Date Presented 3/31/2017
The study examined current academic issues and trends in occupational therapy (OT) education from the direct perspective of OT faculty. The study highlighted many different avenues that might enhance the quality of OT education and possibly affect the current OT educational workforce.
Primary Author and Speaker: Grace Fisher
Additional Authors and Speakers: Wilfredo Dones, Naromie Petit-Frere, Katlyn Dillow, Trevor Behler
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to examine current academic issues and trends in occupational therapy (OT) education from the direct perspective of OT faculty via survey and interview.
BACKGROUND: OT faculty act as the conduit through which knowledge and skill are relayed to the next generation of occupational therapists in order to produce effective practitioners. The absence of skilled OT faculty could weaken the profession. Thus, it is imperative to conduct research with the goal of discovering any unresolved or ongoing issues, concerns, and trends that may impact OT faculty and OT education in general.
DESIGN: The design consisted of online quantitative and qualitative surveys and qualitative telephone interviews focusing on a series of OT education-based questions.
METHOD: The researchers conducted a mixed-method design study. Using SurveyMonkey (San Mateo, CA), OT student researchers implemented a custom-designed survey to OT faculty members. The survey included questions on current teaching strategies, faculty development, recruitment issues, and the use of evidence-based practice in education. The authors conducted follow-up telephone interviews to qualitatively gather the opinions and personal experiences of OT faculty members. Quantitative data from the online survey were analyzed via descriptive statistics provided by SurveyMonkey and displayed in tables created by or adapted from SurveyMonkey. Qualitative data from the online survey and qualitative data from the interview were analyzed via item-by-item content analysis and reported via narrative description.
RESULTS: A total of 1,261 OT faculty members were invited to participate in the nationwide survey. Of the 318 who responded, 317 met the criteria for participating in the study. Quantitative findings showed that major concerns highlighted by the respondents were faculty teaching credit loads, student learning styles, and various responsibilities. Qualitative findings from the survey and interviews indicated that key concerns of OT faculty are too many job responsibilities and not enough time allotted, lack of qualified educators available, and faculty recruitment challenges. Views on student professionalism were mixed. Most participants from the survey and interviews noted that guidance from experienced faculty members and mentoring facilitated their transition from clinical practice to academia.
DISCUSSION: The study identified several recommendations, limitations, and implications for OT faculty. OT practitioners must understand the unique academic workplace duties. OT institutions should promote faculty mentorship and encourage part-time work in a clinical setting. Future research should focus on the trends, pedagogies, and concerns highlighted by this study’s respondents to develop comprehensive strategies to improve OT education efficacy. The limitations of this study include the short time for survey administration, data collection, and data analysis.
CONCLUSION: This study highlights many different avenues that might enhance the quality of OT education and possibly affect the current OT educational workforce.
IMPACT STATEMENT: The absence of skilled OT faculty could weaken the profession and may impact OT faculty and OT education in general. Understanding the unresolved or ongoing issues, concerns, and trends of OT faculty and education can lead to appropriate corrections.
