Overview:
August 2000 saw the appearance of the first three ENOTHE publications on Occupational Therapy Education. Exactly four years later, August 2004, ENOTHE has published three new books, reporting on three projects:
The book about problem based learning (PBL) is also available in a German translation:
PBL Geschichten & Wegweiser, zu einem an problembasierten Lernen orientierten Curriculum.
The books have an appealing design: the colorful covers indicate both the contents of the individual books as well as their connection with each other. They are clearly structured, making it easy to find relevant information quickly. Below, a summary is given of all three books.
Aim of the project
This book gives a description of the planning, progress and conclusions of the project "Approaches to Teaching and Learning 'Practical' Occupational Therapy Skills, sharing best practice". The aim of this project was to investigate:
In fact, to answer the question: how can occupational therapy education be improved, without giving up on the traditional practical skills, including the creative and technical skills?
Set up and process of the project
To achieve the identified aim, a project team was formed consisting of ENOTHE members from different countries and with relevant backgrounds. They started out with a literature search. Following this, there have been several moments (for instance workshops, interviews) at which the project members have presented their findings to European occupational therapists. Eight schools were visited, where students also were asked for their opinion.
An overview of the chapters of the book gives a good impression of the course of the project:
Summary of the project
The last chapter gives reflections on the course of the project, recommendations for follow-up and of course conclusions. In the conclusions, the following points (among other things) are discussed:
What is PBL?
This book describes the experiences of a group of occupational therapy teachers form different European countries while implementing a new teaching method in their curricula: problem based learning (PBL). But what is PBL? "PBL is an attempt to create a learning environment for students enabling them to
It comes down to this: students get a carefully constructed case-study with a question phrased on occupational therapy (the 'trigger'). They then work out this case-study, guided by the trigger, and under supervision of the tutor/teacher. The rationale and outcomes (expected and real) of this method of 'teaching' are carefully explained in Chapter one of the second part of the book, PBL Signposts. The main aims of the PBL-method are an enhancing of the own interest of the student, more problem-solving competences and a longer retention of knowledge. As one student stated, "you learn for life" (Storybook 4.4).
Aim and structure of the book
The book has a twofold structure:
The idea of the authors was to give guidelines to help schools and/or teachers with the implementation of PBL. Along the way, they recognized that "there isn't one unique path towards a PBL-curriculum" (Preface), not one structured guideline to the ultimate PBL-program. This is why the second part of the book is called Signposts (plural); it offers guidelines for implementing PBL in an OT-curriculum. It also touches on the various obstacles and pitfalls both teachers and students can encounter when confronted with PBL.
These obstacles and pitfalls (as well as major benefits) are even more clearly displayed in the first part of the book, the Storybook. As the authors state, inside information through a story is the best information. Not only is it in tune with occupational therapy, that often uses storytelling as a media, it is also in accordance with the PBL-method. Teachers as well as students give useful and eye-opening insights, which are often linked to the more theoretical information in the second part of the book.
For whom?
This highly readable book is a must for anyone interested in PBL and its possibilities. It is also very useful for fieldwork-supervisors who want to broaden their horizon, or occupational therapy lecturers who like to get leads from colleagues and students to renew their lectures.
Aim of the book
This book is the result of the Peer review project, which was triggered and influenced by The Bologna Declaration (June 1999) and its follow-up, which itself supported the general principles laid down by the Sorbonne Declaration (May 1998). The objectives of this project were to:
The initial phase of the project was to develop a process and related subject review tool. This book is both a report of the set up and course of the project as well as the intended tool, to be used by institutions and/or agencies who wish to participate in the peer review process.
Content of the book
The main body of the book consists of the chapters two and three, respectively Review Guidelines and Review Handbook. This part is the above mentioned tool. The Review Guidelines chapter has a more general approach. It discusses for instance responsibility and confidentiality issues, and the nature and purpose of a self-evaluation document. The Review Handbook chapter could be considered the actual guide; very useful also are the five summary reports of ENOTHE peer review visits that are attached to it in the third paragraph.
The first chapter, Introduction, describes the set up and course of the project. Six institutions from different European countries were selected to engage in the project. First, the institution made a self-evaluation using the ENOTHE Curriculum Guidelines as a benchmark. This document was then forwarded to a team of three reviewers. Four weeks later the team made a three-day visit to the institution, gathering information about the teaching methods in several interviews and meetings. This information was then laid down in a report, identifying strengths and good practice and giving considerations for future development. From the start it was intended that this would be a developmental rather than a judgmental approach.
The last Chapter, Challenges and Opportunities, offers what the title promises, or in other words, lists possible obstacles and pitfalls of external academic peer review as well as possible benefits. It also indicates why on the whole the peer review process was considered a positive experience by the host institutions, and a thing to be promoted and recommended to other institutions.
