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Rehabilitation and Therapy Commons™

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2022

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Articles 1111 - 1140 of 1178

Full-Text Articles in Rehabilitation and Therapy

Evaluating Course Design For Significant Learning Among A Blended Cohort Of Occupational Therapy Students, Diana R. Feldhacker, Bobbi S. Greiner Jan 2022

Evaluating Course Design For Significant Learning Among A Blended Cohort Of Occupational Therapy Students, Diana R. Feldhacker, Bobbi S. Greiner

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Occupational therapy (OT) school is where learning begins as students prepare to become future professionals. Thus, effective course design is imperative in professional formation. This study examined the effectiveness of a course designed around andragogical and active learning principles in combination with Fink’s (2013) taxonomy of learning for a blended cohort of face-to-face and hybrid OT students. The study used a mixed methods explanatory sequential design with pre/post surveys, end-of-course evaluations, and focus groups to explore student perceptions and preferences toward learning to create significant learning experiences. One hundred six students completed pre and post testing of the redesigned course, …


Anti-Racism And Occupational Therapy Education: Beyond Diversity And Inclusion, Julia Sterman, Janet Njelesani, Shanteria Carr Jan 2022

Anti-Racism And Occupational Therapy Education: Beyond Diversity And Inclusion, Julia Sterman, Janet Njelesani, Shanteria Carr

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

There is a pressing need to address racism within healthcare education; however, occupational therapy educators lack a compilation of discipline-specific knowledge of anti-racist actions. The objective of this study was to examine anti-racist instructional practices for educators to employ in occupational therapy education. We conducted a scoping review and systematically searched six electronic databases to identify and synthesize anti-racist educational practices within the occupational therapy literature. The 20 included articles identified that educators should: use collaborative, anti-racist teaching strategies throughout the curriculum; engage in reflexivity including how intersecting identities impact occupational engagement; decolonize curricula through including Indigenous content and non-Western …


“I Had To Adapt To Continue Being A Student To The Best Of My Ability”: Identifying Occupational Therapy Students’ Processes Of Adapting To Academic Disruption, Laura H. Vanpuymbrouck, Linda M. Olson Jan 2022

“I Had To Adapt To Continue Being A Student To The Best Of My Ability”: Identifying Occupational Therapy Students’ Processes Of Adapting To Academic Disruption, Laura H. Vanpuymbrouck, Linda M. Olson

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

In the wake of COVID-19, practitioners, educators, and students had to shift to virtual interactions while experiencing significant unknowns and valid fears. This project describes the lived experiences of 37 occupational therapy students who lived through this international pandemic examining their reflections of how occupational therapy theories and models of practice could inform approaches to adapt to the changing context of their lives. Narratives of students collected as part of routine educational assessments in an introduction to occupational therapy theory course were examined using methods of content analysis to understand the perspectives of students’ needs, supports, and mechanisms of adaption …


Addressing Sexuality: The Comfort And Preparedness Of Occupational Therapy Students, Claire Lynch, Annette V. Joosten Jan 2022

Addressing Sexuality: The Comfort And Preparedness Of Occupational Therapy Students, Claire Lynch, Annette V. Joosten

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Undergraduate sexual health education has the potential to increase confidence and the likelihood that healthcare professionals address sexual health in practice. This study explored Australian final year occupational therapy students’ perceptions about their education, and their preparedness and comfort to address sexuality in their final practice placements and into their future careers. An online questionnaire with three sections for (a) demographics; (b) the students' attitudes towards sexual health (SA-SH) questionnaire, which is a 22-item Likert scale about student attitudes toward sexual health issues in their future profession; and (c) nine open questions regarding students’ comfort and preparedness to address sexuality …


Professional Behavior Attributes: A Survey Of Occupational Therapy Faculty Perspectives, Taylor A. Gurley, Kate E. Decleene Huber, Angella Chen, Kristen Dyson, Hannah Hackman, Paige Mcintire, Erika Wilson Jan 2022

Professional Behavior Attributes: A Survey Of Occupational Therapy Faculty Perspectives, Taylor A. Gurley, Kate E. Decleene Huber, Angella Chen, Kristen Dyson, Hannah Hackman, Paige Mcintire, Erika Wilson

