Improving Recreational
Therapy Curriculum: The
Quality Enhancement
Plan Model
Peg Connolly, Ph.D., LRT/CTRS
Associate Professor and Director of Recreational Therapy
Western Carolina University
NCRTA Annual Conference, October 13, 2008
Greensboro, NC
Objectives
•
Describe the structural and substance
elements of a quality curriculum in RT.
•
Describe the importance of advising to
link academic and co-curricular
experiences into a seamless path to
integrated and synthesized learning.
•
Describe the opportunities and
challenges to incorporate engagement
and integration in an RT curriculum.
What are…
• The structure and elements of a
quality RT curriculum?
• NCTRC Requirements
• ATRA Curriculum Guidelines
• NRPA Council on Accreditation
NCTRC Academic Requirements
1. Baccalaureate Degree or Higher with a “major in TR” or “major in
recreation with an option in TR”
2. 18 semester hours of TR and general recreation coursework with a
minimum of 4 courses in TR is required …;
3. Supportive courses … a total of 18 semester hours of support
coursework with a minimum of: (i) 3 semester hours in anatomy
and physiology; (ii) 3 semester hours in abnormal psychology; and
(iii) 3 semester hours in human growth and development across the
lifespan. The remaining semester hours coursework must be in the
content ‘human services’ …;
4. A minimum 480-hour, twelve (12) consecutive week field
placement experience in TR services that uses the therapeutic
recreation process as defined by the current NCTRC Job Analysis
under the supervision of an on-site field placement supervisor who
is both NCTRC CTRS certified and meets the standards for field
placement supervision...
ATRA Guidelines
• Guidelines for Competency Assessment and
Curriculum Planning for Recreational Therapy
Practice
• Provide “direction to educators, practitioners, and
agencies about the specific knowledge, skills, and
abilities required to practice safely and effectively.” (p.
3)
• “…are related to professional practice
competencies…curricula in RT must be based upon a
foundation of liberal arts designed to expose the
students to a depth and breadth of education sufficient
to ensure a pracitioner is capable of critical thinking,
effective verbal and written communication, and is an
individual who demonstrates a strong core of central
values regarding life, culture and the global
community…” (p. 4-5)
ATRA Guidelines
•
RT Suggested Course Content
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Foundations of Professional Practice
Individualized Pt/Client Assessment
Planning Treatment/Programs
Implementing Treatment/Programs
Modality/Intervention Skills
Modality/Intervention Skills
Modality/Intervention Skills
Evaluating Treatment/Programs
Managing Recreational Therapy Practice
ATRA Guidelines: Support Content
• Anatomy/Physiology
• Kinesiology/Biomecha
nics
• Motor Skill Learning
• Human Growth &
Development
• Psychology
• Cognitive/Ed Psych
• Abnormal Psych
• Counseling
• Group Dynamics &
Leadership
• First Aid & Safety
• Disabling Conditions
• Pharmacology
• Health Care
Organization and
Delivery
• Legal Aspects of Health
Care
• Recreation & Leisure
Services
NRPA Council on Accreditation
• Defines set content standards for TR
• Does not dictate specific numbers of
hours, numbers of courses, nor specific
titles
• NRPA Council on Accreditation identifies
that of 90 programs accredited for the
broad field of parks recreation and leisure
services, 36 are accredited for the
Therapeutic Recreation Option.
Source: Retrieved on 10/12/08 from
http://www.nrpa.org/content/default.aspx?documentId=826
NCTRC Study of Curricula-2005
• Consisted of 2,651 applicants who
applied for certification between
2000-2004
• Direct review of applicant
transcripts to determine course
work in TR/RT content and support
• Identified 151 established degree
programs in Recreation and courses
in TR.
Academic Programs: Geographic Distribution
Regions
Northeast
East No. Central
West No. Central
So. Atlantic
West So. Central
West
States
Frequency
Percent
CT, ME, MA, NH, RI,VT,
NJ, NY, PA
IN, IL, MI, OH,WI
28
18.6%
26
17.2%
IA, KS, MN, MO, NE,
ND, SD
DE, DC, FL, GA, MD,
NC, SC,VA,WV
AL, AR, KY, LA, MS, OK,
TN,TX
AZ, AK, CA, CO, HI, ID,
MT, NM, NV, OR,WY,WA
20
13.2%
35
23.2%
20
13.2%
19
12.6%
3
2.0%
Canada
n=151 academic programs
Departments & Degrees
• Departments
NCTRC Study:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Health and Human Performance
HPER
Physical Education and Recreation
Recreation and Leisure Studies
Recreation and Park Administration
Recreation Administration
Recreation Management
• Degree Titles
• 23% (35) contain “TR” or “RT”
• 77% had majors in general recreation
and/or options or emphasis in TR
NCTRC Study:
TR Content Courses
• 3 most frequently completed courses:
• Background Knowledge
• Planning the Intervention
• Implementing the Intervention
• 3 least frequently completed courses:
• Documentation and Evaluation
• Assessment
• Organizing and Managing Services
TR Content by Number of Courses
• Course titles when programs only had
3 TR Courses
• Background Knowledge (83%)
• Planning the Intervention (75%)
• Implementing the Intervention (41%)
• Course titles when programs had 4-5
TR Courses
•
•
•
•
Background Knowledge (87%)
Planning the Intervention (82%)
Implementing the Intervention (57%)
Advancing the Profession (45%)
TR Content by Number of Courses
• Typical course titles for programs with 6+
TR Courses
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Diagnostic Groups (91%)
Background Knowledge (83%)
Implementing the Intervention (83%)
Planning the Intervention (78%)
Organizing/Managing (61%)
Advancing the Profession (51%)
Assessment (47%)
• All applicants least likely to complete a
course in Documentation/Evaluation
NCTRC Study: ATRA Support Content
• Anatomy/Physiology
(100%)
• Kinesiology/Biomechanics
(17.2%)
• Motor Skill Learning
(5.2%)
• Human Growth & Devel.
