Development and Evaluation of an Occupational Therapy Innovation in an Education Research Laboratory

PURPOSE: This research describes the development and early outcomes of a new education laboratory focused on advancing occupational therapy’s education research agenda and infusing best educational practices into the university’s academic and clinical programs.

BACKGROUND: Teaching and learning strategies cross all facets of occupational therapy, whether in clinical practice, translational research, or academic education. Teaching and learning are so critical to the profession that the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) established an agenda for education research (AOTA, 2014). The first center to expand education research, practice, and theory development in occupational therapy was established in 2008 (Center for Occupational Therapy Education, 2008), and the first peer-reviewed journal focusing on occupational therapy education, Journal of Occupational Therapy Education, was established in 2017. By embedding an education research laboratory within a professional academic program, faculty are able to apply their findings to courses they are teaching and the overall occupational therapy curriculum.

METHOD: This phenomenological study used participatory action research methodology. Thirty graduate students and five faculty members at one occupational therapy program participated in this research project. We logged activities conducted to form the laboratory and the first year of projects onto a timeline to catalog development of the laboratory. Each semester, students in the laboratory completed an anonymous online survey to explore their interest in education research, beliefs about the impact of the laboratory on their professional development, and the objectives of the laboratory. Students and faculty participated in focus groups to further explore their impressions. Faculty members completed regular reflections to track their experiences with laboratory progression, student development, and the impact of student projects. Research projects within the laboratory were cross walked to the six education research categories. Qualitative data were coded into themes by two researchers, and consensus was used to identify overarching themes. Descriptive and correlational analysis were performed with quantitative data.

RESULTS: Survey and interview data showed extensive student development; themes identified include increased professionalism, interest in pursuing academic work in the future, and growth in understanding of the importance of research in advancing occupational therapy education. Faculty experiences suggest that the time and effort devoted to the laboratory were worth the benefits for scholarship and teaching. New visions for the laboratory also resulted from the faculty focus group. First-year research projects fell into all of the six education research agenda categories: six in learning characteristics and competencies, four in socialization to the profession, three in instructional methods, and one each in theory building, pedagogy, and faculty development and resources.

CONCLUSION: Early analysis demonstrates that this education laboratory was having a positive impact on students’ professional growth and generating interest in the scholarship of teaching and learning. The laboratory was helping advance the education research agenda in all six categories outlined by AOTA and was generating interest in academia and scholarship in student participants. This finding is especially important given the need for increased evidence to support occupational therapy practice and the shortage of well-prepared academicians. By cataloging activities and demonstrating the impact of the laboratory, faculty in the laboratory hope to motivate other occupational therapy programs to develop education research experiences for students. The collective work of many occupational therapy programs will advance the profession’s education research agenda and help develop its future leaders.

References

American Occupational Therapy Association. (2014). Occupational therapy education research agenda. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 68(Suppl. 2), S83–S86. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2014.685S06

Center for Occupational Therapy Education. (2008). Re-imagining occupation-centered education. Retrieved from www.cote.chhs.colostate.edu