9319 research outputs found
Sort by
Employability: Skills for Work, Skills for Life
Get PDFAt Gateway Community & Technical College, the 10 Essential Skills are embedded in a strategic, multi-faceted manner: in the curriculum, Work-Based Learning Experiences, and Student Events. Since Gateway has designed intentional instruction related to employability skills in multiple environments, students obtain well-rounded support on their journey toward gainful employment
Transitioning from Professional Practice to Teaching during COVID-19: A Participatory Research Study
Get PDFThe transition from expert occupational therapy practice to academic educator is stressful and complex, involving the development of a new professional identity. In 2020-21 COVID-19 created a new challenge for recently employed academics, who were in this transition process. This study utilized participatory research to explore the impact of COVID-19 on six new occupational therapy lecturers who were employed immediately before and during the pandemic. The participatory research approach simultaneously engaged participants in research processes and aimed to promote researcher development. Three focus groups were conducted to explore participants experiences before, during and after COVID-19 restrictions. Focus groups transcripts were coded and analyzed thematically. Four themes were identified: 1) Discovery 2) Turbulence 3) Survival and 4) Reflections were linked to an overarching analogy. Covid-19 accelerated the transition to teaching as participants discovered effective strategies for teaching online through trial and error, with little available support. The easing of restrictions brought new challenges and anxieties for participants unfamiliar with classroom teaching. The study highlights the complexity of transitioning to academia, and the importance of peer and team support during the first two years. The participatory research process utilized in this study provided an opportunity to reflect back on the transition process while developing researcher skills and experience
OT/OTA Student Intraprofessional Collaboration: A Multi-University Remote Design
Get PDFFostering intraprofessional collaboration (intraPC) between occupational therapy (OT) and occupational therapy assistant (OTA) students is an integral piece of occupational therapy education programs. The Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) even expanded upon intraPC standards in their 2023 standards version. Despite the importance of intraPC activities, barriers exist to their implementation such as time, cost, and logistics. However, it is still important for OT program faculty to identify what types of intraprofessional education activities are a good fit for their program to ensure compliance with standards and prepare students for future collaboration. A quantitative cross-sectional design was used to gather data from four associate degree OTA programs and one master’s degree OT program (N=73). All students completed a semester-long video case study project which provided remote face-to-face collaboration opportunities between randomly paired OT and OTA students. Then, students completed a pre- and post-measure, a modified version of the Interprofessional Collaborative Competency Attainment Scales (ICCAS). A paired samples t-test was performed to compare OT and OTA student combined scores regarding intraPC competency before and after project completion. There was significant difference in all construct areas (
The Capstone Fair for Promoting Initial Generation of Occupational Therapy Doctoral Capstone Ideas
Get PDFEntry-level occupational therapy doctorate (OTD) programs across the United States navigate the challenge of designing doctoral capstone (DC) processes to provide students with adequate scaffolding to plan, implement, evaluate, and disseminate their capstone projects. The DC process starts with the daunting tasks of student generation of capstone interests and connecting with mentors for collaborative guidance. The purpose of this program evaluation project was to assess a comprehensive process, known as the Capstone Fair, for effectively and efficiently facilitating students’ initial generation of capstone ideas and the match between student and Faculty Capstone Mentor. A fixed convergent, parallel mixed methods design was used to evaluate the Capstone Fair’s ability to meet pre-established criteria among two student cohorts, four years apart. Outcomes indicated 100% (n=101) alignment of the student’s identified capstone topics with the program’s curriculum design; interests that demonstrated cognitive flexibility and feasibility in 96% (n=97) of students; a statistically significant increase in student confidence with the identification of interests (pn=33) of projects; and a time commitment for student/faculty mentor matching of 2.5 hours with 4% post-match adjustments. The results suggest that the Capstone Fair procedures were effective for student generation of capstone interests that were curricularly aligned and demonstrate flexibility and feasibility for responding to the evolving dynamics of the DC process over time
Supporting Those who Support us: An Exploration of Strategies to Address Occupational Therapy Fieldwork Educators\u27 Concerns and Needs
Get PDFFieldwork (FW) education is integral to occupational therapy (OT) education and enables the transition of a student to an entry-level practitioner. Clinicians who serve as FW educators play a significant role in this process. To deliver OT education, universities must support FW educators and address their needs and concerns. This study surveyed OT FW educators who supervised entry-level OT doctoral students from a public university for Level I and/or Level II FW regarding strategies to address their concerns and needs. An anonymous survey was distributed to the FW educators (n=349) who supervised the students for FW between Spring 2021-2023. By the response deadline, the survey yielded a 32.09% (n=112) response rate. Fieldwork educators perceived themselves to be competent clinical educators, and their perception was not associated with the completion of FW educator training courses, years of experience as a practitioner, or number of students supervised in the past. However, FW educators reported difficulty in teaching soft skills (e.g., communicating with patients/caregivers, participating in Admission, Review, and Dismissal meetings, etc.) and supervising challenging students. They considered providing FW supervision as beneficial to them. Their concerns related to FW supervision centered around student readiness, student behavior, and time management. They expected universities to assess student readiness before sending them on FW. Also, they expected more clarity and guidance from universities on expectations related to FW supervision. Further, they indicated a need for FW educator training programs and access to library/scholarly resources. The implications of the findings for different stakeholders were discussed
Effect of Washing on Plastic Bag Surface Composition and Color
Get PDFPlastic is prevalent in each aspect of everyday life. Due to its regular use and pervasiveness, plastic is a type of evidence that persists at a crime scene. The color and chemical signature of a plastic can be used to identify a potential common source of the bag and aid in the investigation of a crime. Plastic trash bags, composed of low-density polyethylene, colorants and/or coatings, are a common plastic submitted for analysis. However, pretreatment of the plastic in the lab before analysis (i.e. washing away debris) could alter the color and chemical signature. A deeper understanding of the extent of these observed changes is required.
