Date Presented 4/1/2017
The purpose of this study was to explore the usefulness of the Subject-Centered Integrative Learning Model for academic educators developing occupation-centered practices. The model was found to guide the educators and has the potential to shape occupational therapy education.
Primary Author and Speaker: Addy Brown
Additional Authors and Speakers: Barbara Hooper, Devin Barth, Amanda Zorn
PURPOSE: Although occupation has been recognized by scholars as the central concern of occupational therapy, occupation can be implicit in curricula and courses. This can cause students to have difficulty distinguishing occupational therapy from other professions (Hooper, 2010). Therefore, there is a need for research on occupation-centered educational practices. The Subject-Centered Integrative Learning Model for Occupational Therapy (SCIL–OT) has been developed to operationalize occupation-centered education. This model places the core subject of occupation at the center with links to relevant topics and members of the knowledge community. Three studies were undertaken in separate contexts: academic education, fieldwork education, and client education. The purpose of this study was to explore the usefulness of the SCIL–OT for academic educators in developing occupation-centered teaching practices. The research questions were as follows: How do educators experience the concepts and transactions of the SCIL–OT? How does the model guide academic educators in designing and implementing occupation-centered learning experiences? What are the limits of the model, and what recommendations do academic educators have for its refinement?
DESIGN: The study used a basic qualitative design for confirmation/disconfirmation theory-building research (Lynham, 2002). Purposive sampling was used to recruit participants interested in occupation-centered education. These participants were invited from a roster of graduate-level educators attending the Center for Occupational Therapy Education (COTE) Teaching and Learning Institute. Seven educators participated in the study.
METHOD: Participants engaged in three 60-min interviews. In the first interview, participants discussed their satisfying and dissatisfying teaching experiences. In the second interview, the researchers presented the SCIL–OT to participants at the COTE and explored how the participants perceived the model to relate to their educational practice. Participants then applied the SCIL–OT for at least 3 mo. In the final interview, participants were asked to describe experiences of using the model, as well as limitations or recommended changes. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and coded line by line with four members of the research team using deductive codes drawn from the model. Inductive coding was done to elaborate on elements of the model as they were represented in text. Analysis was done using NVivo (QSR International, Doncaster, Victoria, Australia), qualitative data analysis software. The research team gathered for weekly peer debriefing to ensure agreement about code definitions and use.
RESULTS: All participants described the model as being useful in their teaching practice. The knowledge community, specifically student–faculty relationship, was the most prevalent and emotionally salient element of the model in educator stories, and power sharing and colearning were sources of satisfaction. Centering occupation in teaching was found to be meaningful for educators. One advisor stated, “It let me talk about my true love, and that was the occupational world that we’re in.” The model was useful for designing occupation-centered learning experiences such as a home occupation program. Reported limitations of the model included that it was challenging to use in content-heavy and interdisciplinary courses.
CONCLUSION: According to Yerxa (1998), the occupation-centered practitioners of tomorrow are built out of the occupation-centered education of today. Occupation-centered education has been promoted as a concept but not fully operationalized for use by educators.
IMPACT STATEMENT: Based on the findings from this study, the SCIL–OT may be useful for educators in centralizing occupation in occupational therapy education.
References
Hooper, B. (2010). On arriving at the destination of the Centennial Vision: Navigational landmarks to guide occupational therapy education. Occupational Therapy in Health Care, 24, 97–106. https://doi.org/10.3109/07380570903329636
Lynham, S. A. (2002). The general method of theory-building research in applied disciplines. Advances in Developing Human Resources, 4, 221–241. https://doi.org/10.1177/1523422302043002
Yerxa, E. J. (1998). Occupation: The keystone of a curriculum for a self-defined profession. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 52, 365–372. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.52.5.365
