An international systematic mapping review of fieldwork education in occupational therapy

Abstract

Three recommendations were identified: strengthen procedures for studying singular fieldwork experiences, broaden rationales for studying fieldwork, and translate educational concepts for occupational therapy.

Dietetics workforce preparation and preparedness in Australia: A systematic mapping review to inform future dietetics education research

“…Their results can highlight gaps in the literature, inform future research priority areas and provide health professional educators with direction on their research and education activities . Such reviews have been beneficial in providing guidance for academic and educational activities in other health professions including occupational therapy and medicine . Despite the existence of an increasingly vast body of health professions’ education literature, profession‐specific education research can be used to better prepare students to address future challenges…”

Exploring the relationship between resilience and practice education placement success in occupational therapy students

“…Students’ final scores across the eight SPEF–R domains were in the higher range, supporting previous research that highlights practice education as an opportunity for students to develop their toolbox of communication, thinking and procedural skills and coping capacities as well as an opportunity to consolidate theory knowledge and skills learnt in the classroom context. (Roberts et al, ). These findings also signify the importance of practice education placements providing practical experiences in authentic contexts that encourage the development of students’ professional self‐identity (Roberts et al, ).…”

“…(Roberts et al, ). These findings also signify the importance of practice education placements providing practical experiences in authentic contexts that encourage the development of students’ professional self‐identity (Roberts et al, ).…”

“…By not having the required and refined coping skills, stress management techniques, and problem‐solving strategies readily at hand, when students encounter problems and dilemmas in practice education settings, their personal and professional resilience may be challenged (Boardman, ). These issues are particularly acute when students are required to undertake practice education placements where they are faced with the reality of professional practice following classroom learning and they may feel isolated, unprepared and unsupported (McCloughen & Foster, ; Roberts, Hooper, Wood, & King, ; Yu et al, ).…”

Balancing Efficacy and Effectiveness with Philosophy, History, and Theory-Building in Occupational Therapy Education Research

“…In occupational therapy, systematic mapping studies have found that academic and fieldwork education research is characterized by descriptive inquiry methods used to study learning activities in local contexts, where student perceptions are the primary outcomes; however, studies frequently omit theoretical frameworks and use of philosophy, history, and theory as windows on data (Hooper, King, Wood, Bilics, & Gupta, 2013;Roberts, Hooper, Wood, & King, 2014). While much of the work in occupational therapy education research can be classified as descriptive, it is not as if it has been intentionally and systematically descriptive.…”