In this study, two brands of black plastic trash bags were subjected to sequential washings with water along or with water and soap. Colorimetry quantitatively assessed the color of the bags after each washing while Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy assessed the chemical composition. Measurements were taken to assess variations within bags, across bags, across brands, and between washings. The colorimetry data indicated no significant or consistent changes in color resulted from repeated washing with either water alone or water and soap. Visual overlays of FTIR spectra suggested minute differences in the chemical signature, so the spectra were subjected to further statistical analysis using a spectral angle contrast ratio (SCAR) analysis. This revealed some variations are large enough to provide confidence in the observed differences and provide a foundation for comparison between crime scene and potential source bags
Steps to Success: The Lived Experiences of College Students on the Autism Spectrum
Get PDFYoung adults on the autism spectrum are likely to experience an occupational imbalance after graduating high school. This is evidenced by the approximately 37% to 50% of youth with autism who report unemployment or not continuing their education after high school and their researched struggles with managing mental health conditions, living independently in the community, and engaging in social activities. In order to better understand the perspectives of young adults with autism experiencing an occupational imbalance after graduating high school, this thesis aims to explore the experiences of college students with autism using a qualitative approach. College students with autism were recruited through flyers placed around campus and given to a campus group of students with autism. Data analysis was conducted to find common themes in the experiences of college students with ASD about their transition from high school to college, in hopes that this information can guide future research to provide better transitional programs for young adults with ASD
Exploring The Academic Health Department Model: A Study Of Awareness, Attitudes, And Practices In Kentucky\u27s Local Health Departments
Get PDFPublic health involves the organized efforts of society to prevent disease, prolong life, and promote health. These efforts are exemplified through partnerships across various public and private sectors, including academia, which are crucial in addressing complex public health challenges. The concept of an Academic Health Department (AHD) embodies a formal collaboration between academic institutions and public health practice organizations, aiming to integrate public health practice with academic training, research, and service delivery. Despite the documented benefits of the AHD model, there is a knowledge gap regarding local health departments\u27 (LHDs) awareness, attitudes, and practices related to the model, particularly in Kentucky. This study aimed to fill this gap by exploring the current state of AHD awareness, attitudes, and practices among LHDs in Kentucky. This understanding is crucial given Kentucky\u27s specific public health challenges, such as fiscal constraints and ranking among the least healthy states in the United States. The study employs a modified Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (KAP) model to answer four research questions, providing insights into how LHDs are aware of the AHD model and perceived attitudes and practices toward the AHD model. Using a quantitative descriptive-comparative research survey design, data were collected through a 29-item questionnaire and analyzed using Jamovi software. Descriptive statistics summarized the data and generated awareness, attitudes, and practices scores, while comparative analyses, including independent sample t-tests, were conducted to compare awareness of the AHD model between Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB)-accredited and non-PHAB-accredited LHDs. Results indicated poor awareness (47%), neutral attitudes (74%), and poor practices (34%) regarding the AHD model. Statistically significant differences (p \u3c .05) were found in awareness levels of the AHD model between PHAB-accredited and non-PHAB-accredited LHDs, with effect sizes calculated using Cohen’s d. These findings highlight critical areas for intervention and improvement in promoting the AHD model. The study underscores the need for increased efforts to raise awareness and foster positive attitudes towards the AHD model to fully leverage its potential impact for improving public health outcomes in Kentucky. By enhancing collaboration between public health practice and academia, the AHD model offers a strategic approach to addressing public health challenges and improving health outcomes through research, service delivery, and training/teaching
The Development of 4THEKIDS: An Educational Support Group for Caregivers of Individuals with Cerebral Palsy
Get PDFRaising a child can be challenging. Raising or caring for an individual with a disability can be even more challenging. Currently, groups exist to support these caregivers for individuals with disabilities. For example, caregivers of children diagnoses with Autism Spectrum Disorder often have groups designed to build community with others in similar positions while they support their loved one. However, there are few to no groups supporting caregivers of individuals with cerebral palsy. This doctoral specialization project aims to provide clinicians with a treatment manual to guide them through running a group that supports caregivers of individuals with cerebral palsy
Mapping Review of Fieldwork Education Literature
Get PDFFieldwork is an integral phase of occupational therapy education, bolstered by a small but growing evidence base. A broad understanding of the state of that evidence base is necessary to inform the directions for future growth. The purpose of this work was to establish the current state of occupational therapy fieldwork literature, map that literature to recognized criteria for educational research, and identify gaps in the existing literature. Authors followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines to conduct a mapping review of articles with a primary focus on fieldwork education of occupational therapy (OT) or occupational therapy assistant (OTA) students in United States (Accreditation for Occupational Therapy Education)-based programs. Mapping criteria included level of education [OT, OTA], level of fieldwork [Level I, Level II], and categories of the AOTA Education Research Agenda - Revised (2018). Sources included four databases (Academic Search Premier, CINAHL, ERIC, PubMed) and one additional journal (Journal of Occupational Therapy Education). A total of 1,619 articles were identified, with 67 articles meeting inclusion criteria. The 67 included articles disproportionately focused on Level II OT fieldwork (53%, n=36), with sparse representation of Level I OTA fieldwork (1.5%, n=1), and addressed only two categories of the Education Research Agenda (2018; 80%, n=54). Level I fieldwork, occupational therapy assistant programs, and large swaths of the association’s Education Research Agenda (2018) were dramatically (or completely) underrepresented in fieldwork education research, suggesting important priorities for the immediate future of occupational therapy fieldwork education