Allied Health & Medical Education, Karolina Gawron, Madison Tomlinson, Nicole Mohan, Laura H. Vanpuymbrouck

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Universal design for learning (UDL) is considered best-practice for embracing inclusion for students with disabilities and there is growing evidence of its effectiveness in primary, secondary, and postsecondary education. However, little is known about if and how UDL is being implemented into United States graduate allied health and medical school curriculum as well as evidence of its benefits.

Method: We used Arksey and O’Malley’s (2005) methodological framework. Search engines were: PubMed, CINAHL Complete, ERIC, GoogleScholar, and Scopus. Data were analyzed by the research team using Covidence to organize articles, screen, and complete a full-text review. Data extraction …

Practice And Recommendations For Universal Design For Learning In Occupational Therapy Client Education, Heather L. Panczykowski, Lynne F. Murphy, Victoria Christmas, Whitely Macintyre

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Universal Design for Learning (UDL), an educational framework that describes flexible approaches to teaching and learning, can be used to address problems related to limitations in health literacy in health care settings.

Methods: This exploratory observational study, using a web-based online survey, was undertaken to discern how occupational therapists use the principles of UDL in educating their clients and to determine if differences exist between degree type or practice settings and UDL implementation.

Results: Of the 147 respondents only 30.6% indicated prior awareness of UDL principles. The most frequently cited means of client engagement were displaying …

Perspectives On Adaptation In A Stroke Self-Management Program: A Multiple Case Study, Riqiea F. Kitchens, Gayle Hersch, Wayne Brewer, Marsha Neville

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Occupational Adaptation occurs when a person develops a response to meet an occupational challenge. This process is disrupted when a person experiences a life altering event, such as stroke. Stroke self-management programs equip persons with stroke with education and skills to manage the daily tasks associated with their condition. Few studies have explored the adaptive process survivors experience as they seek to effectively use the tools provided through stroke self-management programs. The objective was to explore the adaptive process of three individuals following participation in a stroke self-management program.

Method: A multiple case study design was used. …

Cross-Cultural Adaptation Of The Inventory Of Reading Occupations-Adult Into Filipino And Its Content Validation, Peñafrancia E. Ching, Treisha Naedine H. Santos, Lenin Grajo, Maria Concepcion Cabatan, Anna Liza Y. Tan Pascual

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Adult functional literacy ensures adequate and safe engagement in daily activities. It is assessed through the Inventory of Reading Occupations-Adult (IRO-A). The instrument underwent translation with cultural adaptation and content validation to ensure relevance to the Filipino context.

Method: The translation and cultural adaptation of the IRO-A to Filipino (Fil IRO-A) was guided by the process proposed by two international guidelines for cross-cultural adaptations that involves (a) forward translation and synthesis, (b) back translation, and (c) pre-panel review of the adaptation to the Filipino context. The Fil IRO-A also underwent content validation by seven experts. Item and …

Confronting Systemic Racism In Occupational Therapy: A Mixed Methods Study, Rachelle Murphy, Karen Park, Christy Billock, Tracy Becerra-Culqui, Natalie A. Perkins, Rajvinder Bains

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

This study aimed to examine how occupational therapists and students perceive systemic racism in occupational therapy practice and the effectiveness and impact of the delivery of a keynote address on confronting systemic racism in practice delivered to occupational therapists and students. The study aimed to help inform future efforts in creating a more diverse and inclusive profession at the practice, policy, and education level by providing input into the challenges and opportunities that occupational therapists and students face when reckoning with issues of racism in practice. A mixed methodology research design was used with Likert-style scale and open-ended questions delivered …

Relationships Between Sensory Processing, Temperament Characteristics For Effortful Control, And Executive Function In School-Age Children, Rachel B. Diamant, Natasha Smet

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Sensory processing behaviors, the temperament characteristic for effortful control, and executive function promote self-regulation, activity engagement, and problem-solving. This study examined inter-relationships between executive function, effortful control, and sensory processing in school-aged children between 7 and 10.11 years of age.

Method: Descriptive correlation research design was used to examine relationships of outcomes from three caregiver-reported, standardized questionnaires of behaviors related to sensory processing (Sensory Profile-2), effortful control (Temperament in Middle Childhood Questionnaire) and executive function (Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-2) in daily activities (N = 19).

Results: Data …

State Of The Journal: Introducing The Policy And Advocacy Category, Diane Powers Dirette

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

No abstract provided.

John Gower: The Minor Latin Works, Robert J. Meindl, Mark T. Riley

Accessus

A translation, with introductions, of the minor Latin works of John Gower.

Preface To A New English Translation Of The Minor Latin Works Of John Gower, Georgiana Donavin, Eve Salisbury

Accessus

The editors' preface to Robert J. Meindl and Mark T. Riley's new English translation of the Minor Latin Works of John Gower.

"The Lover's Confession": A Translation Of John Gower's "Confessio Amantis", Brian Gastle, Catherine Carter, Andrew Galloway

TEAMS Varia

John Gower’s Confessio Amantis (The Lover’s Confession) is one of the most important English works of the fourteenth century, influencing authors from Chaucer to Shakespeare. Within its frame of the lovesick lover’s confession are well over a hundred stories, mainly derived from classical mythology, the Bible, and history which exemplify the Middle Ages serve as moral lessons (exempla) for personal and political behavior. Echoing the octosyllabic line of the original, this is the first complete modern English translation of the entire (33,000-line) poem, including its Latin verses and glosses.