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Professionalism in occupational therapy has been challenging to define due to differing values and behaviors across contexts and professions. There is a difference between how occupational therapy students and faculty view and comprehend professionalism suggesting that occupational therapists may not have an established sense of professionalism when entering the health care field for the first time. The study's purpose was to examine occupational therapy faculty’s perceptions of essential professional behavior attributes that students should possess to succeed in occupational therapy practice. This study utilized a survey methodology to anonymously collect opinions from 150 occupational therapy faculty members across the United …


Perceptions On Non-Traditional Models Of Fieldwork Supervision, Michelle Forfa, Christine Helfrich, Rebecca Simon Jan 2022

Perceptions On Non-Traditional Models Of Fieldwork Supervision, Michelle Forfa, Christine Helfrich, Rebecca Simon

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Occupational therapy fieldwork education has historically followed the traditional apprenticeship model, which pairs one student with one fieldwork educator for supervision and guidance through the transformational process from student to entry-level clinician. There is an absence of high-level evidence to support this model as best practice in fieldwork education. Despite data published to endorse alternative supervision models, fieldwork educators (FWEs) appear hesitant to embrace these approaches. The purpose of this investigation was to explore occupational therapy practitioners’ views on the value and challenges associated with the implementation of non-traditional models of supervision during Level II fieldwork education. The study specifically …


Level Ii Fieldwork Educators' Perceived And Experienced Challenges With Using The Collaborative Fieldwork Supervision Model, Oaklee Rogers, Cherie Graves, Tamara Turner, Debra J. Hanson, Marilyn G. Klug Jan 2022

Level Ii Fieldwork Educators' Perceived And Experienced Challenges With Using The Collaborative Fieldwork Supervision Model, Oaklee Rogers, Cherie Graves, Tamara Turner, Debra J. Hanson, Marilyn G. Klug

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Fieldwork shortages have been noted in the literature for some time. With the ever-changing healthcare system and an increasing number of students in occupational therapy programs, the scarcity of fieldwork placements is dire. Rooted in adult learning principles, the collaborative fieldwork supervision model is one approach to fieldwork education that may alleviate the shortage of placements, while also supporting student learning. This model is designed to have one fieldwork educator supervising two or more students throughout a fieldwork experience. The strengths and challenges of this model are well documented, although it is unclear if the identified challenges are the same …


Exploring Fieldwork Educator Development: Preparation Methods And Support Tools, Pamela Karp, Kelly A. Lavin, Tara Collins Jan 2022

Exploring Fieldwork Educator Development: Preparation Methods And Support Tools, Pamela Karp, Kelly A. Lavin, Tara Collins

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Fieldwork education is a critical piece to professional development and competency in occupational therapy. As part of their core curriculum, all students enrolled in accredited occupational therapy programs must complete full-time fieldwork experiences under the direct supervision of a licensed occupational therapy practitioner. This component of the student’s education relies on the skills and training of the fieldwork educator. Academic programs are expected to support occupational therapy practitioners in their role as fieldwork educators in the form of resource provisions to enhance supervisory skills. However, there are no clear standards that describe how to vet, effectively disseminate, or implement the …


An Exploration Of The Occupational Therapy Doctoral Capstone: Perspectives From Capstone Coordinators, Graduates, And Site Mentors, Anne F. Kiraly-Alvarez, Autumn Clegg, Whitney Lucas Molitor, Danielle Friberg Jan 2022

An Exploration Of The Occupational Therapy Doctoral Capstone: Perspectives From Capstone Coordinators, Graduates, And Site Mentors, Anne F. Kiraly-Alvarez, Autumn Clegg, Whitney Lucas Molitor, Danielle Friberg

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Few studies have investigated entry-level doctoral capstone outcomes regarding how the experience and project relate to employment opportunities. This descriptive study reports various stakeholders’ perspectives regarding the entry-level occupational therapy doctoral (OTD) capstone in relation to employment opportunities and awareness of the profession. Authors disseminated a nationwide survey to doctoral capstone coordinators, entry-level OTD graduates, and capstone site mentors. Ten doctoral capstone coordinators, 68 OTD graduates, and 22 capstone site mentors responded to the survey. Collectively, doctoral capstone coordinators reported that 117 OTD graduates obtained employment in a setting related to the focus of their doctoral capstone and gave examples …


The Intentional Fieldwork Education Model: Guiding Fieldwork Educators Toward Intentionality And Competency To Enhance Student Learning, E. Joy Crawford, Nadine Hanner Jan 2022

