Curriculum Design
The list of curricular threads was created and “OT PROUD!” became the mnemonic to help share the message.
OT PROUD!
- Develop PROFESSIONAL REASONING skills through scholarly exploration and reflection.
- Support RESILIENCY in themselves and their clients at the individual, family, community, and population levels.
- Utilize evidence-based, OCCUPATION-FOCUSED PRACTICE to support participation throughout the lifespan.
- Recognize how the UNIQUENESS OF EACH INDIVIDUAL impacts all facets of their occupational engagement.
- Explain the DISTINCT VALUE of occupational therapy to clients, to team members, and to community members.
University pillars are incorporated into the OT Curriculum in the following ways: learner centered is integrated into the resiliency thread, discovery driven into the professional reasoning thread, and globally engaged into the uniqueness of each individual thread. The CHHS vision is woven into the curricular threads of professional reasoning and occupation-focused practice.
After the threads were identified, the team studied the new standards and began the mapping process. We determined our research, fieldwork, and the capstone needs, all while incorporating our OT PROUD! threads.
What emerged was a powerful curriculum design that revolved around three sets of focused (block) courses which address three different time phases within the lifespan including children, adult and older adult. These focused block courses guide the students through the occupational therapy process over three different semesters. The OT process is divided over the course of three semesters of the focused block courses. The first is analysis and evaluation, the second intervention and outcomes and the third advanced occupational therapy. The Occupational Therapy Practice Framework (OTPF) is used to guide the delivery of content in each focused block course. The courses will be delivered using a multimodal approach and student learning will be assessed in each module. The modules are carefully constructed with scaffolded assignments throughout the Childhood, Adult, and Older Adulthood courses (Occupational Analysis and Evaluation, Occupational Interventions and Outcomes, and Advanced Occupational Therapy). The connection between initial learning and application will be fast, frequent, and reinforced.
These sets of focused block courses are complemented by courses with specified content during each semester. During the first group of focused block courses, students will also be taking Functional Neuroanatomy. They will take Therapeutic Use of Technology during their second focused block course semester that focuses on intervention. During the semester of Advanced OT, they will take the Application of Therapeutic Modalities class. This integration of coursework supports our philosophy of OT education with occupation as a primary focus to facilitate adaptation and growth. Student knowledge gain and skill acquisition are regularly assessed as they progress through their coursework, fieldwork and capstone experiences. As students advance through the curriculum, they will learn increasingly complex concepts and engage in a higher level of professional reasoning.
The scope of the curriculum incorporates both entry-level as well as more advanced and emerging specialty practice areas. The first year and one half includes content for entry-level practitioners. This content includes common conditions practitioners encounter and settings that entry-level practitioners will probably practice. More advanced and emerging specialty practices content is provided the last year of the curriculum.
Our primary method of content delivery is through traditional face-to-face interaction although certain content may be provided using alternative formats. The method of delivery is determined by the course instructor and is influenced by the content and learning objectives associated with each specific course. The instructor may utilize university content delivery styles are described below:
In-person (traditional face-to-face) courses meet physically in classrooms, laboratories, and/or other instructional spaces in accordance with the existing meeting days and times scheduled. Classroom attendance capacity may be limited by safe and responsible social distancing requirements.
Hybrid courses meet both physically and online with 51% or more of the instruction occurring through distance education technologies in a synchronous or asynchronous format. Some hybrid classes are “flipped” classrooms that meet in person weekly for discussions while the “lecture” components are shifted online; others may only meet in person once a month, or less frequently, for exams or other activities. Faculty are committed to providing in-person sessions that are dedicated to active and experiential learning experiences that are not easily replicated online.
Asynchronous online courses are provided when the content lends itself to exclusively online content. These classes require no in-person or synchronous online meetings.
Fully Synchronous Online courses are used when the content does not require a face-to-face experience but is best taught by a scheduled class. Courses meet exclusively through distance education technologies according to the pre-scheduled meeting days and times.
Partially Synchronous Online courses are facilitated through the learning management system and require no in-person sessions. Instructors can incorporate periodic synchronous sessions when the subject matter requires real-time demonstration, collaboration, and/or interaction.
