Collaborative Learning in a Faculty-led Occupational Therapy Level I Fieldwork: A Case Study

Fieldwork experiences in occupational therapy are meant to bridge the gap between academic learning and clinical practice. Various formats for fieldwork experiences have been encouraged as sites become harder to find. A faculty-led fieldwork experience is one suggested format. Faculty-led initiatives using a collaborative learning model (CLM) allow faculty to supervise a group of students at one time. In order to understand more about using a CLM within Level I fieldwork, a case study approach was used to describe the experience of nine occupational therapy students. Results suggest that the students involved in this faculty-led Level I fieldwork experience in a CLM were self-directed and reflective in practice as they were stretched outside their comfort zone. Under a faculty-led collaborative student supervision model, the occupational therapy students increased their confidence and learned clinical reasoning skills through peer collaboration. These results suggest that CLM can provide adequate structure for faculty-led fieldwork initiatives. Occupational therapy programs should provide opportunities to develop goals and be reflective and self-directed in practice during faculty-led Level I fieldwork experiences. Other considerations for OT programs wishing to develop such experiences are discussed.