The Intentional Fieldwork Education Model: Guiding Fieldwork Educators Toward Intentionality And Competency To Enhance Student Learning, E. Joy Crawford, Nadine Hanner

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Fieldwork education is an essential component of occupational therapy education. The level of competency and preparedness of fieldwork educators may vary substantially and may significantly impact student learning outcomes. The availability of an evidence-based comprehensive fieldwork model to guide the fieldwork educator, clarify issues related to teaching-learning, and provide insightful solutions to issues the educator may encounter, is warranted but is not currently available. The intentional fieldwork education model, introduced in this article, was developed to provide a framework to enhance fieldwork educator competency, self-efficacy, and student learning outcomes. In addition, the model emphasizes the significance of intentionality in the …


Evaluation Of An Innovative Student-Led Work Disability Prevention Program, Amanda U. Davis, Rebekah Lewis, Sara Saunders Jan 2022

Evaluation Of An Innovative Student-Led Work Disability Prevention Program, Amanda U. Davis, Rebekah Lewis, Sara Saunders

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

A university-based, role-emerging fieldwork placement for occupational therapy students has been developed to provide work disability prevention services for university managers and workers. Over five years, 24 students have provided holistic interventions across 18 departments. The purpose of this project was to formally evaluate the perceptions of the program and the impact of services on managers and workers and to examine the experience of participating students. A utilization-focused evaluation approach was used as the guiding framework for this project. Methods included a retrospective review of reports and educational materials, a manager and worker survey, and a review of results from …


“We Weren’T Taught How To Recover From A Pandemic:” Recent Occupational Therapy Graduates’ Reflections On Covid-19, Laura H. Vanpuymbrouck, Carli Friedman Jan 2022

“We Weren’T Taught How To Recover From A Pandemic:” Recent Occupational Therapy Graduates’ Reflections On Covid-19, Laura H. Vanpuymbrouck, Carli Friedman

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

In the spring of 2020, graduates from occupational therapy (OT) programs across the globe were entering a world of clinical unknowns. The students from this graduating cohort likely had little to no education or training on how to deliver OT in the wake of COVID-19. How well prepared did these new graduates perceive themselves to be to enter a healthcare climate in a pandemic and what were their biggest concerns? The objective of this study was to understand new graduates’ perspectives of the impact of COVID-19 on their future as occupational therapy practitioners (OTPs), and their sense of preparedness to …


Changes In Study Approaches, Self-Efficacy, And Mental Health In Allied Healthcare Students During The Covid-19 Crisis, Elaina J. Dalomba, Tore Bonsaksen, Mary Jan Greer, Saji Mansur Jan 2022

Changes In Study Approaches, Self-Efficacy, And Mental Health In Allied Healthcare Students During The Covid-19 Crisis, Elaina J. Dalomba, Tore Bonsaksen, Mary Jan Greer, Saji Mansur

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

There is growing concern about student mental health, particularly during the COVID-19 crisis. Mental health factors impact self-efficacy and study behaviors, thus there is a need to explore changes in these factors during the pandemic. The aim of this study was to explore changes in allied healthcare students’ approaches to studying, self-efficacy and positive mental health before and during the COVID-19 crisis. The Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for Students, General Self-efficacy scale, Mental Health Continuum – Short Form were given to graduate students (n=26) prior to, and one year into the pandemic. Repeated measures analyses of variance were performed. …


Cohort Analysis Of Four Graduating Classes Of Occupational Therapy Students' Knowledge Of Aging, Lavona Traywick, Brittany N. Saviers, Terry Wayne Griffin, Teressa Brown Jan 2022

Cohort Analysis Of Four Graduating Classes Of Occupational Therapy Students' Knowledge Of Aging, Lavona Traywick, Brittany N. Saviers, Terry Wayne Griffin, Teressa Brown

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

At the same time that the number of senior adults in the United States is steadily rising, there is also a rising shortage of allied health care professionals, including occupational therapists, to meet the current and expected needs of the senior adult population. There are national standards that all occupational therapy programs must meet; however, there is not a set national curriculum. It is assumed that students will enter their respective occupational therapy programs with a base knowledge of aging due to prerequisite requirements. To test that assumption, with Institutional Review Board approval, over four consecutive years 192 first-year, first-semester …


International Students’ And Alumni Perspectives On Their Transition To Graduate Level Occupational Therapy Education And Daily Life In The United States, Areli D. Benitez, Daniel Park, Sarah Bream Jan 2022

