| Summary: | This thesis investigated the supervisory process between occupational therapy students and practice educators during practice placements. It explored the strategies and techniques used by both students and practitioners to facilitate students' learning and to develop their ability to reflect on practice. Few studies have investigated this topic specifically in relation to occupational therapy students, revealing a gap in relation to the reality of what actually occurs during supervision sessions. The researcher argued that observation of supervision sessions should provide accurate, detailed accounts of the content, structure and format of the sessions with clear analysis of the techniques/strategies being adopted. A case study approach was used to enable the researcher to gain a unique insight into the real life supervisory relationships between occupational therapy students and their practice educators, involving a number of methods of data collection: focus groups, questionnaires, observations and audio- recordings of 20 supervision sessions. The major themes to emerge from the focus groups and questionnaires showed the importance of effective interpersonal skills in fostering a partnership approach that encouraged students to take responsibility for their own learning. Interpretive analysis of the audio-recordings identified various techniques used by practice educators such as probing questions, sharing accounts of their own reflections, and giving constructive feedback. However, the findings also revealed areas for improvement. Although each practice educator had their own style of supervision and all endeavoured to assist their student with their professional and personal development, they did so with varying degrees of effectiveness. Examples of good practice were demonstrated in relation to the effective supervision of students on placement, but it was shown that the preparation of students and practice educators could be enhanced and further strengthened to ensure that both parties fully appreciate the purpose and benefits of effective supervision and their roles within that process. IX Abbreviations ACE AHP APPLE COT CPD DHSS PS HEFCE HEI HPC IPE UK WFOT Accreditation of Clinical Educators Allied Health Professions Accreditation of Practice Placement Educators College of Occupational Therapists Continuous Professional Development Department of Health and Social Services and Public Safety Higher Education Funding Council Higher Education Institutions Health Professions Council Inter-Professional Education United Kingdom World Federation of Occupational Therapists.
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