Course/Module Objectives

Course Purpose

The purpose of this project is to enhance field occupational therapy practitioner literacy and orientation to foundational and emerging occupational science as it relates to contemporary practice application in the United States. 

Overall Course Goals: 

• Students will have an introductory literacy and orientation to the foundations of occupational science to be able to confidently pursue further learning.
• Students will be open to and engage with new perspectives and possibilities related to occupation and occupation-based practice in the United States in traditional and emerging practice settings.
• Students will understand the significant role they play as field clinicians in the ongoing evolution of occupational therapy and occupational science in the United States as part of an interdisciplinary/multidisciplinary scientific process.
• Students will have access to the support needed to start making goals and plans to engage with occupational science to enhance their daily life and practice as occupational therapy practitioners in the US.

Course Objectives:

• Engage with a diversity of perspectives on the interdisciplinary scientific study of occupation as it relates to contemporary occupational therapy practice in the United States.
• Critically reflect on and discuss common occupational therapy practice assumptions in the United States that are likely to be challenged by exposure to scientific developments in the contemporary understanding of occupation internationally in relation to their own evolving occupational identity as an occupational therapy practitioner.
• Understand the significant role they play as field clinicians in the ongoing evolution of occupational therapy and occupational science in the United States as part of an interdisciplinary/multidisciplinary scientific process.
• Access to the support needed to start making goals and plans to engage with occupational science to enhance their daily life and practice as occupational therapy practitioners in the US.
• Understand and apply foundational occupational Science processes, concepts, and perspectives to enhance self, community, and practice understanding at the individual, micro-, meso-, and macro-levels in safe simulated contexts. 
• Identify resources and community supports for ongoing learning and participation with occupational Science efforts to support the evolution of occupation-based practice development in the US.
• Identify the significant role field clinicians play in developing and implementing occupational science in the context of occupation-based practice in the US.
• Build a plan for engaging with occupational science concepts, tools, communities, and scholarship to enhance and evolve current and future practice and roles as an occupational science-informed occupational therapy practitioner in the US.

Course Modules

1.) Course Orientation and Value of Occupational Science Literacy for Occupational Therapy Practitioners

• The purpose of the orientation is to equip and motivate new students with all the resources they need to understand and be successful in the completion of the program.
• Goals:
  • Students will know expectations and benefits for quality course completion and how to navigate the overall course to access features and support included in the program for optimal inclusivity, accessibility, learning, and wellbeing as a learning community.
  • Students will understand the educational philosophy and goals underlying the course design.
  • Students will understand the purpose of learning about occupational science and the potential benefits familiarity with OS has to enhance OT and Occupation-Based practice in the United States 
• Objectives:
  • Develop familiarity with the structure, technology, and expectations for successful participation and completion of the Foundations of Occupational Science for United States occupational therapy practitioners course modules.
  • Critically reflect on past and current roles, challenges, strengths, values, and aspirations as an OTP in the US.
  • Engage in online community building and fluency in Occupational Therapy Practice Framework 4 Domain and Process by constructing and sharing a modified Occupational Profile with the course facilitator and asynchronous cohort. 
  • Identify available supports for accessibility and for mental and physical well-being throughout the course.
  • Understand the process to communicate any needs throughout the course for additional disability accommodation.

1.5.) How to Access Materials and Publications Referenced as an Occupational Therapy Practitioner 

• The purpose of this module is to support students in having strategies to economically access the formal scholarship and published materials referenced throughout this course for ongoing learning and activity participation.
• Goals:
  • Students will know and trial effective strategies to economically access formal scholarship and published materials referenced throughout this course for ongoing learning and activity participation. 
• Objectives:
  • Identify current strategies available to field clinicians to access and engage with resources referenced and encouraged in this presentation.
  • Critically Reflect on current barriers and opportunities present for field clinicians in engaging with resources and developments in practice.
  • Complete an effective search in google scholar to access an article referenced in the course.
  • Make a plan to utilize one of the options discussed to expand access to occupational science and multidisciplinary perspectives.
  • Identify and discuss an article abstract found on google scholar from a discipline outside of occupational therapy that is relevant to your current practice setting. 