In addition to the coursework that is described below, students will be required to attend occasional Professional Development and Resiliency (PDR) meetings. Meetings will be held during identified semesters (5 in total). Topics for these meetings will enhance the students’ growth specifically in the OT PROUD areas that will reinforce the information they are learning in the curriculum courses.
- Resiliency
- Clifton Strength Assessment
- KAWA Occupational Model
- Tracking Own Goals through Goal Attainment Scale (1 personal one professional)
- Occupation-Focused Self-Reflection in Areas of Occupation
- Unique Differences in People
- Implicit Bias Training
- Cultural Humility
Course Sequence
Year I, Summer II
OT 6001: Foundations of Occupational Therapy Practice (3 credits)
OT 6002: Art of Occupational Therapy Practice (3 credits)
OT 6003: Science of Occupational Therapy Practice (3 credits)
The first group of courses in this curriculum provides the foundation for the subsequent semesters that focus on implementing the OT Process. The Foundations of OT will focus on what occupation-based practice is and the distinct value of OT. The Art of OT Practice will focus on how therapists adjust their interactions with clients based on the uniqueness of the individual. The Science of OT will focus on professional reasoning to understand foundational knowledge of research ethics and how to critique and use research studies to create research proposals.
Year I, Fall Semester -
OT 6101: Occupational Analysis & Evaluation in Childhood (4 credits)
OT 6102: Occupational Analysis & Evaluation in Adulthood (4 credits)
OT 6103: Occupational Analysis & Evaluation in Older Adulthood (4 credits)
OT 6110: Functional Neuroanatomy (3 credits)
Professional Development & Resiliency (PDR) Meeting #1
All five themes are threaded through all three focused block courses this semester. These block courses are focused on the overall evaluation process to provide students the opportunity to explore the broad scope of evaluation that includes the person’s strengths, cultural influences, roles, contexts (including caregivers—resiliency) and goals (uniqueness of the individual) and then to learn how to analyze relevant occupations (distinct value) for the person to meet their stated goals (occupation-focused). Students will be asked to combine information from specific assessments that they administer according to protocols that address typical personal factors and people’s individual variations (professional reasoning). The Functional Neuroanatomy class addresses the uniqueness of each individual by helping the students to understand underlying neurological components of behavior and movement difficulties that people may experience.
Students will begin their Research Project Preparation with a faculty research mentor, planning their research project and beginning the review of the literature in order to use their professional reasoning to plan their research project that will be disseminated the following Fall.
Resiliency is also incorporated in the first Professional Development & Resiliency Meeting.
Year I, Spring Semester
OT 6201: Occupational Interventions & Outcomes in Childhood (4 credits)
OT 6202: Occupational Interventions & Outcomes in Adulthood (4 credits)
OT 6203: Occupational Interventions & Outcomes in Older Adulthood (4 credits)
OT 6405: Research Project Preparation (1 credit)
OT 6120: Therapeutic Use of Technology (3 credits)
Professional Development & Resiliency (PDR) Meeting #2
The following semester, the learning continues from the evaluation and occupational analysis blocks to the interventions and outcomes blocks using the same developmental distinctions for childhood, adulthood and older adulthood. All five themes are included and assessed in these block courses. This learning includes interventions for both individuals and groups that incorporate resiliency, professional reasoning, occupation-focused practice, uniqueness of the individual and the distinct value of OT. Students will also take the Therapeutic Use of Technology class concurrently with this second group of block courses allowing them to learn how to incorporate appropriate technology interventions with the other interventions they are learning, developing their ability to use their professional reasoning and uniqueness of the individual for optimal outcomes. The previous combination of classes prepare the students for the upcoming Level I placements that occur the following three terms.
Students will continue their meetings with the faculty research mentors, working on the approval of the university ethical review board for their group research study.
The second PDR meeting will occur this semester when resiliency will again be addressed.
Year I, Summer I Semester
OT 6501: Fieldwork 1a, 1st Level I FW (2 credits)
OT 6410: Quantitative Reasoning (3 credits)
Year II, Summer II Semester
OT 6502: Fieldwork 1b, 1st Level I FW (2 credits)
OT 6420: Qualitative Reasoning (2 credits)
OT 6601: Leadership Development and Advocacy (2 credits)
During the Summer I and Summer II terms, students will complete their Level I FW experiences with the opportunity to apply what they have learned in the previous terms. They will be assessed on each of the curricular threads in their Level I FW placements using the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) Level I Fieldwork Competency Evaluation.
