Student Perceptions of Non-traditional Level I Fieldwork

• Main Authors: Sarah Nielsen, Janet S. Jedlicka, Debra Hanson, Lavonne Fox, Cherie Graves
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Eastern Kentucky University 2017-01-01
• Series: Journal of Occupational Therapy Education
• Subjects: Non-traditional level I fieldwork; occupational therapy education; cultural competence; qualitative focus group
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.26681/jote.2017.010206

Academic programs commonly face challenges in developing Level I fieldwork where students have ample opportunity to practice and understand occupation. In response to this challenge, our academic program developed a non-traditional Level I fieldwork. The purpose of this study was to understand the student perceptions of this learning experience. Focus group methodology was employed. Fifty-nine students participated in one of six focus groups. Six themes were identified through the data analysis process. These included challenges and rewards of effective communication, learning to think like an OT, a greater understanding and focus on occupations, developing skills in cultural understanding and advocacy, gaining confidence through doing, and the logistical challenges of getting everyone on the same page. These themes supported that students viewed non-traditional Level I fieldwork paired with structured classroom learning activities positively. A pattern across all themes was that students learned because they were able to make mistakes, reflect on them, and change their action. Limitations include that student perceptions are only one aspect of understanding the impact of learning experiences; therefore further study is needed.