2.) Value of Occupational Science Literacy for Occupational Therapy Practitioners

• The purpose of this module is to explore the value Occupational Science literacy has to offer Occupational Therapists in the United States from a diversity of perspectives while building familiarity with essential Occupational Science concepts. 
• Goals:

• Students will understand the purpose of learning about occupational science and the potential benefits familiarity with OS has to enhance OT and Occupation-Based practice in the United States. 
• Students will explore multiple perspectives on the benefits of late/mid-career exposure to Occupational Science. 
• Students will improve familiarity and recognition of Occupational Science concepts and terminology. 

• Objectives:

• Explore potential benefits of OS literacy for OTPs and their clients at the individual, micro, mezzo, and macro level.
• Orient to current American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT), and Society for the Study of Occupation: USA (SSO: USA) formal commitments that integrate developments in Occupational Science with current US occupational therapy practice and professional goals. 
• Engage with multigenerational perspectives on the challenges and benefits of mid-career exposure to the field of Occupational Science in relation to occupational therapy practice
• Engage in game-based learning to enhance familiarity and recognition of Occupational Science concepts and terminology.

3.) What is a Science? and Who is a Scientist? 

• The purpose of this module is to support students to orient to a shared understanding of scientific inquiry that will guide ongoing course discussion that respectfully contextualizes multidisciplinary perspectives and challenges common misconceptions about what science is and who gets to play a role in the development of scientific endeavors internationally.
• Goals:
  • Students will have a shared reference point for scientific inquiry that respectfully contextualizes multidisciplinary perspectives throughout the course.
  • Students will challenge common misconceptions about science and about who gets to play a role in the development of scientific endeavors.
  • Students will reflect on their past relationships to and beliefs about science inquiry and their relationship to scientific endeavors as an OTP in the US.
• Objectives:
  • Understand foundational features and processes of a scientific endeavor across various disciplines and scales of inquiry.
  • Identify and critically reflect on common misconceptions, fallacies, and biases that consistently compromise scientific integrity across disciplines.
  • Identify and critically reflect on the features of a healthy scientific discipline in an interdisciplinary context.
  • Critically reflect on what makes someone a scientist and what it means to engage in a scientific process.
  • Reflect and Discuss past experiences engaging with science, misconceptions about science, and how those experiences inform an evolving relationship to occupational therapy practice.
  • Engage with a diversity of perspectives on following a scientific process in disparate fields of inquiry.
  • Engage in a scientific process simulation.
  • Make a plan to be aware of following a scientific process in one's day-to-day life and practice as an OTP.

4.) Occupation and Contemporary History  

• The purpose of this module is for students to reflect on the international historic context of occupational therapy and occupational science and how it relates to current challenges and opportunities to developing occupation-based practice and scientific understanding of occupation in the context of current domestic and international challenges to occupational health, justice, and wellbeing.
• Goals:
  • Students will identify correlations between current and historic conditions that gave rise to Occupational Therapy and Occupational Science internationally and will be inspired and empowered about current opportunities to innovate occupation-based practices in the US by example and the potential of historic and current leaders in OT and OS internationally as field clinicians.
  • Students will position their current work and aspirations as an OTP in an ongoing historic context with the potential for constructive change for occupational health, justice, and wellbeing.
• Objectives:
  • Identify and Critically reflect on the commonalities between the international historic conditions and social challenges that originated occupational therapy and contemporary occupational therapy practice challenges and opportunities. 
  • Understand the historic context that produced interest, development, and investment in the profession of occupational therapy and the field of Occupational Science in the United States and internationally.
  • Identify the value of interdisciplinary collaboration with formally trained historians and library scientists in relation to occupational therapy and occupational science
  • Critically reflect on past and current challenges to align historic and contemporary occupational therapy practice with foundational values across diverse contexts and with diverse populations
  • Critically reflect on the role field clinicians play in the ongoing history and development of occupational therapy and occupational science
  • Make a plan to investigate the occupational history of a factor (e.g. history of special education or medicare) related to ones' current practice and practice setting.
• 5.) Occupation and International Philosophy, Theory, and Values 
  • The purpose of this module is for students to develop familiarity with and reflect on foundational and emerging philosophical, theoretical, and values trends influencing occupational therapy and occupational science internationally and how philosophy, theory, and values relate to current practice in the US and the broader interdisciplinary scientific process.
• Goals:
  • Students will demonstrate familiarity with foundational and emerging philosophical, theoretical, values trends influencing occupational therapy and occupational science developments internationally (Western, Eastern, and Global South Influences)
  • Students will critically reflect on the relationship between philosophy, theory, and values to the scientific process and contemporary OT practice in the US
• Objectives:
  • Identify and critically reflect on diverse philosophical, theoretical, and values trends that inform occupational science and occupational therapy across the globe.
  • Understand the role of theory in developing and defining key constructs that meaningfully inform the scientific investigation of occupation internationally.
  • Critically reflect on one's personal philosophy, theoretical perspectives, and values that inform one's current orientation to occupational therapy practice.
  • Reflect and discuss past experiences in evolving theory, philosophy, and values shifting over time in one's practice settings/ trajectory.
  • Identify the benefits of adopting a culturally mindful appreciation of a diversity of philosophical, theoretical, and values trends that inform occupational science and occupational therapy across the globe.
  • Make a plan to engage with different philosophical, theoretical, and values trends in one's day-to-day life and practice as an occupational therapy practitioner.

