Engaging persons with disabilities as community teachers for experiential learning in occupational therapy education

Abstract

BackgroundCultivating empathy towards persons with disabilities has been highlighted as an essential graduate attribute in the occupational therapy profession.PurposeWith the aim to developing a more holistic understanding of disability, this project seeks to translate an experiential learning activity developed in Canada to the local Singaporean context. Small groups of two to three students were paired with a person with physical disability, known as a community teacher, for a series of visits to observe and participate in their self-care, productivity and leisure activities.MethodA sequential explanatory mixed methods design was adopted with the administration of an adapted version of the Multidimensional Attitudes Scale Towards Persons with Disabilities on 51 first year occupational therapy students. Seventeen students participated in three focus group discussions at the end of the learning activity.Findings: Comparison of pre- and post-scores using Wilcoxon signed-rank tests of all three subscales of the Multidimensional Attitudes Scale Towards Persons with Disabilities yielded significant improvements. The average score for Affect improved from 42.94 to 32.08, z = −5.43, P < .001; for Cognition improved from 26.12 to 21.41, z = −4.20, P < .001; for Behaviour improved from 23.78 to 20.65, z= −4.44, P < .001. Effect sizes ranged from medium to large. Thematic analysis of focus groups led to the identification of four themes that explained these improvements.Implications: Experiential learning can be effective in cultivating empathy and improving attitudes of occupational therapy students towards persons with disabilities. There is potential to expand this pedagogical approach to other health sciences disciplines.

Embedding graduate attributes during occupational therapy curriculum development: A scoping review and qualitative research synthesis

“…First, we use used a combination of the keywords ‘occupational therapy’ and ‘graduate attributes’ in all text of a paper. Of the 55 papers identified, one met our inclusion criteria (Lim, Leet Tan, Lim, Goh, 2018). We then broadened the search to include papers identified with the keywords ‘occupational therapy’ and ‘curriculum development’.…”

“…Peer learning was also highlighted as an important active learning strategy to develop a broad range of graduate attributes. Lim et al (2018) used an experiential learning activity with to develop empathy as a graduate attribute, and a more holistic understanding of disability, among 51 first-year occupational therapy students in Singapore. Two to three students were paired with a 'community teacher', who was living with a physical disability.…”

“…Over a series of visits, students observed and participated in their community leaders' self-care, productivity, and leisure activities. There was a medium to large effect of this educational intervention, and concluded that experiential learning was an effective pedagogical tool in cultivating empathy and improving attitudes towards persons with disabilities (Lim et al, 2018). Larkin and Richardson (2013) used the theory of constructive alignment as their guiding framework.…”

From Social Exclusion to Respect for the Human Rights of Persons With Disabilities

“…Interacting with people with disabilities improves students' attitudes toward disability (Lim, et al, 2018). Interacting with people with disabilities encourages empathy, a soft skill that is very necessary for the development of the whole person.…”