"I’M Not Teaching Them Per Se": Designing And Delivering Asynchronous Undergraduate Online Stem Courses, Regina L. Garza Mitchell, Whitney Decamp, Brian Horvitz, Megan Grunert Kowalske, Cherrelle Singleton

Instruments for Measuring Online Teaching Practices

Although online courses have been a part of academia for nearly 30 years, they are still perceived as “different” than face-to-face instruction. Through in-depth interviews with four instructors, we explored how STEM faculty approach teaching asynchronous online undergraduate STEM courses. The faculty interviewed for this study viewed online courses as “not regular class[es]” and teaching those classes as “not teaching per se.” Each of the instructors had assumptions about what a classroom was and about good instruction, but even for instructors who taught online for multiple years, those assumptions remained grounded in the face-to-face environment. There is a need for …

Developing An Observation Protocol For Online Stem Courses, Brian Horvitz, Whitney Decamp, Regina L. Garza Mitchell, Megan Grunert Kowalske, Cherrelle Singleton

Instruments for Measuring Online Teaching Practices

The use of online instruction for undergraduate STEM courses is growing rapidly. While researchers and practitioners have access to validated instruments for studying the practice of teaching in face-to-face classrooms, analogous tools do not yet exist for online instruction. These tools are needed for quality design and control purposes. To meet this need, this project developed an observational protocol that can be used to collect non-evaluative data for the description, study, and improvement of online, undergraduate STEM courses. The development of this instrument used a sequential exploratory mixed methods approach to the research, design, pilot-testing, refinement and implementation of the …

Geological And Environmental Sciences - 2024, Dept. Of Geological And Environmental Sciences

Geological and Environmental Sciences News

• Greetings from the Department Chair
• Thank You to our Donors
• Faculty Updates
• Emeritus Faculty Updates
• MGRRE Updates
• MGS Updates
• Geosciences Advisory Council
• Student Clubs
• Awards and Honors, 2024
• Department Graduates
• Publications 2023–24

Hanger Clinic: Prosthetics And Orthotics

OJOT Sponsor Profiles

No abstract provided.

Blue Cross Blue Shield Of Michigan Foundation

OJOT Sponsor Profiles

No abstract provided.

Quality Care Rehab & Autism Center

OJOT Sponsor Profiles

No abstract provided.

Anti-Ableist And Disability Justice Pedagogies In Social Work Education, Rose C. B. Singh, Laura Yakas, Laura J. Wernick, Shanna K. Kattari, Elspeth Slayter, Sarah Taylor

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Our personal and collective experiences of ableism and disability brought us together to envision anti-ableist and disability justice pedagogies in social work education. We begin by describing, defining, and reviewing key terminology and concepts, including disability, ableism, and saneism, by drawing on social work and interdisciplinary literature and situating disabled students’ and educators’ experiences in social work education. We provide definitions of anti-ableism and disability justice (e.g., Sins Invalid, 2016, 2019) and a brief overview of how anti-ableism and disability justice have been articulated in social work and related literature. We highlight the broader pedagogical approaches that have inspired our …

Wmu Board Of Trustees Formal Session January 25, 2024, Wmu Board Of Trustees

WMU Board of Trustees Meetings

• Acceptance of the Agenda
• Approval of the Minutes
  • November 30, 2023 – BOT Meeting
  • December 14, 2024 – BOT Special Meeting
• Remarks by the Chair
• Remarks by the President
• Updates by the Faculty Senate President
• Updates by the Western Student Association President
• Western Michigan University Employee Graduates
• Haenicke Institute for Global Education Presentation: Journey from Graduate Student to Assistant Professor
• Public Comments Regarding Action Items

Action Items

2024 Western Michigan University Board of Trustee Officer Election

Delegated Authority to Confer Degrees

Consent Items

Curriculum Proposals

Personnel Report

• General Public Comments

Supplemental

The Sammons Center For Innovation And Research In Occupation-Based Technology

OJOT Sponsor Profiles

No abstract provided.

What Is The Goal Of Defining Family? Best Practices For Teaching Family Communication, Kaitlin E. Phillips

Journal of Communication Pedagogy

Family Communication is an inherently value-laden class. When students walk into the classroom, some of them come with a very negative view of family, whereas others walk in with an extremely narrow view of family. By prioritizing and facilitating the importance of multiple definitions of families, instructors can move through more complex topics over the course of the semester knowing that students have an understanding of why defining family is important—even if they are hesitant to change their definition. In this article I present eight best practices for teaching family communication. This set of practices provides a foundation for educators …

Assessing Information Literacy Programs For First-Year Writing Courses At A Public University, Kathleen A. Langan, Lumarie Guth, Dylan Mcglothlin

University Libraries Faculty & Staff Publications

This chapter discusses the findings of a study that used Project Outcome (PO) to assess the effectiveness of library programming for first-year writing courses in different colleges at a mid-sized public university. The purpose of this study was twofold. First, PO data was used to compare student feedback on library support across multiple college writing programs to measure the success of library programming for all incoming first-year students. Second, the PO data was used to set a benchmark for future assessment with the expansion of the library programming for a first-year gateway course. We are not concerned with benchmarking across …