Students will also take a research methods class during each of these terms, learning the foundational principles of conducting research studies for both quantitative and qualitative studies. Professional reasoning will be assessed in the research courses. Students will be completing their data collection during the summer terms and beginning the analysis of their data.
In Summer II, students will also complete their leadership development and advocacy class where they will be assessed on their ability to incorporate their communication skills and will be assessed on their professional reasoning, distinct value of OT, uniqueness of the individual, and occupation focused practice skills.
Year II, Fall Semester
OT 6503: Fieldwork 1c, 2nd Level I FW (4 credits)
OT 6430: Research Dissemination (3 credits)
OT 6640: Theory Application Professional Reasoning (3 credits)
OT 7010: Applications of Therapeutic Modalities (1 credit)
Elective Option (3 credits)
PDR Meeting #3
Building on the research preparation and ethical training that students completed during previous semesters, students will complete the analysis and discussion of the group research project they have been working on for the past year. They will disseminate at the end of the fall semester in the OT 6430 class. The threads of professional reasoning, occupation focused practice and distinct value of OT will be assessed in this class. These same threads will be assessed during their theory application through professional reasoning class, applying the OT theories, models of practice and frames of reference in relation to their Level I fieldwork experiences and their personal integration of the philosophy of occupational therapy. This semester students will also take a 1 credit hour class on the application of therapeutic modalities, which will incorporate professional reasoning. The 3rd PDR meeting will occur this semester, and the thread of resiliency will be addressed.
Year II, Spring Semester
OT 6301: Advanced Occupational Therapy in Childhood (4 credits)
OT 6302: Advanced Occupational Therapy in Adulthood (4 credits)
OT 6303: Advanced Occupational Therapy in Older Adulthood (4 credits)
OT 6504: Fieldwork Id, 3rd Level I Fieldwork (4 credits)
PDR Meeting #4
Students build on their learning from their previous courses, two Level I fieldwork experiences and three PDR meetings to really progress their professional reasoning in their advanced focused block courses and 3rd Level I experience. The students apply the OT Practice Framework in their advanced block courses in a more integrated way and find more appropriate evidence-based support for their 3rd Level I experience. The 4th PDR meeting also occurs during this semester to continue to allow students to reflect on their professional growth. This semester the students will be assessed in all of the curricular threads: professional reasoning, occupation focused practice distinct value of OT, resiliency and uniqueness of the individual.
Year II, Summer I
OT 7201: Capstone Preparation (2 credits)
OT 7900: Practice Competency (1 credit)
OT 6602: Practice Management (2 credits)
Student growth in the areas of professional reasoning, resiliency and distinct value occurs through completion of a literature review, needs assessment, goals/objectives and evaluation plan associated with their future doctoral capstone experience. These skills will be expanded upon as students learn the various aspects of practice management. This includes utilizing leadership and advocacy tools to enhance understanding methods of supervising staff, performing program evaluation, ensuring quality management, and developing business plans. The Practice Competency course prepares the student for Level II fieldwork by providing the student with constructive feedback through a proficiency to refine practical skill development thereby enhancing professional reasoning and resiliency.
Year III, Summer II
OT 7901: - Fieldwork IIa, 1st Level II FW (3 credits)
Year III, Fall
OT 7902: - Fieldwork IIb, 2nd Level II FW (3 credits)
Every curricular thread including professional reasoning, resiliency, occupation-focused, uniqueness of individual and distinct value is addressed during Level II fieldwork as students complete a twelve-week, full-time affiliation at a community fieldwork site providing the student experience in designated areas of the occupational therapy practice. Students will be evaluated at midterm and final using the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) form: Fieldwork Performance Evaluation (FWPE) for the Occupational Therapy Student.
Year III, Spring
OT 7202: - Doctoral Capstone – 6 credits
The capstone experience is an immersive 14-week experiential endeavor designed to enhance every curricular thread including professional reasoning, resiliency, occupation-focused, uniqueness of individual and distinct value. Capstone student performance will be evaluated using WMU’s Mentor Evaluation of Student Doctoral Capstone Experience Performance.