6.) Common Scientific Inquiry Methods for Exploring Occupation  

• The purpose of this module is for students to develop familiarity with and reflect on foundational and emerging methods of scientific inquiry common in occupational therapy and occupational science internationally and explore how diverse methodologies can enhance scientific understanding of occupation and OT practice in the US.
• Goals:
  • Students will demonstrate familiarity with foundational and emerging methods of scientific inquiry common in occupational therapy and occupational science internationally
  • Students will critically reflect on the value of investing in diverse methodologies to enhance scientific understanding of occupation internationally and for translation into OT practice in the US.
• Objectives:
  • Identify common Scientific Inquiry Methods that inform occupational science and OT scholarship.
  • Critically reflect on the benefits of investing in a diversity of Scientific Inquiry Methods for questions related to a deeper understanding of occupation internationally and current development trends in United States human health and social services.
  • Critically reflect and discuss scientific inquiry methods important to answering questions in relation to one's practice setting.
  • Trial simulated use of inquiry methods in occupational therapy practice contexts.
  • Make a plan to engage with a new scientific inquiry method on a focus relevant to one's day-to-day life and practice setting as an occupational therapy practitioner.

7.) Occupation and Human Origins 

• The purpose of this module is for students to consider and reflect on the role of occupation in shaping human and primate development evolutionarily. This module will explore the contributions occupational scientists and occupational therapists have offered to enhance human and primate understanding and wellbeing in the modern world in collaboration with field biology, ethology, anthropology, and naturalism.
• Goals:
  • Students will reflect on the contributions of occupational therapists and occupational scientists in enhancing our understanding of the relationship between occupation and human and primate development evolutionarily as occupational beings.
  • Students will appreciate to commonalities between occupational science and OT practice and scientific methods and fields of field biology, ethology, anthropology, and naturalism.
  • Students will reflect on the importance of field research and the qualitative domain in understanding the role of occupation in their current practice setting.
• Objectives: 
  • Examine the role between Occupation and human development over evolutionary time scales
  • Identify benefits of a qualitative and occupational lens in relation to the field of primatology/ ethology.
  • Identify similarities between field biology, ethological scientific methods, and questions and occupational science methods and questions.
  • Critically reflect on the importance of interdisciplinary scientific perspectives in understanding human origins in relation to occupation internationally.
  • Critically reflect on the importance of scientific integrity and cultural mindfulness in exploring questions related to human evolution.
  • Critically reflect on and discuss the importance of field research and the qualitative domain in understanding the role of occupation in one’s current practice setting.
  • Trial simulated field observation and occupational treatment planning for a zoo exhibit.
  • Make a plan to engage in field observation in one's day-to-day life and practice as an OTP.

