Practice and Service Learning in Occupational Therapy: Enhancing Potential in Context

While this book is based primarily on experiences of occupational therapy practice education in South Africa, it aims to have international appeal as key principles of practice and service learning are drawn from the differing scenarios covered. Based on qualitative research, some of the book's chapters describe issues faced by students in complex practice situations and highlight educational strategies for promoting socially responsive professional development. They show how students engage with the personal and professional challenges of working in a multicultural society and how situated learning can enhance their resourcefulness in meeting the needs of individuals, groups and communities. The book is divided into three sections: The first, on the practice education agenda, establishes the academic rationale for various forms of practice learning within an occupational therapy curriculum. The second section examines the learning opportunities offered by different practice contexts and highlights mechanisms for developing the professional identity of students. The final section, on enhancing potential, reviews mechanisms that may be used for supporting students in the field, and ends with a look at the future of practice education and how it might develop in response to social and international drivers.

Table of Contents:
List of Contributors. Foreword I by Alfred Ramukumba. Foreword II by Jennifer Creek. I: THE CONTEXT OF PRACTICE AND SERVICE LEARNING. Introduction to Section l. 1. Practice and service learning in context, (Madeleine Duncan, Auldeen Alsop). 2. A responsive curriculum for new forms of practice education and learning, (Madeleine Duncan, Janice McMillan). 3. Reflecting on contexts of service learning, (Robin Joubert, Roshan Galvaan, Theresa Lorenzo, Elelwani Ramugondo). 4. A quality framework for practice education and learning, (Madeleine Duncan, Theresa Lorenzo). II: DEVELOPING PROFESSIONAL IDENTITY. Introduction to Section ll. 5. Preparing students for the complexities of practice learning, (Helen Buchanan, Lizahn Cloete). 6. Working in the real world: unlocking the potential of students, (Theresa Lorenzo, Helen Buchanan). 7. Role emerging settings, service learning and social change, (Roshan Galvaan). 8. Group learning experiences in rural communities, (Fasloen Adams, Heather Wonnacott). 9. Group supervision: making the most of limited educational infrastructures, (Elke Hagedorn, Fasloen Adams). 10. Engaging students as partners in service development, (Theresa Lorenzo, Auldeen Alsop). 11. Partnerships in service learning evaluation, (Lucia Hess-April). III: ENHANCING POTENTIAL. Introduction to Section lll. 12. Group processes in practice education, (Madeleine Duncan). 13. Transforming experience into learning: briefing and debriefing for practice learning, (Lindsey Nicholls and Alice Mackenzie). 14. Promoting competence through assessment, (Madeleine Duncan, Robin Joubert). 15. Engaging with student writing: using feedback to promote learning, (Madeleine Duncan, Helen Buchanan). 16. The student as supervisor, (Lana van Niekerk, Madeleine Duncan, Karen Prakke). 17. Enhancing potential through lifelong learning and research, (Auldeen Alsop). 18. Looking ahead: future directions in practice education and research, (Auldeen Alsop, Madeleine Duncan, Theresa Lorenzo, Helen Buchanan). Glossary. Index. SUBJECT INDEX.