International Students’ And Alumni Perspectives On Their Transition To Graduate Level Occupational Therapy Education And Daily Life In The United States, Areli D. Benitez, Daniel Park, Sarah Bream

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

International students who enroll in American occupational therapy academic programs must quickly adapt to the academic demands and everyday life rhythms within the United States. This qualitative study contributes to the body of knowledge of lived experiences of international occupational therapy students, specific to their transition to graduate occupational therapy education and daily life in a new country. Thirteen (13) international occupational therapy graduate students and alumni participated in an individual or joint interview. Three key themes emerged from the findings and include the following: 1) Challenges: Inside and Outside of the Classroom, 2) A Support System: A Home Away …


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 Jan 2022

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 …


Occupational Therapy Students’ Responses To Online Standardized Patient Simulations, Robyn Wu, Chi-Kwan Shea Jan 2022

Occupational Therapy Students’ Responses To Online Standardized Patient Simulations, Robyn Wu, Chi-Kwan Shea

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Campus closures during the COVID-19 pandemic led to the innovation of online standardized patient (SP) simulations. Extensive preparation with the faculty, simulation specialists, SPs, and 42 occupational therapy students was required to smoothly adapt an occupational therapy learning module from in-person to online simulations. The concepts of functional task alignment and psychological fidelity from the simulation literature guided the process of designing the online simulations. Post-simulation, student perceptions about learner engagement, psychological fidelity, and accomplishment of the simulation’s learning outcomes were collected using anonymous surveys. All 36 survey respondents found the online SP encounters to be engaging. Most experienced realism …


Occupational Therapy Assistant Student Perceptions Of Multi-Site, Single Site, And Simulated Level I Fieldwork, Tammy Divens, Laura Cruz Jan 2022

Occupational Therapy Assistant Student Perceptions Of Multi-Site, Single Site, And Simulated Level I Fieldwork, Tammy Divens, Laura Cruz

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Fieldwork education is the practical application of an occupational therapy education. Level I fieldwork is an important component that introduces students to the clinical setting for basic understanding of client interactions. Quality fieldwork programs in occupational therapy are more difficult to procure than ever before due to critical shortages of placements. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a major impact on all medical professions. The need for remodeling Level I fieldwork education possibilities has significantly increased. This study compares occupational therapy clinical education across three modalities recognized by the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) standards: a simulated, virtual environment; …


Copilot – Development And Implementation Of International Cooperative Online Intercultural Learning, Liliya Todorova, Elisabeth Fattinger, Elisabeth Url, Siska Vandemaele, Ulla Pott, Helen Strebel, Claudia Merklein De Freitas, Anja Christopher, Sabine Hendriks, Maria Prellwitz Jan 2022

Copilot – Development And Implementation Of International Cooperative Online Intercultural Learning, Liliya Todorova, Elisabeth Fattinger, Elisabeth Url, Siska Vandemaele, Ulla Pott, Helen Strebel, Claudia Merklein De Freitas, Anja Christopher, Sabine Hendriks, Maria Prellwitz

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

This article presents the products and evaluation results of COPILOT (Cooperative Online Peer-assisted and Intercultural Learning in Occupational Therapy), an Erasmus+ funded project undertaken by a consortium of six European universities from 2018 to 2021, which addresses the need for internationalization and intercultural learning by developing competences graduates will need in the future. Internationalization has become one of the main avenues to developing global learning in higher education. Online education has a significant role in providing opportunities for internationalization online without the high cost of travel that might deter some students. The interest in online intercultural exchange has been significantly …


Occupational Therapy Students’ Perceived Preparedness To Work With Transgender Clients, Meredith Rosol, Karissa Rogers, Raigan Borsh, Rachel Pavlinec, Marion Russell, Asa N. Russell Jan 2022

Occupational Therapy Students’ Perceived Preparedness To Work With Transgender Clients, Meredith Rosol, Karissa Rogers, Raigan Borsh, Rachel Pavlinec, Marion Russell, Asa N. Russell

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

In order to be a successful practitioner, an occupational therapist must have proper knowledge for treating diverse populations, including clients who are transgender. However, many occupational therapy (OT) programs do not teach content that is specific to the transgender population. This study utilized a complementary mixed-methods design to determine how prepared occupational therapy students perceived themselves to be for working with transgender clients. Entry-level masters and doctoral level occupational therapy students from accredited OT programs across the United States that had completed at least their first Level II fieldwork were recruited to participate. Eighty-five occupational therapy students completed the quantitative …


