Service Learning Project Update and Summary
Study of Occupation Practice
1. Overview
Since 2005 occupational therapy students have participated in the Study of Occupation
course from first to fourth year, a component of which involves service-learning through
the ‘Study of Occupation Practice’ (SOOP) course. The SOOP course involves Junior and
Senior Freshmen (SF) students interacting with people and organisations in the
community for at least two hours per week across all semesters and is in line with
college’s vision for Engagement with Society (Strategic Plan 2009-2014). SF students are
required to facilitate occupational engagement (enable a person/group to engage in
activities). Key learning outcomes are that the course will develop both students’
attitudes towards people with disabilities or other disadvantage and their
understanding of how meaningful occupation enhances health and wellbeing. As an
accredited part of their degree programme, students are assessed through presentation
at the end of semester two.
2. Project description
Historically students were supported in this course through classroom-based debriefing
sessions with the course coordinator. Because these sessions were offered to small
groups of students at a time on average students attended once every three weeks.
Given the infrequency of these sessions and the variation across volunteering
experiences, the sessions mainly trouble-shot; consequently they were proving an
inadequate means of 1. enhancing and tracking students’ thinking development and 2.
providing them with ideas for activities.
Additionally, in 2009-10, it was noted that there was some confusion as to students’ role
and purpose when working in the community. This may have stemmed from the fact
that, in some cases, there were several layers of person-contact within a given
community setting. For instance, the person with whom I (as course coordinator)
collaborated may assign the students to work in various areas of the organization;
therefore the person representing the community partner with whom the students had
dealings may not fully understand the purpose of the SOOP course. Additionally, some
partners did not differentiate the SOOP course – a service learning course – from a
practice education experience and had expectations that students should perform as if
on clinical practice.
3. Purpose
This funded project aimed to enhance student learning (through online discussion forum
and evaluation of same) and the community partners’ experience of the course (through
collaborative production of information pamphlet).
1. The use of online discussion forum
The project expanded the support available to students by providing moderated
discussion forums through Moodle where students logged on and discussed matters
arising as they needed. Students were required to contribute to the online discussion at
least once fortnightly.
2. Pamphlet design
Junior Sophister students, in collaboration with community partners and the course
coordinator, designed a pamphlet to enhance and streamline communication between
college and partners about student-role and course objectives.
4. Results – what worked well and what didn’t; challenges, lessons learnt
The process of online discussion forum:
Students were instructed on how to use Moodle and engage in the online discussion
forum. Each week’s discussion was themed to enable students to reflect on their
experiences in a progressive manner. For instance, the early weeks of the course had
themes such as ‘initial thoughts; ‘getting to know your SOOP person’; ‘finding out what
you’ll do together’ while, in semester two, examples of discussion themes were ‘is
occupational engagement meaningful?’; ‘are you really getting to know your SOOP
person?’. Students posted comments under these themes or in relation to other issues
of particular importance to them in that period of time. The moderator and other
students then responded.
Anecdotal student feedback:
Students liked to use the forum to address issues and concerns they were experiencing
in practice. As well as engaging in the forum students were required to complete weekly
reflective journals. Some students felt that these were an adequate means of reflection
and the discussion forum doubled up on this function.
Student’s experience on the SOOP course, including their attitude development towards
people with disabilities/disadvantage and opinion of the introduction of the new
technology, is being evaluated through a survey and through the analysis of their online
discussions and journal entries. Students were invited to complete questionnaires at the
start of the course and these will again be administered at the end of the course (end of
semester two). Analysis of these should provide more solid indicators of how the use of
Moodle might best enhance learning on the course and be revised for future use.
The process of pamphlet design:
Having discussed the purpose of the SOOP course and pamphlet with the course
coordinator six JS students (who each participated in SOOP in 2009-10) drafted a
pamphlet that they shared in face-to-face meetings with seven community partners. In
these meetings partners provided feedback on what they thought was most important
to communicate to community partners (and other members of their organizations)
about the student and the course. The students amalgamated this feedback and that
from the course coordinator into a final draft which was emailed to partners for their
comments.
Partner feedback:
All partners who were contacted to collaborate in this project were eager to do so. Their
feedback provided a new understanding of how they perceive the students and SOOP
course. Initial feedback from partners identified the need for the pamphlet to explain
the process involved in the SOOP course and its benefits from the students’ and their
service users’ perspectives. Some thought that practical issues such as insurance cover
and garda clearance needed to be addressed. Others noted the importance of
highlighting the unique attributes of occupational therapy students and advised to
include student-narratives of their experiences. The pamphlet was designed to reflect
these recommendations.
