Occupational Therapy Commons^™

Design Of An Osce To Assess Clinical Competence Of Occupational Therapy Students, Nancy E. Krusen, Debra Rollins

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs) are a series of controlled, timed stations in which students demonstrate clinical skills. OSCEs are commonly used within health professions education to demonstrate competence, prepare for clinical education, and conduct program evaluation. The body of literature addressing the use of OSCEs in occupational therapy (OT) is growing; however, there are no available guidelines for developing an OSCE specific to the profession. The purpose of this paper is to describe the design of an OSCE for OT students prior to fieldwork placement. Twelve OT practitioners participated in a modified-Delphi method to generate possible OSCE scenarios. The …

Qualitative Analysis Of Peer Supervision Training Needs In A Student-Run Occupational Therapy Clinic, Anne Murphy-Hagan, Lauren E. Milton

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

The philosophy behind occupational therapy (OT) education espouses the belief that students are dynamic actors in the teaching-learning process, participating in self-appraisal and professional identity development. Yet, best-practice guidelines have not been developed to support students acting in a supervisory role, or contrastingly, receiving supervision from a peer. This study took place at a student-run OT clinic at a large research university in the Midwest. Qualitative methods were employed to investigate the question: What educational and training supports are needed to assist OT students with peer supervision in a student-run clinic? Six OT students participated in a focus group and …

Elevating Student Understanding: Irish Occupational Therapy Students’ Experience Of A Service Learning Project, Karen Mccarthy, Marian Mccarthy

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Service learning is a pedagogy that embraces learning in action and addresses community needs. Since the adoption of the Occupational Therapy Competencies in 2008 and the launch of national occupational therapist registration in Ireland in 2015, there has been limited research on the effectiveness of service learning pedagogies in Irish higher education for meeting core competencies. The majority of research focusing on evaluating service learning have been North American studies which brings to question the relevance of these service learning outcomes beyond North America and specifically Ireland. This qualitative study examined 11 occupational therapy students’ journal reflections, portfolio entries, and …

Student Perceptions And Grade Comparisons After Exposure To Instructor-Made Skills Videos In A Kinesiology Course, Pamela Karp, Robert G. Gallagher

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

The purpose of this mixed method, descriptive case study was to determine whether the use of pre-recorded instructor-made videos (PRIMVs) in a kinesiology course, along with curricular design changes, facilitated increased conceptual and practical student learning. The study examined three student cohorts in one occupational therapy program. Two of the student cohorts had unrestricted access to the PRIMVs designed to support student learning of bone and muscle palpation and joint actions. Students from the two cohorts completed a survey about their experience of having access to the videos. Exam data from the student cohorts who had access to the videos …

Proposing A Metacurriculum For Occupational Therapy Education In 2025 And Beyond, Quinn P. Tyminski, Amy Nguyen, Steven D. Taff

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

The American healthcare system has undergone significant changes in the past few years due to government and corporate-level changes. As healthcare requirements continue to shift, occupational therapists must continue to assert their role or risk losing relevancy. Therefore, educational programs must prepare students to meet the populations’ shifting healthcare needs through agile curricula which focus less on isolated skills and more on broad areas of impact. To determine essential content comprising a ‘metacurriculum’ for occupational therapy education of the future, nine articles were analyzed using Bloom’s Taxonomy (revised) to code each document into knowledge, skills, and behaviors. Major themes were …

Perceptions Of Higher Education Health Science Faculty On Debriefing After Simulation-Based Activities, Maureen Ellen Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Health science faculty striving to be academically competitive can adopt debriefing after simulation-based activities to help transition occupational therapy and physical therapy students from classroom skills to clinical competence. The purpose of this qualitative study was to discover the perceptions and experiences of health science faculty during and after their adoption of debriefing after simulation-based activities. The theory of diffusion and experiential learning theory were used as a conceptual framework. The research questions related to the perceptions and experiences of faculty from their training sessions and implementing debriefing sessions after simulation-based activities in their courses and how these experiences related …