The report took three years to complete and it was started:1997 at the ENOTHE Annual Conference. There was a feeling amongst European OTs that it was essential to collect and analyse data on OT education. The report aimed to offer: state of the art comment on OT education and the future direction of OT education in Europe.
Data Collection
In 1998 Hanneke van Bruggen and Linda Renton sent out an initial questionnaire, in English, to ENOTHE members. Also in 1998 the working group was expanded to include: Marie Chantal Morel, Mieke Le Granse and Manuela Fereira. Data was collected by the following means: All ENOTHE members were sent the initial questionnaire. COTEC /WFOT delegates, OT associations and representatives were sent follow up questionnaire on the European Dimension and ECTs (1999). All ENOTHE members; follow up questionnaire on models and approaches 1999. Data also collected ENOTHE Annual Conferences (1998 and 1999).
Data Analysis
Initial data analyses was carried out by Heike Wähner a third year OT student from Amsterdam and members of working group. A draft report circulated to ENOTHE Board, other working groups and selected individuals for comment.
Limitations
On limitation was that this was not seen as a formal research project. The sample group was limited in that the questionnaires were not always answered by the most appropriate person and there were problems with translating the questionnaire into different languages. It took three years to carry out.
Contents
Conclusions
The main conclusions are:
Concluding Statement
OT institutes need to take on the challenge to build up a compatible effective education system within Europe, and help to determine European standards for the core knowledge and competencies which occupational therapy students should acquire for entry into the European health and social care services.
Linda Renton. Working Group Leader.Queen Margaret University College, Edinburgh. UK.
On 26th September 2000 at the ENOTHE Meeting in Paris, the curriculum guidelines for pre registration education of occupational therapists in Europe were launched. The guidelines were published as a book and presented in three languages - English, French and German.
The content of the book includes : introductory information on ENOTHE and the rationale behind the development of the Curriculum Working Group; the process undertaken to complete the project; the philosophy of occupational therapy and how the profession promotes health, well being and quality of life; information and guidelines on the higher education process, drawing particular attention to the design of programmes, teaching/ learning and assessment, and the programme rating and award; recommendations regarding quality assurance systems and programme evaluation, promoting rigorous review and enhancement; and the learning outcomes required or an occupational therapy student to be eligible to practise.
ENOTHE acknowledges that the range of education systems, degree, and award structures in Europe are varied and complex, and currently comparisons between programmes are difficult. However, whilst all institutions may not at this point in time be able to fully comply with the guidelines, it is hoped that they will provide an important steer towards mutual recognition of academic and professional standards. It is important that the guidelines are disseminated within academic and professional environments and that awareness of them is raised in our international communities if we are succeed on our goal to promote transferability, internationalisation and harmonisation.
Thank you to all ENOTHE members who contributed towards the project. Copies of the book are available for purchase from the Hogeschool van Amsterdam.
Rona Howard, Working Group Leader, Salford University, UK
The publication Occupational Therapy in Europe: learning from each other is the result of the work of the European Dimension working group of ENOTHE. The working group's overall aim was to encourage schools of occupational therapy to involve the European Dimension in occupational therapy in their teaching. The working group felt that this objective could be achieved by creating a source of information about occupational therapy practice in Europe, and by developing and collecting working examples of teaching which involves the European Dimension. This book, which is interesting for practitioners, students and teachers, contains the following chapters:
Case History Review
A collection of 40 case histories from 17 countries across Europe.
16 on elderly persons who has suffered a cerebrovascular accident
13 on young adults with schizophrenia
11 on young persons with cerebral palsy.
This material can be used in many ways for instance for reflection for occupational therapists in practice, for case examples to enhance students' learning, for preparing students for going abroad for clinical practice or for a database of material for analysis.
Shared Final Projects
A description of two pilots in which students from three countries worked together on their final student projects using multi-media. From the two pilots the collaborating partner institutes have gained great faith in the possibilities of this kind of long distance co-operation. Probably the most important factor of continuing their collaboration during the final thesis is the enthusiasm of the students. Their growing awareness of differences in occupational therapy throughout Europe, their reflections on occupational therapy in their own country and the responsibility the students took for the collaboration has surpassed the expectations of the partners.
European courses
An account of two courses in occupational therapy undergraduate education encompassing the European Dimension. Both courses focus on the international awareness of the students by enhancing their understanding of international health care systems and processes in relation with their profession. The two courses are examples of bringing international aspects into a curriculum.
Ramon Daniels, Workinggroup leader, Hogeschool van Amsterdam
To order one or more of these books, please download the Order Form (Word document), mark the books you want to buy, edit the sheet to give your data, and send it by e-mail to the ENOTHE Office (secretary). After you ordered one or more books you will first receive an invoice. As soon as the invoice is paid, you will receive the book(s) by post.