Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), University of Findlay, 2022, Education

Occupational therapy education standards have recently changed to require students to demonstrate knowledge and use of the safe and effective application of physical agents. This change, which occurred in 2020, is more rigorous in the area of deep thermal and electrotherapeutic agents than in previous revisions. This mixed-methods convergent study surveyed occupational therapists who are also Certified Hand Therapists to learn how they developed competence in the use of electrotherapeutic and deep thermal physical agents and what they believed to be effective educational methods in their learning. A survey gathered quantitative data for the study. Follow-up semi-structured interviews were completed to gather qualitative data. Data analysis included descriptive statistics for quantitative data and demographic data, as well as inferential statistics through the use of single-factor analyses of variance with post hoc testing. Results indicated practitioners use a variety of training methods to develop competence in the use of complex physical agents. Continuing education and fieldwork education resulted in higher levels of independence when compared with manufacturer's sales representative training. Continuing education, fieldwork education, entry-level education, post-professional education, and on-the-job training were associated with higher levels of competence than no training at all, indicating the aforementioned methods were all effective in developing competence. Triangulated results support learner demonstration, supervised and repetitive practice, and feedback during learning as essential methods for developing competence in complex physical agents. This study provides recommendations for effective educational methods for teaching and learning complex physical agents applicable to occupational therapy educators, novice practitioners, and occupational therapy students.

Committee: Christine Denecker (Committee Chair); Jon Brasfield (Committee Member); Alfred Bracciano (Committee Member) Subjects: Adult Education; Curriculum Development; Education; Health Sciences; Higher Education; Occupational Therapy

PhD, University of Cincinnati, 2017, Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services: Educational Studies

Online higher education has expanded extensively. Graduate health science disciplines have experienced significant growth in online education (Lytle, 2011). Applied patient practices benefit from technological tools for effective instructional formats. Unfortunately, the occupational therapy (OT) profession has not embraced the online education transition: The American Occupational Therapy Association ([AOTA], 2017) reported fewer than 10 percent of programs across the country offer more than 75% of their curriculum online. Given the shortages of OTs projected to continue across the country (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2015a; Lin, Zhang, & Dixon, 2015) and the recent requirement for clinical doctoral preparation for entry level therapists by 2027, effective online educational could promote greater opportunities for future therapists. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between reflective journaling (RJ) and self-regulated learning (SRL) and how to apply this information to online education for OT graduate students. The self-determination theory ([SDT] Ryan & Deci, 2000) was the foundation for this study because students, particularly those in graduate online education programs, must be competent and self-directed for optimal success. SDT recognizes three basic human needs which are the foundation for motivation and behaviors (autonomy, competence, and relatedness). Self-regulated learning (SRL), a process by which students influence their academic success, involves goal setting and planning, selection and implementation of metacognitive and behavioral strategies for effective learning. Students must then evaluate the effectiveness of their strategies through self-reflection and adjust the strategies to best meet their academic goals. Schon (1983) applied self-reflection to professional practice which underscores reflective practice for increasing competence of health care professionals. The study context was an online, graduate (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Kay Seo Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Marcus Johnson Ph.D. (Committee Member); Christopher Swoboda Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Instructional Design

Bachelor of Arts, Walsh University, 2023, Honors

Pediatric occupational therapy is a common form of therapy used to treat children with all types of developmental delays and diagnoses. One main developmental delay for school-aged children six to twelve years of age are fine motor skills. Fine motor skills are movements that are smaller than that of gross motor and involve the hands, wrists, and fingers. In school, fine motor skills include things like cutting, coloring, drawing, and handwriting. School-based occupational therapists (SBOT) play a significant role in supporting developmentally delayed children through individualized interventions to help each individual student be able to accomplish crucial fine motor milestones. In this research, interview data was collected from nine SBOT practitioners concerning the most effective interventions for fine motor delays from their perceptions and compared to that of supported research articles. The significance of this study was to identify if a group of local SBOT practitioners utilize evidence-based fine motor interventions or other approaches in practice. This results determined that SBOT practitioners' intervention techniques for fine motor skills aligned with that of empirically supported research. The main point of this research study was supported, but other findings concerning fine motor intervention in schools were recognized for future direction. Several SBOT practitioners and several research articles noted the need for collaboration of teachers, parents, and aids in expediting student fine motor development.