Life Skill Needs Of Occupational Therapy Assistant Students: Perceptions Of Instructors, Preceptors, Graduates And Current Students, Candi Raudebaugh, Marcia Finlayson, Kathleen Norman, Sally Stewart Jan 2022

Life Skill Needs Of Occupational Therapy Assistant Students: Perceptions Of Instructors, Preceptors, Graduates And Current Students, Candi Raudebaugh, Marcia Finlayson, Kathleen Norman, Sally Stewart

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Life skills are the basic skills required to function in everyday life. Occupational therapy assistant (OTA) students may struggle with life skills, and as a result experience challenges in academics and practicum. The purpose of this phase of a multiphase study was to identify the life skill needs of OTA students from multiple perspectives. This study used a pragmatic qualitative design. Students in the second year of a 2-year therapy assistant diploma program, graduates, instructors, and preceptors participated in interviews or focus groups to discuss OTA students’ life skill needs. Interviews and focus groups were recorded and transcribed. Applied thematic …


Changes In Epistemic And Ontological Cognition Of Occupational Therapy Students During Fieldwork: A Qualitative Study, Anita W. Mitchell, Lauren Woods Jan 2022

Changes In Epistemic And Ontological Cognition Of Occupational Therapy Students During Fieldwork: A Qualitative Study, Anita W. Mitchell, Lauren Woods

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

The purpose of this study was to represent occupational therapy students’ perspectives of their beliefs about knowledge and knowing, or epistemic and ontological cognition (EOC), before and after their first level 2 fieldwork experience. Twenty participants from four classes of entry-level Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) students who had successfully completed 18 months of didactic coursework provided written explanations of self-ratings on the modified Four-Quadrant Scale of Ontology and Epistemology and written responses to four open-ended questions. Four major themes emerged: 1) Concrete knowledge may have a specific right or wrong answer, 2) Knowledge can change depending on the client, …


The Use Of Visual Thinking Strategies To Enhance Observation Skills Of Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Students, Joanne Gallagher Worthley, Tanya Trudell Jan 2022

The Use Of Visual Thinking Strategies To Enhance Observation Skills Of Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Students, Joanne Gallagher Worthley, Tanya Trudell

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Observation is a critical skill that deserves increased attention in occupational therapy education programs as it can directly affect patient care. Art has been used as a pedagogical tool to explicitly teach observational skills in medical and allied health programs. The use of art has a positive effect on the clinical skills needed for patient care. The purpose of this descriptive study was to examine how students’ observation skills changed using Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) with works of art. This quasi-experimental, single-group, pretest-posttest design included 33 occupational therapy students who observed four different works of art using an observation log …


Perceived Value & Usefulness Of The Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctoral Capstone, Erika L. Kemp, Anna Domina, Sara Stephenson, Amanda Start Jan 2022

Perceived Value & Usefulness Of The Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctoral Capstone, Erika L. Kemp, Anna Domina, Sara Stephenson, Amanda Start

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

The doctoral capstone is the culminating experiential learning component of the entry-level occupational therapy doctorate degree, however there is limited literature regarding its usefulness or value as perceived by graduates. This qualitative descriptive study used focus groups with a semi-structured interview guide to ask participants about the value and usefulness of their doctoral capstones. A total of 200 recent occupational therapy doctorate (OTD) graduates from three OTD programs in the Midwest and Southwest were contacted and 21 consented to participate. Researchers identified several themes that were relevant to both occupational therapy practitioners and occupational therapy programs. The four themes that …


Evaluating Impact Of An Online Leadership Course For Newly Graduated Occupational Therapists, Gobika Sithamparanathan, Meera Premnazeer, Andrea Duncan Jan 2022

Evaluating Impact Of An Online Leadership Course For Newly Graduated Occupational Therapists, Gobika Sithamparanathan, Meera Premnazeer, Andrea Duncan

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Leadership has been established as a key competency for occupational therapists, however the literature on how occupational therapists conceptualize leadership is limited. Additionally, there is a dearth of literature on best practices to develop occupational therapists’ leadership skills and there is yet to be an evaluation of an online educational approach. This study aimed to understand if an online educational platform contributed to the development of leadership skills among occupational therapists. Participants were newly graduated occupational therapists who participated in a four-week Leadership Skills Development massive open online course (MOOC). This study used a mixed methods quasi-experimental design with two …


