Kendra Nimmo & Jennifer Turnbull

Jen_Kendra

Project Title:  Assessing the quality of fieldwork learning environments

Authors:  Kendra Nimmo, Jennifer Turnbull, Dr. Leanne Currie, Dr. Angela Wolff, & Donna Drynan

Introduction: Fieldwork is a fundamental feature of occupational therapy education, priming students to become competent entry-level practitioners (Hall, MacFarlane, and Mulholland, 2012). There are critical shortages in fieldwork placements, making it more important than ever to optimize the quality of the learning environment (Thomas et al., 2007). However, little is known about the current quality of fieldwork learning environments available to occupational therapy students in British Columbia.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the quality of the fieldwork learning environment from the perspective of occupational therapists working in British Columbia.

Methods: Through the creation and distribution of a web survey tool, the Quality of Occupational Therapy Fieldwork (QOTFE), this study will determine current fieldwork experience quality according to occupational therapists practicing across British Columbia. Domains covered by the survey include: (1) Role of Fieldwork Educator in Student Learning (2) Role of the Practice Environment and Team in Student Learning (3) Manager’s Contribution to Student Learning (4) Readiness to Support Student Learning

Results/practice implications: This research will present a picture of the current quality of fieldwork experiences available to occupational therapy students and will inform factors that may contribute to improving the learning experience for educators and students alike.