| Title | Implementing Climate and Sustainability Education in Occupational Therapy Programs |
|---|---|
| Faculty/College/Unit | Medicine |
| Status | Active |
| Duration | 2 Year |
| Initiation | 04/01/2024 |
| Funding Details | |
| Year 1: Project Title | Integrating and Enhancing Occupational Therapy Programs Climate and Sustainability Education |
| Year 1: Project Year | Year 1 |
| Year 1: Funding Year | 2024/2025 |
| Year 1: Project Type | Small TLEF |
| Year 1: Principal Investigator | Ben Mortenson |
| Year 1: Funded Amount | 25,000 |
| Year 1: Team Members | Ben Mortenson, Head / Professor, Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Medicine |
| Year 1: Summary | The ongoing climate crisis and sustainability are increasingly recognized as critical factors that significantly impact health and necessitate fundamental considerations in related education and healthcare practices. This two-year initiative seeks to comprehensively integrate climate change and sustainability topics into the Occupational Therapy (OT) curricula at both undergraduate and graduate levels. The project encompasses a wide array of subjects, including foundations of climate science, sustainability, changing occupations, recycling, food insecurity, climate migration, disaster management, emergency preparedness, inter-generational Issues, and interdisciplinary approaches. The first year is dedicated to curriculum assessment, material development, and pilot testing, while the second year focuses on full integration, evaluation, and continuous improvement. The program aims to enhance existing clinical practice, promote multidisciplinary learning, and encourage community engagement and OT research in related to climate change. The initiative will prepare future occupational therapists to actively contribute to sustainability efforts and better address the climate-related challenges within their practice. |
| Year 2: Project Year | Year 2 |
| Year 2: Funding Year | 2025/2026 |
| Year 2: Project Type | Small TLEF |
| Year 2: Principal Investigator | Ben Mortenson |
| Year 2: Funded Amount | 25,000 |
| Year 2: Team Members | Ben Mortenson, Head / Professor, Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Medicine |
| Year 2: Summary | The ongoing climate crisis and sustainability are increasingly recognized as critical factors that significantly impact health and require fundamental changes in educational and healthcare practices. This application is a request for Year 2 funding for the “Implementing Climate and Sustainability Education in Occupational Therapy Programs” project, which we received one year of TELF funding in 2024. This planned two-year initiative seeks to comprehensively integrate climate change and sustainability topics into the Occupational Therapy (OT) curricula at both undergraduate and graduate levels. The project encompasses a wide array of subjects, including Foundations of Climate Science, Sustainability, Changing Occupations, Recycling, Food Insecurity, Climate Migration, Disaster Management, Emergency Preparedness, Intergenerational Issues, and Interdisciplinary Approaches. The first year is underway with a focus on outreach, content development, delivery, and feedback. In this proposed second year, we focus on full integration of content in the MOT curriculum, including evaluation and implementation of continuous improvement measures. |