8.) Occupation and Self Understanding

• • The purpose of this module is for students to consider and reflect on the importance of self-inquiry as a mechanism of understanding and applying foundational occupational science concepts in their own lives and later in their OT practice with others.
• Goals:
  • Students will engage with foundational occupational science concepts and methodologies in relation to self-inquiry for a deeper understanding of core concepts at the individual level prior to practice translation with clients.
• Objectives:
  • Identify the benefits and importance of self-inquiry as a lens for deepening one’s understanding of occupation and its therapeutic potential.
  • Apply core foundational occupational science concepts to self while reflecting on past, current, and desired future occupational experiences.
  • Critically reflect on the value the qualitative domain and observational methods offer for self-understanding and the therapeutic potential of occupation at the individual and micro-level.
  • Critically reflect on the value the quantitative domain and experimental methods offer for self-understanding and the therapeutic potential of occupation at the individual and micro-level.
  • Critically reflect and discuss the importance of occupational self-inquiry to engaging occupation therapeutically in one’s current practice setting.
  • Engage in occupational self-inquiry activity through digital construction of a KAWA river.
  • Make a plan of engaging with a new Scientific Inquiry Method on a focus relevant to one's day-to-day life and practice as an OTP.

9.) Occupation and Community Understanding  

• The purpose of this module is for students to consider and reflect on the importance of community and population-level inquiry as a mechanism of understanding and applying foundational occupational science concepts in our own communities and later in our OT practice contexts.
• Goals:
  • Students will engage with foundational occupational science concepts and methodologies in relation to community and population-level inquiry for a deeper understanding of core concepts at the individual level prior to practice translation.
• Objectives: 
  • Identify the benefits and importance of community and population inquiry as a lens for deepening of understanding of occupation and its therapeutic potential at the individual, micro, meso, and macro-level.
  • Apply core foundational occupational science concepts to community contexts while reflecting on past, current, desired future social developments of occupational justice, health, and occupational wellbeing.
  • Critically reflect on the value the mixed-method qualitative/quantitative domain, observational/experimental, and participatory methods offer for community understanding and the therapeutic potential of occupation at the individual, micro, meso, and macro-level.
  • Critically reflect and discuss the importance of occupational community level inquiry to engaging occupation therapeutically in your current practice setting.
  • Engage in occupational community activity through the application of a mixed-method inquiry strategy to a fictional community context
  • Make a plan to engage with an occupational community inquiry lens on a focus relevant to one's day-to-day life and practice as an OTP

10.) Critical Literature Review for occupational therapy Practice Application  

• • The purpose of this module is for students to contextualize and reflect on occupational science and multidisciplinary scholarship in relation to Tomlin and Borgetto's research pyramid for occupational therapy and clinical reasoning for evidenced-based practice translation on various scales of implementation of the OT domain and process.
• Goals:
  • Students will know how to  contextualize occupational science and multidisciplinary scholarship in relation to Tomlin and Borgetto's research pyramid for occupational therapy
  • Students will know how to conduct search strategy and literature review with occupational science literacy to enhance clinical reasoning for evidenced-based practice translation on various scales of implementation of the OT domain and process.
• Objectives: 
  • Explore best practices in literature search strategy and critical appraisal of interdisciplinary scholarship beyond occupational therapy and occupational science publications
  • Locate how to position interdisciplinary and Occupational Science scholarship on Tomlin and Borgetto's research pyramid for occupational therapy in supporting evidence-based professional reasoning and judgment.
  • Explore and reflect on 5 aspects of professional reasoning (scientific, narrative, pragmatic, ethical, and interactive) in relation to occupational science and occupation-based practice in the US
  • Practice making occupational science-informed clinical reasoning visible with Benfield & Kruger cognitive mapping exercise
  • Evaluate and critically reflect on common misconceptions of evidence-based practice in relation to occupation-based practice and OT
  • Discuss the value of mixed-methods and multidisciplinary approaches to research and evidence-based and evidence-informed occupational therapy practice
  • Make a plan to develop a search strategy and cognitive map in relation to a current practice challenge
  • Identify strategic benefits from investing in building a transparent multidisciplinary foundation of clinical reasoning, judgment, and expertise informed by a relationship to occupational science.

11.) Occupational Science and Policy Development for Occupational Health, Justice, and Wellbeing 

• The purpose of this module is for students to understand the role and contributions of occupational science to domestic and international policy development efforts for Occupational Health, Justice, and Wellbeing
• Goals:
  • Students will reflect on the role of social-political contexts that shape OT practice and OS scholarship.
  • Students will examine, apply, reflect and discuss foundational OS concepts related to social-political efforts and systemic change for occupational health, justice, and wellbeing in relation to international and US-based OT practice concepts
• Objectives: 
  • Critically reflect on the international connection between health, lifespan occupational wellbeing, social inclusion, occupational justice, and public policy.
  • Identify historic, contemporary, and emerging US-based public policy trends that impact occupational therapy practice in the US that would benefit from the utilization of an occupational therapy lens.
  • Identify historic, contemporary, and emerging US-based public policy trends that impact occupational therapy practice in the US that would benefit from the utilization of an occupational therapy lens.
  • Explore the role advocacy and population-level intervention play in the OTPF 4 2020 and WFOT statement on human rights.
  • Discuss policies that impact occupational well-being for clinicians and clients in your current practice setting through a lens of occupational science.
  • Critically reflect on the relationship between scientific inquiry, public policy, and advocacy for occupational health, wellbeing, and justice outcomes.
  • Simulate the application of the Participatory Occupational Justice Framework in a fictional case scenario
  • Reflect on the importance of investing in policy literacy and client partnerships for occupational justice and wellbeing in the US and globally.

12.) Occupational Science and United States Social Services

• The purpose of this module is for students to explore, critically reflect on, and discuss case examples of Occupational Science informed practice developments occurring in the contemporary mental health, educational, forensic, corporate, philanthropic, and entrepreneurial sectors in the United States. 
• Goal:
  • Students will explore, critically reflect on, and discuss practical case examples of Occupational Science informed practice developments occurring in the contemporary mental health, educational, forensic, corporate, philanthropic, and entrepreneurial sectors in the United States
• Objective:
  • Students will explore, critically reflect on, and discuss case examples of Occupational Science informed practice developments occurring in the contemporary mental health, educational, forensic, corporate, philanthropic, and entrepreneurial sectors in the United States.

13.) Occupational Science and the United States Medical Model   

• The purpose of this module is for students to explore, critically reflect on, and discuss case examples of Occupational Science informed practice developments occurring in the contemporary US health system. 
• Goal:
  • Students will explore, critically reflect on, and discuss case examples of Occupational Science informed practice developments occurring in the contemporary US health system.
• Objective:
  • Students will explore, critically reflect on, and discuss case examples of Occupational Science informed practice developments occurring in the contemporary US health system.

14.) Occupational Science and the Distinct Value of occupational therapy in the US

• The purpose of this module is for students to explore ways OS literacy can aid in understanding and communicating the distinct value and science base of Occupational Therapy in the US context in relation to allied human services professions and contemporary demand for OS informed OT services in the United States across many human service sectors.
• Goals:
  • Students will appeal to occupational science foundations as a way to communicate the distinct value, role, and perspective of OT in relation to common allied human service providers in the US (such as Physical Therapy, Speech Therapy, Applied Behavioral Analysis, Nursing, Special Education, Recreational Therapy, Social Work, etc.) in order to enable constructive care coordination and collaboration for client wellbeing.
  • Students will identify areas of contemporary demand for OS-informed OT services in the United States across many human service sectors.
• Objectives: 
  • Identify, critically reflect on, and discuss how Occupational Science supports efforts to highlight the distinct value and differentiation of occupation-based practice and occupational therapy expertise from and compatible collaboration with other allied helping professions in the US for optimal client outcomes.
  • Critically reflect and discuss the benefits and challenges of navigating the contemporary US human services as a generalist profession with an evolving multidisciplinary mixed-methods science base.
  • Identify areas of contemporary demand for occupational science-informed occupational therapy services in the United States across many human service sectors.
  • Practice explaining OT's role with a foundation of occupational science in relation to your current setting.
  • Make a plan to initiate one strategy to highlight the distinct value of occupational therapy as informed by occupational science.