Resilience Interventions In Higher Education: Surveying The Research Landscape, Caroline Umeda, Anne Browning, Helen Mach

Occupational Therapy | Faculty Conference Presentations

Learning Objectives

1. Describe scoping review purpose, objectives, and methods
2. Describe key findings on range and nature of resilience programming for college students
3. Explore current resilience programming and research among session participants’ home institutions
4. Identify next steps for resilience research and evidence-based programming

International Occupational Therapy Faculty Perceptions Regarding Doctoral Level Education, Bernadette Mineo, Beth Hathaway, Monali Kadkade

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Over the past decade a debate has ensued in the US regarding the clinical doctorate in occupational therapy (OT) and whether to require a doctorate to become an occupational therapist. Little discussion has occurred regarding the potential implications on the global community of occupational therapists, and there have been no attempts to ascertain the views of international OT faculty and practitioners. This study surveyed international OT faculty regarding their perceived need for and value of graduate education, particularly at the doctoral level, for OT faculty and practitioners in their countries. Fifty-three OT faculty from WFOT approved programs in eight countries …

Burnout Among Filipino Occupational Therapists: A Mixed Methods Analysis, Rod Charlie Delos Reyes

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: There is a shortage of practicing occupational therapists in the Philippines, with approximately one Filipino occupational therapist per 30,000 stakeholders. One of the possible consequences is the experience of burnout among therapists.

Method: A two-phase mixed methods study using a sequential explanatory approach was used. The first phase involved the administration of the Maslach Burnout Inventory – Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS) with a survey questionnaire that supplied demographic and work-related factors through an online platform. The results were analyzed using frequency distribution and measures of central tendency. Relationships were analyzed using Spearman’s Rho and Cramer’s V. The second phase …

Inter-Institutional Collaboration To Benefit Student Learning: A Scenario In Graduate Education, Marilyn Miller, Linda Hill, Nicolas Van Den Heever

San Marcos, Fall 2018

Occupational and Physical Therapists are in a unique role, in which they can assist in the identification and rehabilitation of impairments. The collaboration between UCSD and USAHS is preparing students with the knowledge and skills to assess older persons for driving abilities.

The current content delivery allows the TREDS program to be available to the Gerontology course offering for other USAHS campus locations; and has the potential to be accessed by other institutions of higher education offering courses in Gerontology.

Development And Evaluation Of A Collaborative Model Level Ii Fieldwork Program, Annmarie T. Kinsella, Catherine V. Piersol

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

This project developed a Collaborative Model Level II Fieldwork (CM-FWII) program to evaluate the effect of the program on fieldwork educator and student understanding of the model and changes in knowledge, perceptions, and satisfaction. Four fieldwork educators (FWEd) were recruited from two pediatric and two adult practice settings. Eight occupational therapy (OT) students met participation criteria and agreed to participate. A pre/post design was used to evaluate change in knowledge and perceptions. Satisfaction with the collaborative model (CM) was examined after the 12-week fieldwork rotation. Analysis procedures included a priori coding, calculation of frequency distributions, and thematic analysis of transcribed …

Three Professions Come Together For An Interdisciplinary Approach To 3d Printing: Occupational Therapy, Biomedical Engineering, And Medical Librarianship, Joan Wagner, Laurel Scheinfeld, Blanche Leeman, Keith Pardini, Jamie Saragossi, Katie Flood

Library Faculty Publications

Background: Although many libraries have offered 3D printing as a service or available technology, there is a lack of information on course-integrated programs for 3D printing in which the library played a primary role. Therefore, librarians at the Touro College School of Health Sciences began exploring 3D printing for inclusion in the occupational and physical therapy curriculum. Case Presentation: The goal of this project was to educate occupational and physical therapy students and faculty about the potential applications of 3D printing in health care and provide hands-on experience, while increasing collaboration between librarians and faculty. Students’ tasks included designing and …

Well-Being And Readiness To Change Among Career Firefighters, Elizabeth R. Feinauer

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A thesis presented to the faculty of the College of Science, Morehead State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree Master of Arts by Elizabeth R. Feinauer on June 12, 2018.

