Occupational Therapy and Product Design Students Learning Together

Abstract

This paper is a case study of a particular project (the Vision 20/20 project), which was developed by students on an interdisciplinary project. The goal of the project was to develop a child-to-child vision screening toolkit to integrate eye health into the school curriculum and make vision testing more accessible for children. An interdisciplinary research team was formed to support the students, and then continued to work together to ensure the ongoing sustainability of the project. The team used an action research approach and consisted of researchers and practitioners from three institutions: Otago Polytechnic, the University of Otago, and Tahuna Intermediate School (10-13 year olds). It was made of occupational therapists, optometrists, product designers, teachers and learners (at multiple levels). This case study exemplifies how problem-based learning can provide a context for students to do real work that makes a difference in the world. This goal of the Vision 20/20 project connects closely with the commitment underpinning the UN Sustainable Development Goals, which is to leave no one behind. The SDG for health (Goal 3: Good Health and Wellbeing) links with the World Health Organisation Global Action Plan on Universal Eye Health. There is considerable scope for this project to continue to develop in ways that will feed our long-term goal of ensuring that no child is left behind because of poor vision. Similarly this project illustrates how faculty members from different disciplines can work together to develop a learning environment that enriches student’s learning opportunities.