15.) How to Utilize Occupational Science in Traditional United States occupational therapy Practice Settings

• The purpose of this module is for students to have practical guidance on how to translate foundational occupational science concepts and scholarship into traditional US practice settings with a real-world example and a step-by-step process guided by the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework: Domain and Process 4th Edition.
• Goals:
  • Students will demonstrate increased understanding and self-efficacy of how to apply occupational science concepts and scholarship into their traditional US practice settings with an appeal to a step-by-step process and practical examples guided by the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework: Domain and Process 4th Edition.
• Objectives: 
  • Critically reflect on essential steps to utilize occupational science in traditional occupational therapy practice settings in the US.
  • Discuss opportunities and challenges of implementing occupational science-informed occupation-based practices in the US.
  • Engage in simulated case scenarios of implementing essential steps to utilize occupational science-informed occupation-based practices in traditional social, health care, and entrepreneurial sectors.
  • Make a plan to engage in one essential step in relation to one’s current occupational therapy practice setting.

16.) Coalition Building for Effective Self and Client Advocacy for Occupation-Based occupational therapy in the US 

• The purpose of this module is for students to understand the importance of coalition building for Effective Self and Client Advocacy in applying foundational OS concepts perspectives for developing Occupation-Based OT in the US with practical guidance in how to develop these coalitions in their community and practice setting.
• Goals:
  • Students will understand the importance of coalition building for Effective Self and Client Advocacy in applying foundational OS concepts perspectives for developing Occupation-Based OT in the US.
  • Students will develop increased self-efficacy in making plans to develop coalitions in their community and practice setting with practical guidance, resources, and case examples.
• Objectives: 
  • Critically reflect on and discuss historic and contemporary systemic barriers and demographic challenges in implementing occupational science-informed occupation-based practices in the US.
  • Critically reflect on and discuss the importance of collaboration and coalition building in accomplishing occupational health, wellbeing, and justice outcomes in the US.
  • Engage in a simulated collaborative effort in your community or practice setting.
  • Make a plan to build connections with outside stakeholders for shared goals related to occupational health, wellbeing, and justice.

17.) Your Part in the Future of Occupational Science and Occupational therapy  

• The purpose of this module is for students to understand and feel empowered by their role in the future of occupational science and OT practice in the United States with connection to opportunities for future learning, community building, and networking for ongoing professional development with a multidisciplinary and international context.
• Goals:
  • Students will understand the importance of coalition building for Effective Self and Client Advocacy in applying foundational OS concepts perspectives for developing Occupation-Based OT in the US.
  • Students will develop increased self-efficacy in making plans to develop coalitions in their community and practice setting with practical guidance, resources, and case examples.
• Objectives: 
  • Critically reflect on the role field occupational therapy practitioners play in the historic, contemporary, and future developments of occupational science.
  • Critically reflect on and discuss the role of diverse multidisciplinary collaborative field research in meeting occupational needs at the individual, micro, meso, and macro-level.
  • Identify current and emerging opportunities to deepen knowledge and participation in contemporary occupational science efforts globally.
  • Make a plan to engage in ongoing occupational science efforts beyond this course.

18.) Course Summary and Evaluation 

• The purpose of this module is for students to review and reflect on what was covered in the course and complete course assessment for the final course completion certificate and receive course evaluation feedback.
• Goals:
  • Students will reflect on learning throughout the course and complete a summative course assessment for a certificate of learning.
  • Students will offer feedback on course structure to enable future improvement of the educational experience. 
• Objectives: 
  • Critically reflect and discuss learning from the foundations of occupational science course.
  • Identify changes in perspective and practice from exposure to occupational science.
  • Critically reflect on the benefits of incorporating occupational science in current and emerging occupational therapy practice in the US.
  • Complete summative student and course assessment
  • Identify opportunities to stay engaged in the foundations of the occupational science community for ongoing resources and community support in developing occupational science-informed practices where you live and work.