Collaborative Practices In Special Education: An Exploratory Study, Blanka Pentek, Katherine Sadoff, Evelyn Tang

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

Objective: This exploratory survey study examined collaborative practices of professionals working in special education. The basis for the survey was the Conceptual Model of Collaboration (CMC), created by Hess and colleagues (2017).

Methods: 27 professionals who work in special education participated. Cross tabulation tests and Pearson's correlation tests were run to determine relationships between the variables.

Results: The findings indicated that the majority of participants value collaboration for student outcomes and professional development. Most participants agreed on common facilitators and barriers to collaboration. Collaboration primarily takes place in IEP meetings, through email and text messaging and is frequent in all …

Screens Or Mp4s: Acquiring Clinical Competencies Through The Use Of E-Ospes In Occupational Therapy, Lizahn Gracia Cloete, Lee-Ann Juliana Jacobs-Nzuzi Khuabi, Lana Van Niekerk

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

The assessment of clinical competence of undergraduate students is a crucial part of higher education training in occupational therapy. The use of online objective standardized practical examinations (e-OSPEs) was piloted as a technological innovation to determine student learning needs. An action research framework with four phases was used. Descriptive statistics in the form of frequency tables and percentages were used to report survey results. The students had multiple practice opportunities before uploading their best attempt. Thirty participants completed a 12-item survey. The results were analyzed using descriptive analysis and presented by means of statistical graphs. Peer assessment facilitated experiential learning. …

The Clinical And Classroom Utility Of The Inventory Of Reading Occupations: An Assessment Tool Of Children’S Reading Participation, Lenin Grajo, Catherine Candler, Patricia Bowyer, Sally Schultz, Jenny Thomson

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: The aim of this study was to determine the initial clinical and classroom utility of the Inventory of Reading Occupations (IRO), a new tool to assess children’s reading participation.

Method: The study used phenomenological qualitative and descriptive methods. The participants included 38 occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, classroom teachers, and parents who completed or reviewed responses of children on the IRO. To provide triangulation, 20 of the children who completed the IRO were interviewed. Data were thematically analyzed and then categorized using a central Strengths-Weaknesses-Opportunities-Threats premise.

Results: The majority of the participants indicated favorable response to the …

Occupational Therapy Led Handwriting Programs In General Education, Angela Hamel, Collin Skilling

Thinking Matters Symposium Archive

PIO: Does integrating occupational therapy led handwriting programs into a classroom’s curriculum improve overall handwriting in all children?

Thinking And Acting "Outside The Box", Erin E. Schwier, Jennie Digrado, Christine Mary Childers

San Marcos, Summer 2018

Role play and simulation are both powerful teaching tools that have been used in nursing and physician education for many years. Role playing offers a cheaper alternative than simulation and allows the individuals playing the roles to experience the patient’s perspective. The University of St. Augustine in California is one of the few PT programs to teach PT students the Allen Cognitive levels, and the importance of cognition when planning and developing interventions. With the aging of the baby boomers, more therapists will be working with the aging population, and it is critical that the concept of cognitive challenges is …

Factors Associated With Academic Performance Among Second-Year Undergraduate Occupational Therapy Students, Tore Bonsaksen, Brian J. Ellingham, Tove Carstensen

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Research into occupational therapy education and its outcomes for students is growing. More research is needed to determine the factors of importance for occupational therapy students’ academic outcomes. This study aimed to investigate factors associated with academic performance among second-year undergraduate occupational therapy students in Norway.

Methods: Occupational therapy students (n = 111) from two education programs completed questionnaires asking for sociodemographic, work-related, and education-related information. Hierarchical linear regression analysis was used to examine factors independently associated with the students’ academic performance.

