Otago Polytechnic/Occupational Therapy

Organisation: Otago Polytechnic Project plan author: Fiona Mains (aka Athena) fionamainsATtekotagoDOTacDOTnz

Executive summary Occupational Therapy students need a balance between theoretical and practical knowledge for learning to become competent Occupational Therapists (OT's). Currently in New Zealand, there are two learning institutions available for the educating of OTs both in Dunedin and Auckland providing an education base and outreach for fieldwork experiential learning. Things are about to change in this respect for Otago Polytechnic now that WINTEC have signed a contract with Otago Polytechnic that covers the delivery for occupational therapy bachelor program to be taught online to their region (Hamilton) based students with a group of staff on the ground offering hands on support. There is also a need to keep teaching staff updated with current clinical practice and vice versa of keeping OT's in practice aware of current theory to support their practice. Having a Wiki... web site called School of Occupational Therapy to link the student, educator and clinician online. Also, keeping the environment in the context of learning in particular fields of interest would connect students to the wider clinical environment from their home base until they were ready to venture out and meet, go on placement or eventually work with other professionals. Wiki... is seen as the main online medium of achieving the above. Aim: The aim of this project is to establish a generic Wiki... for the School of Occupational Therapy at Otago Polytechnic and then to create sub-topic/branches for subject area or topic areas to be developed and managed under this system.

Objectives: 1.	Check the viability of utilising Wiki... for this purpose there maybe another more suitable choices out there on the web. 2.	Develop and send out electronic questionnaires (Survey Monkey ) to academic staff, students and practicing therapists to canvas this idea and to check out what their needs are. 3.	Establish a virtual school of Occupational Therapy on the Wiki... and then subbranch it into either subject, topic or special interest areas. 4.	Decide whether to open to population or have a members only group. 5.	Find out more how Wiki Educator works. List of performance indicators: 1.	Consult with IT and other academic staff users, to determine the Internet tool option for this purpose. 2.	Collate questionnaire results and search for common themes from all parties. 3.	From the common themes identified create subgroups of interests. 4.	From questionnaire find out what people want to and can contribute to this site. 5.	Complete an e-tools (digital literacy) training course for self and interested academics. Flexible learning analysis:

The perceived flexible learning needs of the students, academics and clinicians would be there would be a virtual link between these fields of practice, where each subgroup could enrol and stay connected with potential capturing of market of students who keep themselves enrolled once they graduate and therefore retaining the market of interest. Flexible learning services: Enrolment would be for staff, students and clinicians. Staff may wish to up skill in a clinical area with students and other clinicians. It is about shared knowledge. An assessment could be offered to test competence and would link directly to the OT Board competencies to practice in NZ. Communication strategies, would be live chat either using tools such as Elluminate or email chat boards.

Information formats: unsure as yet what this will involve. Learning support services: (including technical support) would be offered from Otago Polytechnic ITS staff. The type of services which already exist that compliment, is the post graduate programme for OT's who have enrolled in the honours, post grad diploma or masters programme. This programme would link the post grad with the undergraduate students, other academic staff and clinicians. Competition is not out there yet. Sustainability, social, ecological and economical factors, sustainable as the education can continue after formal training, social as we are pulling social groups together who would not have this opportunity very often to do so. Access & equity, accessible if you have access to the Internet. Creating equity between student, academic and Cultural diversity, clinician.in that therapist working in a wide range of clinical settings can feed into this web site.

This plan compliments the Otago Polytechnics strategic direction.

References: Learning theories, models of Kolb, Vygotsky Dion Hinchcliffe.

Budget: Lots of set up money from the Teaching and Learning Innovation fund.

Time line for development

(2008) June proposal set up on Google Documents, July setting up of Wiki... shell for School of Occupational Therapy and establish a sub-branch shells, August establish questionnaire on Survey Monkey

September launch Wiki... shell at NZAOT conference in Palmerston North, October review questionnaires and data base of interested parties,

November initial set up of Otago Polytechnic School of Occupational Therapy Wiki... main page.

(2009) February staff training on Wiki... for School of Occupational Therapy, March launch the Wiki... with Wintec and Otago Polytechnic students,

April - June 2008 build up education base and interest areas,

August review project. All of the above plan was then to be presented on Odyssey blog and on Google Documents to be commented upon.