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Theses and Dissertations

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Browsing Theses and Dissertations by Author "Barth, Devin Celeste, author"

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    Exploring the applicability and utility of a subject centered integrative learning model in fieldwork education
    (Colorado State University. Libraries, 2016) Barth, Devin Celeste, author; Hooper, Barb, advisor; Wood, Wendy, committee member; Kuk, Linda, committee member
    Fieldwork education is mandated by world’s standard for occupational therapy and comprises a significant portion of student education as they prepare to practice as occupational therapists. Currently fieldwork education is guided by professional reasoning and learning theories, but there are no occupational therapy-specific tools to support fieldwork educators in this endeavor. Due to the significance of fieldwork, it is vital that fieldwork educators have ample training and tools to ensure quality learning experiences. Currently, the materials that direct fieldwork education and the attention to occupation within fieldwork are both limited. Without materials that consistently relate educational experiences back to occupation, students may be ill prepared as occupation-based practitioners. This study introduced the Subject-Centered Integrative Learning Model for Occupational Therapy (SCIL-OT) as a tool to guide fieldwork educators on the centrality of occupation in education. The purpose of this study is to address how the concepts and principles of the SCIL-OT are reflected in teaching in fieldwork education; how occupational therapy fieldwork educators experience the concepts and transactions of the SCIL-OT; how the model leads fieldwork educators to design and employ occupation-centered learning experiences; the limits of SCIL-OT; and recommendations for its refinement. A theory building approach was coupled with basic qualitative research to evaluate the utility of the SCIL-OT in fieldwork education in hopes of developing occupation-centered educational practices. Purposive sampling was used to recruit six exemplar fieldwork educators who had supervised at least three Level II fieldwork students. Practice settings included hand therapy, inpatient psych, schools, acute care, home health, and outpatient pediatrics. Three 60-90 minute individual or group interviews were conducted to illuminate the applicability of the SCIL-OT in a variety of fieldwork education settings. Open-ended and follow-up questions were used to explore current fieldwork education and discuss how the SCIL-OT may be used to enhance this practice. In interview one, participants discussed current fieldwork education experiences. In interview two, researchers presented the SCIL-OT and collected the educators’ initial responses to the model. The final interview gave fieldwork educators the opportunity to discuss their experiences applying the SCIL-OT and offer suggestions for the model’s refinement. Data analysis occurred through coding and developing themes based on similarities of comments made within the text. Results of this study showed that the SCIL-OT prompted a change in language and served as a discussion tool to expand the understanding of topics, the knowledge community and the value of occupational therapy. When incorporating the SCIL-OT into fieldwork education, supervisors were more intentional about including occupation into learning experiences. After learning the SCIL-OT, there was a difference in the vernacular fieldwork educators used to describe practice and education. Additionally, there was a deliberate focus on occupation and how the connection back to occupation can enhance the learning experience for students. Application of the SCIL-OT in fieldwork education enhanced the fieldwork experience for both students and educators in three significant ways. First, the SCIL-OT broadened the conception of the knowledge community and reminded fieldwork educators to incorporate additional materials and individuals into the fieldwork education experience. Next, the SCIL-OT served as a reminder that occupation is the center of occupational therapy practice and should direct education. Finally, after fieldwork educators applied the SCIL-OT to their fieldwork education practices, personal values and pride in the practice of occupational therapy resurfaced, leading to enhanced practice and education that more closely represented the core values and mission of occupational therapy. This is the first model in occupational therapy education to support occupation-centered education in fieldwork education. It has power to convey the nature of occupational therapy’s distinctiveness and to strengthen the tie between curricula and practice for fieldwork students.