Range of Instructional Methods for Teaching the Concept of Occupation

Purpose and Rationale: This workshop presents instructional methods that were identified for teaching occupational therapy students the core concept of occupation and its relationship to health and well-being. Methods were... [ view full abstract ]

Purpose and Rationale: This workshop presents instructional methods that were identified for teaching occupational therapy students the core concept of occupation and its relationship to health and well-being. Methods were derived from a large scale study of how occupation is taught in occupational therapy programs across the US. Making the concept of occupation explicit in curricula has been identified by international scholars as a critical need for occupational therapy education. To effectively address challenges facing societies such as migration, conflict, poverty, disability, and natural disasters, it is vital that students learn how these challenges intersect with the understanding and application of occupation. Yet, as Wilcock (2005) asserted, occupation has been obscured by other issues, such as evidence-based practice, standardized assessments, ADL interventions, and equipment selection. These distractions cause students to lose the core focus, which is to help people “transcend difficulties and reach toward potential.” Therefore, examining instructional methods that can assist understanding this complex and nuanced concept is a first step in helping students translate it into efficacious occupation based practices.

Learning Objectives:
1. Understand and critique range of instructional methods identified for teaching occupation.
2. Evaluate usefulness of instructional methods for teaching practices in one's own curricula.
3. Discuss additional teaching strategies to make occupation explicit.

Format: 30 minutes presentation, 40 minutes facilitated small group work, 20 minutes discussion.

Maximum Participants: 50

Intended Participants: This workshop would be suitable for educators.

References:
Wilcock, A., 2005. Occupational science: Bridging occupation and health. Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 72, 5-12.