The feedback from community partners on draft two of the pamphlet focused on clarity
of information and purpose and the pamphlet was refined accordingly.
Application of pamphlet in practice:
A copy of the pamphlet is attached. Unfortunately, it will not be used in practice until
the 2011-12 student cohort begin their SOOP course. It is planned to send each partner
several copies of the pamphlet before students begin the course so that they may
forward this to whom ever in their organization they refer the student to. Each student
will also be equipped with a pamphlet so that they may do likewise.
5. Resources required
To develop this project it was essential to have a moderator to guide students in the
online discussion. It was particularly desirable that this moderator would have
experience of the course and training in moderation (offered by the Centre for Learning
Technology).
Additionally, it was necessary to have the resources (financial or otherwise) to develop
and print the pamphlets. This meant supporting students to visit community partners
and paying for printing.
Much data will be generated around students’ learning and opinions of the course
through the pre and post course student-survey, anonymised online discussions forum
and reflective journals. Hiring a research assistant to work with this data, preparing it for
and conducting initial analysis, is essential to the evaluation of the project.
Supporting attendance at conferences/ workshops and purchasing materials relating to
service learning has been an important element in the development of the SOOP course
2010-11 and when integrated with learning from the project evaluation will prove even
more important in the development of the course in future years.
6. Top tips
1. Be clear about the use and function of various supports.
Going forward, recommendations might be that there is a clear distinction made
between the functions of the reflective journal and forum, including that:
 the individual benefits of both are highlighted,
 the moderator carefully makes connections between the personal reflections of
individual students in the forum and also with academic theory so that their
learning is consolidated and brought to a new level,
 students recognise the merits in gaining immediate feedback in forums which is
something that does not happen through journal use.
2. Seek partners’ feedback on the course and collaborate in the design of materials.
This not only creates an inclusive environment but also facilitates clear communication
about the aims of the course from college’s perspective and an understanding of the
partners’ perception of the course.
7. Quotes
Here are some excerpts from students’ online discussion:
Re ‘Finding the positives!’:
“This week I think was the best yet. We had a pampering session with the teenage girls.
There were only three of them which is a good few less than normal but it turned out to
work in everyone's favour as there are three of us volunteering so each teenager got
one on one attention. The two girls that I volunteer with painted the girl's nails and
painted on designs while I gave them hand massages. It went extremely well as the
teenagers said they really enjoyed it and it made them feel relaxed. We were delighted
and even more so when they expressed there enthusiasm about having another
pampering night. While I was giving one of the girls a hand massage I noticed that her
hands shook quite a bit, when we were finished she told me that the massage had really
helped her hands. I was absolutely delighted that my small hand massage had made a
difference to her. Things are really looking up and we plan to set up more activities in
the coming weeks.”
My volunteering went really well this week too. We did a lot together we went for a
little walk and discussed some history topics. He said he "looks forward to my visits
every week".
“This week was probably the best for me too. I got on really well with one of the people
I am working with. I found that the man enjoyed my company as he doesn’t get many
visits and is looking forward to doing some activities with me next week.”
“My volunteering went really well this week too. We did a lot together we went for a
little walk and discussed some history topics. He said he "looks forward to my visits
every week".”
“That sounds really good!! Mine was really good this week too! The guy I do art with
was really happy to see me and he's gotten so much better at doing the work I bring
that he finished early and we had a chat and relaxed for a while! Seems to be improving
as the weeks go on and I get to know him better!”
“I asked one of the girls at the disco last week what did she want to do at the youth club
this week and she said she wanted another hand massage so she must have really liked
it. I think the night goes better when there are activities planned for them to participate
in so we should get our thinking caps on with some more great ideas!”
Re ‘Facilitating occupational engagement:
“I think we both get something out of it!!! I learn a lot from her and I find her stories
interesting (chatting is the occupation), however she has mild dementia and the stories
are always the same and I can’t get her to engage in anything else (I’ve tried so hard but
with no luck) so sometimes I just feel a bit bored but other than that its great!!
“I've just started volunteering with a new person this semester. He's really interested in
history and reading. Unfortunately he can't leave his apartment, doesn't have the
internet and only a few books on history. So I suggested I'll look up stuff on countries
he's interested in. He was really enthusiastic about this and I can tell he's really
interested in the info I bring him. I feel like I'm actually facilitating an occupation so it's
good!”
8. Contact person
Sarah Quinn; 01 896 3215; saquinn@tcd.ie