Results: A higher age was associated with better average academic performance among the students, whereas having …

Co-Constructing Simulations With Learners: Roles, Responsibilities, And Impact, Diane E. Mackenzie, Kathleen E. Collins, Mylene J. Guimond, Abby C. Hunter, Kassia J. Jurcina, Johanna L. Mcdonald, Nikki L. Richards, Stephanie. H. Sinclair, Kelsey Y. Taylor

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Co-constructed simulations were designed and piloted with senior occupational therapy master’s students in a neurorehabilitation practice module. The instructor served as the guide for the students through all phases of the case creation, simulation development, delivery, and debrief. The instructor facilitation promoted self-regulated learning (SRL) of knowledge and skill development through independent discovery and peer learning. This paper provides an evidence-informed co-construction simulation design with outlined stages, roles, and responsibilities for the instructor and learner. Thematic qualitative analysis of student feedback highlighted enhanced insight and SRL as a result of multiple role preparation, observation and interaction with peers, close interaction …

Pennsylvania Occupational Therapy Fieldwork Educator Practices And Preferences In Clinical Education, Kaitlyn Ryan, Melanie Beck, Lee Ungaretta, Magdalena Rooney, Elaina Dalomba, Leamor Kahanov

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

The shortage of clinical education fieldwork sites coupled with a concern over the quality of the required fieldwork experience poses an unintended outcome for the recent changes in the health care system and an increasing number of occupational therapy students. While the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) issues standards for fieldwork education, the quality of the experience is known to vary. The present study employed a mixed methods concurrent nested design with a quantitative online survey alongside qualitative individual semi-structured online interviews to examine the practices and preferences of fieldwork educators in Pennsylvania ACOTE accredited programs. From the …

Balancing Efficacy And Effectiveness With Philosophy, History, And Theory-Building In Occupational Therapy Education Research, Barbara Hooper, Jyothi Gupta, Andrea Bilics, Steven D. Taff

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

The preferred focus for education research in occupational therapy increasingly rests on studies that investigate efficacy and effectiveness in the teaching-learning context. While important, the almost exclusive promotion of outcomes-focused studies can come at the expense of other forms of inquiry, including philosophy, history, and theory-building. To fully inform education and enhance practice, outcomes-focused research needs the conceptual foundation provided by philosophical, historical, and theory-building studies. In this paper, the authors suggest that the research enterprise in occupational therapy education is in its infancy and, therefore, quite susceptible to shortcuts that head straight to outcomes. To address this issue, the …

Cognitive And Metacognitive Factors In Reading Comprehension For Occupational Therapy Assistant Students, Cynthia L. Meyer

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Difficulties with reading comprehension among occupational therapy assistant (OTA) students can diminish their ability to understand didactic textual information limiting clinical performance and can impact OTA attrition rates and limit graduate success when completing the national certification examination.

Participants were one cohort of OTA students from a rural public community college.

This was a convergent mixed-method design (Creswell & Creswell, 2018). The students’ perceptions of cognitive and metacognitive factors affecting reading and the students’ preferences for cognitive and metacognitive strategies were assessed through a 59-item survey assessment combining the Text-Learning Strategies Inventory (TLSI) (Merchie, Van Keer, & Vandevelde, 2014), the …

Perceptions Of Atp Certified Occupational Therapy Practitioners On Assistive Technology Education In Occupational Therapy Programs, Karen M. Dishman Otd, Otr, Atp

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

This capstone project focused on identifying which categories of assistive technology (AT) that practitioners perceived to be needed in entry-level master’s occupational therapy (OT) programs; and validating the need for post-professional AT training and post-professional AT certificate programs. For this capstone project, a survey approach was used as the data collection method. The purpose of the survey was to determine perceptions of OT practitioners on AT education received during their entry-level OT program. The survey was returned by 148 occupational therapy practitioners certified as assistive technology professionals (ATP) by the Rehabilitation and Engineering Society of North America (RESNA). Results indicated …

