Near Peer Evaluation: Implementation of T-RES for Occupational Therapy Fieldwork Placements, Phase 2

Donna Dryan, Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Medicine
Cynthia Fraser, Clinical Assistant Professor / OT Clinical Instructor, GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre
Phillip Wendt, Academic Fieldwork Coordinator, Queen's University
Stephanie Davidson, Student, Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT)
Kris Kant, Student, MOT
Chloe Whittaker, Student, MOT
Laura Bulk, Student, MOT
Luisa Yu, Student, MOT
Kent Haden, Industry Partner, T-Res

This project will design, pilot and evaluate a web-based tool that allows students to record their daily patient encounters and reflect on these learning experiences while in the placement setting. Reflective practice is often advocated as a means of bridging the gap between theory and practice. In the Master of Occupational Therapy program, students complete over 1000 hours of fieldwork (31 weeks in total) as part of their training. Currently, there is no method to track their individual placement experiences or a method for them to systematically reflect on these experiences. This project will provide (a) the tool for occupational therapy students to track placement activities with accuracy, which in turn will be fed back to the placement coordinator so that the placement matching process can be strengthened, and (b) an easy to use tool to support students’ personal reflection.

Donna Drynan, Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Medicine
Stephanie Crozier, Year 2 Student, Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT)
Kris Kent, Year 2 Student, MOT
Cloe Whittaker, Year 2 Student, MOT
Laura Bulk, Year 2 Student, MOT
Luisa Yu, Year 2 Student, MOT
Erin Victor, Year 1 Student, MOT
Heather Franz, Year 1 Student, MOT

This project will continue to evaluate a web-based tool that allows students to record their daily patient encounters and reflect on these learning experiences while in fieldwork. Reflective practice is often advocated as a means of bridging the gap between theory and practice. In the Master of Occupational Therapy program, students complete over 1000 hours of fieldwork as part of their training. With the implementation of T-Res (November 2013), this will be the first opportunity for students to track their individual placement experiences and to systematically reflect on these experiences with integrated feedback. This phase of the project extends the small pilot project: it provides the tool for all occupational therapy students to track placement activities with accuracy and engage in seamless reflective practice, and builds in the means for receiving feedback on submitted reflections by "near-peers" (senior students providing feedback to junior students).