Using A Service Learning - Peer Mentoring Project To Prepare Ot Students For Their Role In Post-Secondary Transition Services, Annmarie T. Kinsella, Nancy R. Hollins Jan 2022

Using A Service Learning - Peer Mentoring Project To Prepare Ot Students For Their Role In Post-Secondary Transition Services, Annmarie T. Kinsella, Nancy R. Hollins

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

A service-learning pilot project involving occupational therapy (OT) students and individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) is described. The purpose of this pilot project, developed using Transformative Learning Theory, was to determine if service-learning could be a viable approach to provide in-depth learning in areas only superficially covered in a typical OT curriculum. The objectives of this experience were focused on developing the knowledge and skills needed to address a noted gap in OT practice, post-secondary transition services for individuals with IDD. Using a peer-mentor approach, OT students were matched with young adults with IDD for a fieldwork Level …


First Year Occupational Therapy Students’ Engagement In Learning Activities: A Qualitative Study, Mona Asbjørnslett, Helen Bull, Gry Mørk, Tore Bonsaksen Jan 2022

First Year Occupational Therapy Students’ Engagement In Learning Activities: A Qualitative Study, Mona Asbjørnslett, Helen Bull, Gry Mørk, Tore Bonsaksen

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

When students enter a bachelor program in occupational therapy, they engage in a variety of learning activities. To explore students’ perceptions of learning activities, this qualitative study investigated the experiences of six first year students participating in an occupational therapy study program at a Norwegian university. The students took part in two focus group interviews. The interview analysis focused on meaning and ended up with three main themes: 1) Getting to know each other through collaborative learning activities, 2) Engaging in classroom learning activities, and 3) Approaching the syllabus and doing assignments. The study concludes that early engagement in social …


Active Learning And Occupational Therapy Theory: A Mixed Methods Study Of A Course Redesign, Mackenzie L. Feldhacker, Diana R. Feldhacker Jan 2022

Active Learning And Occupational Therapy Theory: A Mixed Methods Study Of A Course Redesign, Mackenzie L. Feldhacker, Diana R. Feldhacker

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

The use of theory to guide practice is what distinguishes an occupational therapist’s professional judgment and reasoning from simply technical skills. However, occupational therapists continue to lack confidence and skills in understanding application of theory to inform practice. Thus, effective course design related to theory is imperative in professional formation. This study assessed the effectiveness of a graduate-level occupational therapy theory course redesigned using andragogical, learner-centered, and active learning principles to address gaps in applying and understanding theory. A mixed methods retrospective cohort design was utilized. This included a pretest/post-test survey along with end-of-semester course and instructor evaluation. Eighty-four students …


Improving Empathy Of Occupational Therapy Students Through Reading Literary Narratives, Cavenaugh Kelly Jan 2022

Improving Empathy Of Occupational Therapy Students Through Reading Literary Narratives, Cavenaugh Kelly

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

This study explored the impact of teaching empathy to occupational therapy students through the close reading of literary narratives. The study defined empathy as a dynamic process involving Theory of Mind (ToM), emotional resonance, and empathy as a willful act. Empathy is an espoused value of occupational therapy challenged by the modern demands of the market-driven health care system, and research suggests reading literary narratives, or stories with qualities of literature, facilitates greater empathy. Prior studies have also indicated that practicing with greater empathy improves health outcomes and makes occupational therapy sessions more client centered. In this study, a quasi-experimental …


Using Self-Assessment And Reflection To Develop Self-Efficacy In Occupational Therapy Assistant Fieldwork Students, Kristy Meyer, Julie Hunley Jan 2022

Using Self-Assessment And Reflection To Develop Self-Efficacy In Occupational Therapy Assistant Fieldwork Students, Kristy Meyer, Julie Hunley

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Many occupational therapy students navigate the transition to the Level II fieldwork experience effortlessly, while others require support due to a lack of perceived self-efficacy. This perception dramatically impacts fieldwork performance and challenges academic fieldwork coordinators to support students struggling to believe in their own capabilities. This study utilized a quantitative quasi-experimental research design with a purposive sample of 16 occupational therapy assistant students to determine if an educational intervention increased perceived self-efficacy and overall confidence. Data collected from the Student Confidence Questionnaire (SCQ) pre, and post-intervention provided insight into the students’ report of perceived self-efficacy and overall confidence during …