Occupational Therapy Intervention For Project Search Interns With Autism Spectrum Disorder: Potential For Improved Transition Outcomes, Jessie L. Bricker

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

As the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) continues to rise, it is increasingly important to address the needs of adults with ASD as they transition into the work world. Project SEARCH, an internationally recognized program, has been successful in assisting individuals with disabilities in attaining competitive employment. Yet even in this program model, individuals with ASD have lower employment outcomes than individuals in other disability categories. The purpose of this action research study was to explore the needs of individuals with high functioning autism spectrum disorder (HFASD) within the Project SEARCH program from their own perspectives, and to examine …

Exploring Students' Use Of Feedback During Occupational Therapy Level Ii Fieldwork Experiences, Karen Snyder

Occupational Therapy Collection

Researchers confirmed that the use of feedback assists with the improvement of students’ confidence and performance. Multiple studies focus on the provision and acceptance of feedback; however, it was not known if, or how, students internalized the feedback to apply it successfully. Since there is a difference between providing feedback and the interpretation of its true message, this phenomenon was studied to add empirical knowledge regarding students’ feedback interpretation. This qualitative study explores the perceptions of how students interpret information received from Level II fieldwork educators and what meanings students attributed to the feedback. The use of phenomenological methodology guided …

Innovations In Occupational Therapy Education: The Centralized Service Learning Model, Lauren E. Milton, Robyn Otty

College of Health & Human Services (TUN) Publications and Research

Partnerships between community organizations and engaged university members creates realistic learning experiences for occupational therapy students while encouraging civic responsibility. The authors propose service learning as the core of an innovative course design framework using the Centralized Service Learning Model (CSLM). Three phases are described. Phase One provides a description of the CSLM using a generalizable model, with specific application within existing occupational therapy program coursework. Phase Two provides leadership opportunities for a subsequent cohort of students within the curriculum. Finally, Phase Three integrates faculty scholarship. To understand students’ knowledge-level awareness, a survey based on course objectives can be administered, …

Exploratory Application Of A Sensory Activity Schedule In Head Start Preschool, Marian Perez, Elaine Wong, Michelle Perryman

Student Research Posters

Objective: The objective of this research is to determine whether the implementation of sensory activity schedule in a preschool classroom can increase the on-task behaviors of the students.

Methods: Three students were recruited to participate in a quantitative multiple single subject design with qualitative follow-up study. The participants performed sensorimotor activities before circle time and were monitored for frequency of their off-task behavior using a time sampling frequency data collection. Afterwards, the head teacher was interviewed to discuss the experience.

Results: Off-task behavior decreased from baseline on all three children, which supports the efficacy of sensory activity schedule in reducing …

Using Online Professional Development To Increase Self-Efficacy In School-Based Occupational Therapy Fieldwork Educators, Meghan Suman, Ingrid Provident

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

The purpose of this study was to determine if school-based occupational therapists who participated in a series of online professional development modules on the topic of fieldwork education reported increased feelings of self-efficacy regarding the ability to fulfill the role of fieldwork educator. In this single-group design, participants completed a series of six online professional development modules. Each module consisted of a narrated slideshow presentation, case study activity, and online discussion board. Participants completed a self-efficacy survey before and after completing the series of modules. Results indicated a significant increase in self-efficacy related to fieldwork education following completion of the …

Innovations In Occupational Therapy Education: The Centralized Service Learning Model, Lauren E. Milton, Robyn Otty

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Partnerships between community organizations and engaged university members creates realistic learning experiences for occupational therapy students while encouraging civic responsibility. The authors propose service learning as the core of an innovative course design framework using the Centralized Service Learning Model (CSLM). Three phases are described. Phase One provides a description of the CSLM using a generalizable model, with specific application within existing occupational therapy program coursework. Phase Two provides leadership opportunities for a subsequent cohort of students within the curriculum. Finally, Phase Three integrates faculty scholarship. To understand students’ knowledge-level awareness, a survey based on course objectives can be administered, …