Perspectives on Occupational Therapy Education

Perspectives on Occupational Therapy Education: Past, Present, and Future outlines a path forward for occupational therapy educators, incorporating the impact of historical context, contemporary issues and trends, and international viewpoints on the development of the profession.

With this mission in mind, Drs. Steven D. Taff, Lenin C. Grajo, and Barbara R. Hooper offer helpful tips, practical tools, and fresh insights to support current and future educators in developing their teaching philosophies and pedagogies. The book is divided into three main sections—past, present, and future—and examines:

• The history of occupational therapy education, including the influence of critical philosophies, their relationship to higher education and healthcare, and the growth of accreditation standards and professional degree programs.
• Current trends and challenges in healthcare and higher education, including bridging the gap between education and practice, the use of competency exams, expanding educational research, and promoting diversity and inclusion among faculty and students.
• International perspectives on the development and future of occupational therapy education from leading scholars in Africa, Australia, Europe, North America, South America, and Southeast Asia, including trends in educational technologies, fieldwork education and requirements, and inter-professional education.

An indispensable resource for educators, Perspectives on Occupational Therapy Education: Past, Present, and Future concludes with an imagining of the occupational therapy education landscape in the year 2050: a future in which occupational therapy educators are continuously responding to ongoing changes in health care policies, adapting to a more diverse and globally connected student population, and articulating the distinct value of occupational therapy in new and emerging areas of practice.

Included with the text are online supplemental materials for faculty use in the classroom.