(100%)
• Psychology (87.9%)
• Cognitive/Ed Psych
(10.3%)
• Abnormal Psych (100%)
• Counseling (10.3%)
• First Aid & Safety
(35.1%)
• Disabling Conditions
(2.3%)
• Pharmacology (4.6%)
• Health Care Org. &
Delivery (4.0%)
• Legal Aspects of Health
Care (2.9%)
Not included: Group Dynamics & Leadership; Recreation & Leisure Services
NCTRC Study: Other
General Soc
Health/Wellness
59.8%
43.1%
Medical Terminology 33.3%
31.0%
Psychology: Other
Fitness/Exercise 27.6%
26.4%
Stats/Research
Cultural Diversity 20.1%
19.5%
Nutrition
19.0%
Sociology
Support Courses
Psych Personality
Soc Psych
Spec Ed
Marriage/Family
16.1%
15.5%
14.4%
14.4%
Gerontology/Aging 13.8%
Human Sexuality 13.2%
12.1%
Substance Abuse
11.5%
Sign Language
10.9%
Adapted P. E.
NCTRC Study: Internship
Settings
Hospital
Residential
Skilled Nursing Facility
Community
Adult Day Care
Partial or Outpatient
School
Corrections
Other
49.3%
15.9%
14.3%
11.3%
3.7%
2.8%
0.5%
0.4%
1.8%
Internship Hours: Mean = 539.39; Median=560; Mode = 600
Internship Population and Level of Care
Psych/Mental Health 32.2%
Long Term
41.7%
Phys Rehab
29.3%
Acute
37.5%
Geriatric
21.4%
Sub-acute
13.4%
Dev Disabilities
13.1%
Home
1.8%
4.1%
Other
5.7%
Other
What is a Quality RT
Educational
Program?
Quality Education
• Quality RT Education is not welldefined nor universally applied in
our field
• The majority of RT education
programs are not accredited by the
existing NRPA Plan and there is not
specific RT accreditation plan
currently
What is a Quality
Enhancement Plan?
What is the QEP?
The Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) is
a component of the Southern Association
of Colleges and Schools (SACS) process
of reaffirmation of university
accreditation.
The institution must identify a topic or
issue that is directly related to the
enhancement of student learning outcomes.
WCU’s QEP
“Synthesis: A Pathway to Intentional
Learning at Western Carolina University
initiates new and enhances current
connections among existing programs
to create a more holistic approach to
educating students. WCU faculty and
staff recognize that a major challenge of
higher education is the need for
students to synthesize their curricular
and co-curricular (outside of courses)
college experiences.”
WCU’s QEP
“The Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) uses
synthesis – the ability to integrate knowledge
from different areas into an original whole –
as the driving framework for teaching and
learning. This emphasis on synthesis
enhances students’ educational journey and
helps prepare them for life beyond college.”
“The overarching learning goal of the QEP is one
where students will synthesize knowledge and
skills from their academic and co-curricular
experiences to become intentional participants in
their own learning.”
WCU’s QEP Goals
1. Identify their aptitudes, abilities, and interests and
articulate their future goals and aspirations;
2. Modify behaviors and values in response to
knowledge and skills gained from their academic
and co-curricular experiences; and
3. Recognize the synthesis of their university
experiences and evaluate those experiences relative
to their future education and career goals.
QEP At Other Universities
•
•
•
•
Wake Forest University - "Preparing Students to be Global
Citizens" – recognizing the University's international
programs, as well as the growing importance of
understanding and appreciating other cultures and
economies of the world
Georgia State University – “Critical Thinking through
Writing”, to increase baccalaureate students’ performance
on two of the University’s general education learning
outcomes – critical thinking and written communication
Southern Mississippi – “Finding a Voice: Improving Oral
and Written Competencies”
University of Texas - “Signature Courses” increases
accessibility of distinguished faculty to first-year students
and teaches certain skills—oral communication, writing,
reasoning, and the interpretation of data
QEP At Other NC Universities with RT
• NC State University - ""Learning in a
Technology-Rich Environment" (LITRE)”
• Winston-Salem State University – QEP
development underway and will focus on the
enhancement of one of the 21st century skills
across the curriculum. (2008-2009)
• UNC-Greensboro – development of QEP
underway
• UNC-Wilmington – QEP due in 2010
• ECU – QEP Leadership Team in place and due in
2013
• No information on – Mt. Olive, Mars Hill, Shaw
RT and the QEP
• What would you do if you had the
chance to not merely meet minimum
standards for RT education?
