Learning by doing!

Sharing a Pedagogical Approach from a Student Perspective

Jennie Nyman (MSc OT, Senior Lecturer)

Lotta Veira, Milla Forssén (Students)

Structure of presentation

UAS in Finland and citizenship

Main study themes in our OT curriculum

The 4th semester: the main task.

Students perspective: the questionnaire

Summary

Questions?

UAS in Finland and citizenship

A dual system: The universities of applied sciences

together with the universities form the Finnish

higher education system.

The UASes in Finland aim to improve the quality of

education and response to the changes of society

and foremost working life.

We are focusing on regional development through

interacting with working life and this is closely

connected to the theme citizenship!

http://www.arene.fi/

Main study themes in our new occupation

based curriculum

1. term Human beings, occupation and the environment. Self and relating to other people.

2. term Occupational functioning, occupational dysfunctions and their assessment in occupational therapy.

3. term Therapeutic relationship and therapeutic use of occupation in self-care, instrumental activities of daily living and play.

4. term Therapeutic use of occupation in productive (study, work) and leisure activities. Working with groups. Partnership in occupational therapy.

5. term Research, development and innovation activities. Starting the process of preparing the Bachelor’s thesis.

6. term Occupational therapy in communities and international contexts. Consolidation of competence in occupational therapy.

7. term Development and management of occupational therapy. Implementation and publication of the Bachelor’s thesis.

Courses in 4th semester

Therapeutic occupation in productive (study,

work) and leisure activities (7 ects)

Group therapy 1 (5 ects)

Foundations of professional research and

development (3 ects)

Partnership in occupational therapy (3 ects)

WORK PLACEMENT 3: Assessment and

promotion of occupational performance and

participation (12 ects)

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The task – Learning by doing

While learning about occupational therapy group work

students, working in pairs, plan and carry out a small

group process.

1. Theoretical part with basic information.

2. Visiting the workinglife partner and getting to know the

context and participants of the group.

3. Planning the group process consisting of three sessions,

one session a week. (Aims and outcomes, activities, the

sessions step by step)

4. Carrying out all three sessions – supervision along the

way.

5. Evaluation of the process and summarizing the learning

experience.

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The task – Learning by doing

Practical part: the students work together with working

life and a real client group.

Theoretical part: students complete their assignment

along the way- step by step, choosing appropriate pieces

of theory for argumentation.

Supervision: students are supervised by teachers and

sharing experience with the group at each step.

Philosophy behind the task:

win-win-approach – co-configurative elements.

Students motivation lies in doing something real,

something that matters.

Learn how to think like an OT!

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The first implementation

During spring term 2013

Number of students participating: 22

Number of groups: 11

Partners: 10

Feedback from the group collected by students

as part of our curriculum development.

Students answering the questionnaire: 19

Feedback from partners collected electronically.

Only two answers.

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Students’ experiences

”I really like learning this way. Giving my

input to working life motivates to learn

and keeps up my concentration. Students

were sharing their experiences and

helping each other out.”

The questionnaire

1. Did you do your internship in the same place? 2. How was the theory used in practice? 3. Did you get enough support from your study group? 4. Did the working life partner benefit from the groups? 5. Were there any problems regarding the implementation of the course? 6. Did the course provide skills to lead groups in your future profession?

19 students leading groups together with

working life partners

Work placement and group leading at the same place (12 students): ”I got a foretaste of my group before the work placement

and was able to concentrate fully to its planning. It was easy to continue while I found some routine to the planning and executing.”

Work placement and group leading in two different places (7 students):

”I got experience in leading a group for the elderly that I

wouldn’t have gotten in my work placement with the youngsters. I feel so lucky!”

From theory to practice

”Without the theory I wouldn’t even have known

where to start.”

”The theory helped me to think about the goals

and focus of the group.”

”It’s important to plan the group by using

evidence-based knowledge. Theory helps you

choose the right tools and methods.”

Support from the study group

”It was nice to share experiences and hear ideas

of others.”

”I got concrete ideas to implement in practice.”

”You got feedback from your thoughts and ideas.

It was also educational to think what you would

do in the same situation.”

”It was useful to get new points of view.”

Benefit for the working life partner

”Students can provide new ideas to the field”

”Occupational therapists get time for their other

work assignments”

It was difficult for the students to say how the

working life partner benefits from their input

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

THE WORKING LIFE PARTNER BENEFIT FROM MY INPUT

1 point 2 points 3 points 4 points 5 points

Ideas to improve the course

Some students would benefit from smaller study groups. (11 participants)

Some wished to get more tips out of the study groups.

One said it would have been more useful to have a discussion together with their pair and the teacher instead of the study groups.

One wanted to get feedback from the teacher about

the plan they had made for their group.

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

THE COURSE WAS FUNCTIONAL

1 point 2 points 3 points 4 points 5 points

Skills to group leadership

Students felt more prepared to lead groups in

their becoming internship and in the future.

”I got a lot of new knowledge, theory and tools!”

”I found the therapeutic approach to the planning

and leading of groups.”

”I have trust in my skills. It’s ok to make

mistakes, because you learn from them.”

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

ACQUIREMENTS TO LEAD GROUPS IN THE FUTURE

1 point 2 points 3 points 4 points 5 points

Summary- how did we do?

By this way of working, we aim to make a win-

win-win situation with possibility to develop both

students’ skills and working life.

How did we do the first time this was carried

out?

Working life: some partners want to take part

on a regular basis, and found the core of the

idea suitable for their practice.

Students: Students like the course that is

combined with a real working life partner and

their opinions have been noticed while

developing the next execution

Comments or questions?

Thank you for your attention!

Main references during the task

Cole M B. (2011). Group dynamics in occupational therapy.

Thorofare NJ: Slack Inc.

Hautala T & al. (2011) Toiminnan voimaa. Toimintaterapia

käytännössä. Helsinki: Edita.

Kielhofner G. (2008). Model of human occupation.

Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Willkins.

Pierce D. (2004). Occupation by design- Building

therapeutic power. Philadelphia: F.A. Davis Company.

Polatajko H J & al. Enabling occupation II: Advancing an

occupational therapy vision for health, well-being & justice

through occupation. Canadian Association of Occupational

Therapists. Ottawa: CAOT Publications ACE.

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Examples of references in English used for

designing the task.

Engeström Y (2005). Developmental work research. Expanding activity theory in practice. Berlin: Lehmanns Media.

Lambert P (2003). Boundary-crossing Place as a Tool for Developmental Transfer Between School and Work. Published in F. Achtenhagen & E.G. John (edt) Milestones of Vocational and Occupational Education and Training. Bierlefeld: Bertelsmann. Vol 1, 181-216.

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