Embedding Occupational Science Threshold Concepts within Occupational Therapy Education

Guided by the Nominal Group Technique (O'Neil & Jackson 1983), workshop participants will be invited to consider the Threshold Concepts of Occupational Science that they consider to be relevant - essential - to the education... [ view full abstract ]

Guided by the Nominal Group Technique (O'Neil & Jackson 1983), workshop participants will be invited to consider the Threshold Concepts of Occupational Science that they consider to be relevant - essential - to the education of occupational therapists in Europe in the 21st century. The ‘threshold concepts’ approach to student learning argues that certain concepts or practices can act like a portal, or learning threshold, through which a changed perspective opens up for the learner (Meyer & Land 2006). It is proposed that occupational, rather than medical, sciences should become the core (the basic science) of every curriculum, rather than an add-on, within ENOTHE region (Sadlo 2010). Inspired by the Tuning process, and supported by Occupational Science Europe network, the aim is to move towards a concensus regarding the occupational science concepts that could be recommended to curriculum developers for their programmes. This joint conference presents an ideal opportunity for practitioners, researchers and educators to meet to refine ideas about the future of curriculum content within European programmes, to promote unity and transferability of occupational science knowledge. We are well placed to share awareness of occupational science concepts from east and west, such as the theory of humans as occupational beings (Yerxa 1979), occupational perspectives of public health (Wilcock and Hocking, 2015) and constructs like occupational justice (Townsend & Polatajko 2013), as well as ENOTHE conceptual development work (Creek 2010).