• What would you do if you had the
chance to re-examine the RT
curriculum and design quality for
student learning and career
development?
RT and the QEP
• Why did we volunteer?
• In an effort to improve the recreational
therapy degree program through further
assessment and a review of the proposed QEP,
the plan to improve education at WCU
resonated with our goals for the RT academic
program.
• It seemed like a plan that would allow us to
meet the educational needs and interests of
the recreational therapy majors and prepare
“better” professionals for recreational
therapy practice
RT and the QEP
• Where to begin…
• It was easy to look at the educational
content of our academic program in
recreational therapy. We have a set of
national job tasks and knowledge areas
that guide the development of our
practice and our educational programs.
• However, in studying the QEP, it became
clear that there were many more elements
to consider in the transition to piloting
the RT degree within the QEP.
Where to begin
•
•
•
Gap analysis: examined the current curriculum in
relation to the basic purpose and goals of the QEP
Description of Standards of knowledge, skills and
abilities of a recreational therapist (NCTRC Job Analysis
and ATRA Guidelines)
Four Educational Goals for the curriculum:
• develop foundational knowledge for professional
practice.
• develop professional skills to practice in service
delivery.
• develop the ability to organize professional
services for clients.
• acquire the skills necessary to participate as a
practicing professional in the advancement of the
profession.
What the RT Curriculum Already Had…
• Established curriculum that fostered the
“ideal” of engagement
• Portfolio process that encouraged
student synthesis of learning prior to
completing their senior clinical
internship
• Senior clinical internship was a capstone
experience that allowed engagement
and synthesis for a full semester of
practice in an actual recreational
therapy entry-level apprenticeship in a
health care agency
RT “Gaps”
• Lack of a clear admission process and
higher academic standards
• ADDED: 2.5 min. GPA to enter/stay in
program and admission assessment,
strategic plan, and reflective essay
• Advising process to guide students in
career development not just course
completion
• Surveyed all students on adequacy of
advising
• Electronic Briefcase to be added in 2009
RT “Gaps”
• Curriculum structure and sequencing
• Not enough opportunity for engagement in RT
practice
• Did we have the right courses in the right
sequence?
• Developing a plan for curriculum evaluation and
revision
• Co-curricular opportunities for engagement
• EXTREMELY limited practice sites in Western NC
• Had to begin to develop our own opportunities
• Using the student Recreational Therapy
Association as one vehicle
WCU RT Content Courses
• RTH 200 Foundations of Rec Therapy
• RTH 350 Rec Therapy for Persons with
Physical Disabilities
• RTH 351 Client Assessment in RT
• RTH 352 RT Processes & Techniques
• RTH 360 RT for Older Adults
• RTH 395 Pre-Intern Seminar
• RTH 400 RT for Rehabilitation Patients
• RTH 417 Administration of RT Services
• RTH 450 Advanced Methods of RT
• RTH 470 Adventure Based RT
• RTH 484 and 485 Clinical Internship in
Quality RT Curriculum
• Will involve continuous quality
improvement techniques to refine and
improve the curriculum
• Faculty are a key element in the process
• Advising has to include career
exploration, planning, and monitoring
student learning goals and outcomes
• Integration of instruction and learning
activities in all experiences throughout
the curriculum
What’s next?
• Relationship between our
professional accreditation standards
and a quality enhancement plan
• Interdisciplinary specialties
• Pediatrics
• Behavioral health
• Adventure based therapy
• International and Global
Opportunities
• Faculty and undergraduate student
research
Conclusions
• In essence, I really believe it is simply
a paradigm shift from an educatorcentered model to a learningcentered model with emphasis on
student synthesis and engagement
rather than faculty teaching
A Shift from a Teaching Model to a Learning Model
Teaching Paradigm
often focuses on the
quantity and quality of
transmitting information
• Many classroom professors
are searching for effective
ways to change from a
transmission mode of
instruction to a focus on
improving the learning and
mastery of content by
students.
Learning Paradigm
focuses on the efficiency
and effectiveness of the
learning process regarding
• “What do students know
and understand?”
• “What can they do with
the new information?”
Conclusions
• In summary, we all have a unique
opportunity to be central with the missions
of our universities
• Engaging the RT curriculum within the
QEP of our universities will foster
improvements and quality enhancements
• It is time we become innovators in
education and focus on the learning of our
students and the enhancement of
practitioner knowledge skills and abilities
for the practice of recreational therapy
Questions