Committee: Dr. Joseph Wayand (Advisor); Dr. Nina Rytwinski (Committee Co-Chair); Dr. Carey Minard (Committee Chair) Subjects: Continuing Education; Early Childhood Education; Health Education; Occupational Therapy; Teacher Education

Doctor of Philosophy in Health Sciences, Youngstown State University, 2023, Department of Graduate Studies in Health and Rehabilitation Sciences

This project aimed to examine the effects of a novel training program using interprofessional, multicultural learning activities to facilitate learning cultural competence with humility (CCH). Problem: Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) academic programs have consistently satisfied curricular standards for aspects of cultural competence, but the evidence is sparse related to the contemporary constructs of CCH from instructional strategies to assessment. This project explores the effectiveness of interprofessional multicultural learning activities for CCH through the constructs of cultural awareness, knowledge, skills, and desire to prepare students to meet the purposive sample of convenience with a cohort of MOT and Counseling and Human Development (CHD) students from a single academic institution. A convergent mixed-methods design was employed for this retrospective study utilizing three outcome tools (Learning Activities Survey [LAS], Fieldwork Performance Evaluation for the Occupational Therapy Student [FWPE-OT], and the Modified Cultural Competency Self-Assessment [M-CCSA]). Quantitative and qualitative data for the constructs of CCH (cultural awareness, knowledge, skills, and desire) were compiled and analyzed to determine the effectiveness of the interprofessional multicultural learning activities of a novel training program.

Committee: Cara Berg-Carramusa EdD (Advisor); Tiffany Peets PhD (Committee Member); Karen Keptner PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Counseling Education; Cultural Resources Management; Curricula; Curriculum Development; Educational Tests and Measurements; Health Care; Health Sciences; Higher Education; Occupational Therapy

EdD, University of Cincinnati, 2001, Education : Curriculum and Instruction

The focus of this study was a sensory-based hand-held tool, called a squeezie, used to promote attention in first grade students. Paying attention is a keystone behavior laying the foundation for later success in all academic areas. The sample included the first grade classrooms from a midwestern school selected by convenience. Data were gathered on three consecutive school days to measure the difference in the attention of children when they did and did not use the squeezie. The children listened to a story read aloud by their teacher; the measure of attention was a 10-item quiz. A repeated measures one-way analysis of variance showed no significant difference between the baseline scores and the treatment groups as well as the no treatment conditions with either classroom when the presence of inter-dependence was included as a factor. Although the scores did not appreciably increase, it is significant to note that they did not decline when the intervention was employed. Using the sensory-based tool in this population resulted in positive benefits as reported by the students and the teachers. Through individual interviews, the overwhelming majority of the children indicated they valued the intervention and would like to use it again. They were insightful in the ways they perceived the squeezie to be helpful. Similarly, the teachers indicated satisfaction with the use of the squeezies to promote attention in their students. They reported they will use them again and will recommend their use to others. This high level of social validity is a testimony to the worthiness of the intervention. These data failed to support the concerns of educators who may be reluctant to use such a “fun” tool for fear of classroom disruption. Conversely, the data suggested that use of such a tool had some benefits for almost all the children in this study. These data give educators and occupational therapists information on the use of a sensory-based tool to modulate attention in children (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Dr. Glenn Markle (Advisor) Subjects:

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2007, Higher Education (Education)

This study of 236 full-time Occupational Therapy faculty members from accredited OT programs in the United States identified beliefs, intentions, and actions in a classroom setting using the Teacher Perspectives Inventory. Occupational Therapy educators reported the highest mean intention and action scores in the Apprenticeship and Developmental perspectives and the highest mean belief score in the Nurturing perspective. The factors years of teaching experience and Carnegie Classification institutional type were not found to be of significant difference in results, but a significant difference was found between intentions and actions in each perspective. The most significant implication for practice was the amount of reported actions in the Transmission perspective even though faculty reported less intention in the classroom. Supplemental analysis of master's and doctoral institutions were completed, indicating a significant difference between pre- and late-tenure faculty in Transmission beliefs. This result suggests that a change in beliefs about classroom teaching practices is occurring from a teacher-centered to student-centered environments.

Committee: Marc Cutright (Advisor) Subjects: