Constructivist Epistemology Research Articles

Participant perspectives on action learning in higher education: a framework for learning

ABSTRACT This paper presents a framework which captures the complexity and multi-dimensional process of learning in action learning (AL) on an accredited executive Master’s programme. The framework extends current knowledge by presenting a holistic participant perspective of learning. Underpinned by a social constructionist epistemology, the study supporting the framework’s development adopted a qualitative narrative approach. Data were generated using in-person individual and group interviews with a total of 13 executive-level graduates from four cohorts of the programme. Data were analysed iteratively, culminating in the development of a conceptual framework for learning. The framework provides insight into the depth and richness of learning and change that can occur for participants on programmes adopting an AL approach in Higher Education. It highlights the importance for participants of having a trusted supported space for their learning. Furthermore, it illuminates the role of emotion and the paradox of vulnerability in the learning process. The conceptual framework, which encompasses emotional, social and relational dimensions, extends knowledge of AL by providing a unique and holistic view of participant learning on an AL programme. Additionally, through an enhanced understanding of the learning process as undergone by participants, the research informs academics in facilitating action learning programmes.

IDENTIFYING BARRIERS AND ENABLERS TO EXERCISE ADHERENCE IN PEOPLE WITH CHRONIC LOW BACK PAIN: A QUALITATIVE STUDY

INTRODUCTION Exercise leads to clinically meaningful pain reductions in people with chronic low back pain and is recommended as a first line treatment. However, it has been shown that exercise effectiveness decreases over time and no longer has a meaningful effect for chronic low back pain at long-term follow up. It is likely that a lack of exercise adherence is a major contributing factor responsible for these reductions in efficacy. We aimed to identify the barriers and enablers to exercise adherence from the perspective of people with chronic low back pain. METHODS This qualitative study was underpinned by a constructivist epistemology and used a critical realist ontological perspective. Adults (18-65yrs) with chronic low back pain who had exercised since the onset of their back pain were recruited to participate in focus groups and individual interviews. Audio data were transcribed and then analysed in two stages: (1) inductive coding using reflexive thematic analysis, followed by (2) deductive analysis through mapping codes onto the Theoretical Domains Framework. RESULTS Five enablers and three barriers were identified across six of the fourteen Theoretical Domain Framework domains. Exercise identity and confidence in deciding to self-manage pain were enablers, whereas beliefs about the consequences of exercise, exercise context and relationships could function as either/both barriers and enablers. CONCLUSION Analysis of these barriers and enablers found that they were not static factors isolated to influencing a single decision of ‘to exercise or not’. Instead barriers and enablers were complex and fluid, with participants reporting conflicting barriers and enablers that were subject to change, depending on context. These findings improve our understanding of the barriers and enablers to exercise adherence from the individual perspective of people with chronic low back pain and can be utilised for more effective exercise treatment in this population.

Artificial Intelligence as a Participant in Modern Legal Relations

The practice of legal regulation is currently carried out in an environment determined by new technologies. The use of artificial intelligence in various spheres of life and the rapid technological development of society requires an understanding of the role of artificial intelligence in regulating human relations and an assessment of the need to determine its legal status. Science is faced with a new paradigm and jurisprudence is on the verge of a scientific revolution, since new technologies do not fi t into the pre-existing tenets of legal science. At present, the unification of the natural sciences and the humanities can be carried out on the basis of the principles of global evolutionism, which are immanently included in the objective study of self-developing objects. Associating the development of these objects with the problems of the place of man, taking into account the involvement of man in the functioning of the vast majority of developing systems mastered by human activity brings new scientific knowledge and a new humanistic meaning. The article attempts to define the concept of “artificial intelligence”, its essence, and identify its features in a legal context; the possibilities for the participation of artificial intelligence in legal relations (primarily related to intellectual law) have been identified. The results of the analysis of the decisions of the courts of case law countries on conflicts in the field of intellectual law using artificial intelligence are presented. In the article, based on comparativism, using epistemological constructivism and an activity approach, organically connected with the vision of the world as intercomplex self-developing systems, it is assumed to turn artificial condition of objective knowledge into a natural one. A number of observations on the interpretation of legal texts by law enforcement officials is offered.

Who is the Expert in Change? Exploring the Role of Therapists in Client Change Processes: A Systemic Therapy Case Study

ABSTRACT This case study focuses on the therapeutic change process, highlighting the crucial role of therapists in facilitating it. Rooted in constructivist epistemology, we employed an integrative systemic model. Our exploration centers on the presence or absence of system restructuring within the therapeutic process. We delve into the differing perceptions of change between the therapist and the client, particularly regarding the criteria for therapy discharge. A significant aspect of our analysis is the discussion on the authenticity of change. We examine the dual role of therapists as expert observers and participants in the therapy, navigating between “objective” and subjective perspectives in their interventions. This includes assessing various levels of change, first and second order. We highlight the client’s autonomy in defining the reality and authenticity of change, advocating for a balance between the therapist’s guidance and the client’s agency. Additionally, we emphasize the therapist’s need for self-reflection and adherence to ethical practices. Our study contributes to systemic therapy literature by demonstrating the effective application of an integrative approach. It reinforces the importance of collaboration in therapeutic change, offering insights into how therapists can navigate complex therapeutic dynamics.

The evolution of artificial intelligence: problems and prospects of rational cognition

Objective: This article undertakes a comprehensive exploration of the constructivist paradigm in artificial intelligence (AI) development, aiming to uncover how constructivist perspectives shape our understanding of AI. It delves into the evolution of AI thought, emphasizing the significance of constructivist epistemology in comprehending AI's philosophical and cognitive dimensions.
 Method: The study employs a variety of philosophical methodologies, including historical-philosophical analysis, comparative analysis of philosophical teachings, and a system-structural dialectical approach. These methods facilitate an in-depth examination of AI's conceptual intricacies within a constructivist framework, focusing on the relationship between artificial and natural intelligence and the epistemological implications of AI.
 Results: The investigation reveals that the main challenge in AI research is the absence of clear problem-solving rules, highlighting the current limitations of human self-knowledge in logical and emotional intelligence. It showcases AI's vast capabilities, from extensive knowledge bases to real-time processing, and emphasizes AI's role in enhancing human cognitive processes.
 Conclusions: Artificial intelligence, as a construct of human intellect, mirrors the capacity for design and creativity inherent in human thought. The study underscores AI's foundational role in the epistemology of science and technology, advocating for a holistic understanding of the human brain as a dynamic system to further our grasp of AI and its cognitive potential.

Speaking up on attending ward rounds: a qualitative study of internal medicine residents

Attending rounds are a core educational component of learning in teaching hospitals. Speaking up in this context has not been explored among medical residents. We aimed to understand residents’ perspectives on speaking up about their own clinical reasoning during attending rounds. This was a qualitative study performed at a single teaching hospital. We selected a random sample of 45 internal medicine residents among 141 in the training program, among whom 21 accepted the invitation to participate. Semi-structured interviews were conducted over Zoom. We performed thematic analysis within a social constructionist epistemology to develop codes, categories, and themes. Analysis continued until thematic saturation was achieved. We interviewed 21 residents, including 9 interns, 7 junior residents, and 5 senior residents. Residents described factors related to team culture, team dynamics, knowledge and experience, domain of patient care, and structure of rounds that influence speaking up during rounds. We identified four themes that were critical for speaking up: (1) promoting a culture of learning; (2) creating psychological safety; (3) developing self-efficacy; and (4) fostering resident autonomy. Feedback from the attending, particularly nonverbal cues perceived as negative, played a prominent role in preventing residents from speaking up. We identified factors for speaking up among residents during attending rounds. Feedback conveyed during attending rounds influenced the culture of learning, psychological safety, and residents’ self-efficacy, which impacted residents’ motivation to speak up. Ward attendings should be mindful of verbal and nonverbal forms of feedback on rounds.

Interpretive Autoethnography in Medicine: An Accessible Way to Introduce Healthcare Professionals to the Craft of Critical Qualitative Writing

Qualitative research is valuable in medicine because of the deep insights it offers into the social and cultural dimensions of healthcare. Historically, qualitative methods have been influenced by critical theory and have shared its constructivist epistemology and orientation towards social justice. It can be challenging to teach such critical qualitative inquiry to healthcare professionals because its underlying philosophy can seem at odds with the objectivist biological perspective emphasized in medical education. This is unfortunate because several social inequities are perpetuated by modern healthcare systems and critical qualitative inquiry is essential to the project of addressing them. This article argues that Norman Denzin’s interpretive autoethnography is a promising method through which educators could introduce healthcare professionals to critical qualitative inquiry. In this method, the author uses the craft of writing creatively about their personal experiences as a tool for cultural interpretation and social justice activism. Such a creative analytic practice might seem alien to many medical professionals. On the other hand, the idea of analyzing their own experiences in detail is likely to feel familiar to them because of the prominence of reflective writing in healthcare professional development practice. This familiarity might make interpretive autoethnography accessible to healthcare professionals and practicing the method could help them to appreciate the value of interpretive writing as a way of investigating sociocultural meaning and promoting just change.

The Challenges Entry-Level Mathematics Teachers Face in Conducting Blended Teaching

In recent years, there has been an increasing amount of literature on online teaching and learning. Teaching mathematics in the fourth industrial revolution offers entry-level mathematics teachers formidable challenges. Despite using various teaching aids in explaining the learning area, entry-level mathematics teachers, those with zero to three years of teaching experience, have experienced challenges in blended teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic. Such challenges could support the preconceived notion identified by others that the field of learning (mathematics) is difficult. This paper hinged on constructivist epistemology and investigated the challenges that entry-level mathematics teachers face in conducting blended teaching in the Sedibeng West District of Gauteng Province in the Republic of South Africa. Eight entry-level mathematics teachers were purposely sampled from four selected schools that participated in the article. This article adopted a case study design and responses were analysed thematically. The focus group interviews were used as tools to collect data in this study. The study revealed a variety of perceptions that entry-level mathematics teachers shared about the impact of blended teaching in mathematics learning. These included, but were not limited to, the use of teaching programs or software, the effects of load shedding and blended teaching challenges related to learners' performance and behaviour. The results of this study could provide program developers, subject advisors, school principals with other members of the management team, and mathematics teachers to support the entry-level mathematics teacher's confidence, sense of future and communication skills, as well as foster multigenerational connections in blended teaching.

Mapping doctoral dissertations in an educational leadership programme: A longitudinal examination of knowledge construction in the last two decades

AbstractThis paper offers a meta‐analysis scoping study of doctoral dissertations completed in the last 20 years in one doctoral programme of Educational Leadership (EL) at a higher education institution in Texas, aiming at identifying topical foci, epistemology, methodology and main themes. Therefore, we systematically collected, documented, securitised and analysed completed dissertations following the steps identified by PRISMA guidelines. The review aimed to answer the following four questions: (1) What are the general trends of doctoral dissertations in the studied programme? (2) What is the topical foci of these dissertations? (3) What are the prevailing epistemological constructs and genres informing this work? (4) What are the gaps in this research focus within the scope of educational leadership and policy? Based on our analysis, four main key themes were identified: educational leadership and policy, public education, equity and social justice, and race and ethnicity. Further implications, utility of research and future dissertations in educational leadership in this programme and other similar programmes are fully discussed.

Situating Interprofessional Education Curriculum within a Theoretical Framework for Productive Engaged Learning: Integrating Epistemology, Theory, and Competencies

Interprofessional education (IPE) has a longstanding presence in the health and social care (HASC) professions, by which its sustainable implementation in HASC professional education has the potential to effectively prepare HASC professional students for interprofessional collaborative practice (IPCP). Implementation of IPE has increased over the last two decades with the emergence of a curriculum guided by constructivist epistemology and learning theories that emphasize demonstrating competence in practice. Nonetheless, since IPE first emerged in the early 1960s, most IPE initiatives have been sporadic and lacked guidance through theoretical underpinnings. This conceptual article first discusses why it is important to have theory drive HASC professional education. Next, it explores what is meant by curriculum, followed by a discussion on the importance of curriculum theory to HASC professional education processes. This article then illustrates the learning theories arising from behaviourist and constructivist epistemologies that inform curriculum theory in the HASC professions, with particular emphasis on how constructivist learning theories inform IPE. Lastly, the article proposes a theoretical framework for productive engaged learning through which IPE opportunities may be grounded, leading to student proficiency in interprofessional professional competencies (knowledge, skills, and dispositions), establishment of professional communities of practice, and eventual improvement of patient/client-oriented outcomes.

A qualitative analysis of Swedish sport psychology practitioners' experience of a continued professional development program.

Although sport psychology practitioners and researchers acknowledge the importance of continued professional development (CPD) for professional effectiveness and excellence, few studies have explored the influence of CPD activities on the practitioners' practice and thinking. This study examined qualified Swedish sport psychology practitioners' experiences of engaging in a CPD program and how it impacted their professional development. The Swedish Sports Confederation offers a CPD program that targets performance enhancement services and psychotherapy for sport psychology practitioners. We explored the influence of this CPD program on the professional development of 13 graduates (five females; age in years: M = 41.2, SD = 8.3) via semi-structured interviews. Our stance involved a realist ontology and constructionist epistemology. We followed the six-step Reflexive Thematic Analysis procedures to analyze data. We identified four themes of CPD: (1) Critique (participants decided to do the CPD program because of perceived gaps in their knowledge and skills), (2) Change (participants discussed several changes as a result of the CPD program), (3) Context (participants discussed the aspects of the CPD program that promoted change), and (4) Challenge (participants mentioned issues related to having completed the program). The study provides insights into the value of CPD activities for sport psychology practitioners, advances current knowledge on practitioner maturation, and illustrates how CPD fits within a practitioner's lifelong learning. Future research could investigate the professional development of mid-career sport psychology practitioners engaging in other CPD programs to confirm or extend this work.

A Qualitative Study Identifying Barriers and Enablers to Exercise Adherence in People with Chronic Low Back Pain. “It’s a personal journey”

Exercise leads to clinically meaningful pain reductions in people with chronic low back pain and is recommended as a first line treatment. The benefits of exercise for chronic low back pain decrease over time with a lack of long-term exercise adherence as a potential reason for this decreasing effect. We aimed to identify the barriers and enablers to exercise adherence from the perspective of people with chronic low back pain. This qualitative study was underpinned by a constructivist epistemology and used a critical realist ontological perspective. Adults (18–65 years) with chronic low back pain who had exercised since the onset of their back pain were recruited to participate in focus groups and individual interviews. Audio data were transcribed and then analysed in 2 stages 1) inductive coding using reflexive thematic analysis, followed by 2) deductive analysis through mapping codes onto the Theoretical Domains Framework. Five enablers and 3 barriers were identified across 6 of the 14 Theoretical Domain Framework domains. Exercise identity and confidence in deciding to self-manage pain were enablers, whereas beliefs about the consequences of exercise, exercise context, and relationships could function as either barriers or enablers. These barriers and enablers were complex and fluid, with participants reporting conflicting barriers and enablers that varied, depending on context. These findings improve our understanding of the barriers and enablers to exercise adherence from the individual perspective of people with chronic low back pain and can be utilised for more effective exercise treatment in this population. PerspectiveThis article presents the barriers and enablers to exercise adherence from the perspective of people with chronic low back pain. These perspectives may aid to individualise and optimise exercise treatment, improve its long-term adherence and therefore its effectiveness for chronic low back pain.

The Ushnus in the astronomy of the Inca culture

AbstractInferences are made about the relationship that existed between the Ushnus, pyramid‐shaped, terraced structures used by the Incas in the most important ceremonies of the Tawantinsuyo, and Inka Astronomy. We draw attention to Ayni, Kawsaypacha, Duality, and Tinkuy principles, multidimensional codes of conduct and wisdom that are at the root of the Andean cosmovision and on their perception of the world and the Cosmos. These principles, examined as postulates, allow to elaborate axiomatic propositions to identify the Ushnus with ancient Astronomy practices. In a complementary statement, starting from a bi‐conditional proposition, we may infer through reciprocal corollaries that the Inka earliest roots to a holistic learning and educational ambient in the Tawantinsuyo was not elitist, instead it was based on a epistemological construct that differs from the corresponding Western educational ambients. An epistemological and cognitive approach allows to identify an ancient elaborate process of knowledge construction, based on the four fundamental principles, corresponding to different levels of assimilation and comprehension. As a complementary aspect, we identify some of the most preserved Ushnus of the Inka “Empire.” Then we complement this contribution with a broader interpretation for the Ushnus.

‘Sing, My Child’: The Lullaby's Dialogical Emotional Atmosphere in Magdalena Fleitas's ‘Rayito de sol’

Despite being presented and commonly perceived as a simple and straightforward genre, lullabies raise multiple issues and questions. When attempting to contribute to their study, fleshing out research from a segment of critical theory seldom applied to this sort of literary work can prove useful. Taking infant listeners as possible venture points to explore the genre might allow us to outline an adequate theoretical framework to analyse lullabies whose textual configuration highlights the infant's reception as an opening for epistemological construction. Such is the case, I argue, in Magdalena Fleitas's ‘Rayito de sol’, as the singer-songwriter imprints her song with openings for the child to engage in a dialogic dimension pulsing in the articulation practices and enactment contexts of every lullaby, and which further allows us to account for how corporeality and emotion interconnect in order to substantiate a field of shared emotions between adults and children.

Exploring Teaching and Learning Physics in Engineering Institutions of Kathmandu District

Being a physics educator for the last two decades, the first author of this paper observed some disturbing scenarios in the educational landscape of diploma in engineering in physics theory portion. Students' academic achievements in the physics final examination conducted by Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training (CTEVT) indicated that many failed to fulfill the minimum requirements to pass the final exam or gain good grades. In addition, most students could not apply the physics principles in real-world contexts. The purpose of this study was to explore teaching and learning practices in physics theory classrooms of Kathmandu district-based diploma in engineering schools affiliated to CTEVT. The study employed a qualitative research design and was underpinned by the social constructivist learning theory. Ethnography as a research method was employed in which participant observation and unstructured interviews were used as the research tools. A purposeful sampling was carried out to conduct the research in which nine students from two engineering institutions were taken as the research participants. Data analysis was carried out by coding the raw data primarily employing N-vivo coding thus creating several categories and finally developing three major themes. The findings indicated that the classroom dialogue didn’t support the social constructivist epistemology. Thus, the findings lead to the conclusion that traditional teacher-centric practices were prevalent at those engineering institutions that might be responsible for the poor academic achievements of students.

CONFLICT TRANSFORMATION THROUGH DIGITAL MEDIATION: A STUDY OF BRAZIL'S JUDICIARY COURTS

This study aims to examine the characteristics of online mediation within public systems, focusing on two pivotal elements: the technological progression instigated by the Covid-19 pandemic that led to an almost full digitalisation of Brazil's judicial system and the subsequent implications of an emancipatory conflict transformation. The research engages social constructivist ontological and epistemology of the south as perspectives, thereby conducting an empirical inquiry into the modifications, aspects, and efficacy of mediation across two judicial districts in São Paulo, Brazil, specifically the cities of Piracicaba and Campinas. The paper underscores the role of mediation within the sphere of online dispute resolution (ODR) in Brazil's legal system, serving to enhance access to justice, expedite communicational changes, and address the limitations of digital mediation while ensuring the active involvement of all parties in the proceedings. Furthermore, the study critically assesses and evaluates the use of mediation as a vital tool in national and international legal systems during the digital judiciary age. To achieve this, a comprehensive re-evaluation of the core principles of mediation is undertaken and juxtaposed with the challenges observed in these regional settings, thus unearthing various topics that necessitate further exploration. In summation, this study offers an insightful understanding of the modalities and regional practices of digital communication in mediation, positing it as a trailblazing approach to enhancing the efficacy of conflict resolution practices and furthering social, cultural, and academic transformation.

Perlmutter visited. Japanese international business strategic orientation transformation in India: progress made and forces against

PurposeAlthough Asia's rise in the global economy is increasingly recognized, international business (IB) interactions between Japan and India remain under-commented. These interactions are especially salient due to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 17 (UN SDG 17), which focuses on partnerships. This study updates and analyzes the strategic orientation of Japanese multinational enterprises (MNEs) in India.Design/methodology/approachFollowing a subjectivist approach, this study employs a constructivist epistemology. Utilizing mixed methods, it obtains primary data from interviews and informal conversations with senior personnel from Japan and India and secondary data from archives. These data then undergo manual organic thematic analysis.FindingsThe study reveals instances of Japanese MNEs diverging from traditional ethnocentric orientations, such as senior management's growing commitment to India. The findings also indicate that the transformation to a polycentric orientation remains incomplete.Practical implicationsThe study uncovers themes impeding a polycentric transformation, offering insights for strengthening international partnerships and emphasizing the necessity of prioritizing local demands and cultural expectations.Social implicationsClues to strengthening IB contribute to attain UN SDG 17, especially given the advanced-emerging characteristics of the Japan–India dyad.Originality/valueThis study’s research makes a novel contribution to the literature on international strategic orientations by providing insights into a rare dyad – namely, Japanese MNE expansion in India. It is also a valuable and timely addition consistent with current beyond-China business diversification trends.

Intinerários Transatlânticos Da Filosofia Da Informação Em Iberoamérica E Caribe: cartografias filosófico-epistemológicas em Biblioteconomia e Ciência da Informação no século XXI

The problem research is: how can we recognize the historical philosophical dilemmas and the contemporary socio-critical development of a philosophy of information in Library and Information Science (LIS), based on a historical epistemology, in Caribbean-Iberoamerican context? The basic theoretical framework is anchored in the dimensions between LIS epistemology and the theoretical plurality of knowledge organization (KO), the epistemological foundation and the institutional constitution of the KO in the international context and its repercussion in Brazil, as well as the influence of the philosophy of language platform under the epistemological constructs in LIS. The methodological procedures are based on the Ludwig Wittgenstein (1979, 1992a,b, 2002, 2005) methodological-philosophical approach. The operationalization of the research collection stages takes place from three methodological perspectives: bibliographic, theoretical and conceptual. For the purposes of constructing the corpora, for this stage of the research, the database consulted was the Base de Dados Referenciais de Artigos de Periódicos em Ciência da Informação(BRAPCI) from Brazil. The search for a given “philosophy of information” in a para-territorial context (focus in Caribbean-Iberoamerican context) in LIS from the descriptors: philosophy of information; philosophy; social theory; epistemology; theory; culture theory; critical theory; theory of knowledge; political theory, present in the field literature in conjunction with geographic demarcation descriptors (continent, country, province, state, city, territory). The study sources were compiled and managed by Zotero software. The results bring evidence of philosophical-epistemological production in thegeographical context investigated, demonstrating the paths of a structural bibliographical production, of foundation, to the growing set of philosophical-informational approaches with a political, social and cultural approach.

Introduction: MoHoA guest editorial

AbstractThis special edition of Curator on Modern Heritage in the Anthropocene draws on the 2nd International MoHoA conference of the same title held from October 26 to 28, 2022, at The Bartlett School of Architecture, University College London (UK), in partnership with the University of Liverpool's School of Architecture. As a global collaborative established in 2020, MoHoA is concerned with decentring the theory and practice of modern heritage and joins the wider global effort to decolonize institutional practices that engage with the research, collection, valorization, or transformation of material culture associated with our collective recent past—from museum curators and creative practitioners to academics, and the built environment professions. Founded on the fact that our precarious present reflects an inequitable past and a perilous future, MoHoA asserts that modern heritage—inextricably bound as it is to Western notions of progress, modernization, and modernity—conceptually, practically, and as artifact, uniquely and disproportionately privileges western, invariably white, experiences and values. Unlike other kinds or classifications of heritage, modern heritage also reflects the existential paradox central to MoHoA whereby the cultural legacies of our recent past are simultaneously of modernity and yet threatened by its consequences. Through its workshops, conferences, publications, and website, MoHoA provides a platform for sharing knowledge, methods, and approaches that challenge the modernist canon and support the construction of new epistemologies centered not on race, color, or ethnicity but on humankind and our self‐inflicted precarious position on this planet. This epistemic and canonical reconfiguration has important implications for museums and heritage practice globally as the reconstitution of modern heritage and its associated modes of knowledge production and registers will direct the composition of collections, lists, and archives away from mythologizing hegemonic Western epistemic traditions, to reflect instead decentred planetary experiences, whether human or non‐human. An important outcome of this collective and restitutive endeavor is the publication of The Cape Town Document on Modern Heritage, an equitable and decentering policy proposal presented to UNESCO and its advisory bodies in 2023.

A construção do Método Terapia Ocupacional Dinâmica: uma produção não-dicotômica entre conhecimento e prática

Abstract Introduction Occupational Therapy arrived in Brazil under the logic of rehabilitation and distanced from the Brazilian reality. Therefore, occupational therapists embarked on the adventure of thinking about the profession and its theoretical-practical aspects based on their contexts. Jô Benetton is among these professionals. Formed in 1970, she began a research project that culminated in the construction of the Method Dynamic Occupational Therapy - DOTM. Recent literature reviews that focus on the theme of epistemological constructions, when using journal indexing mechanisms, only cite the author's work, without explaining her contributions to the field and her knowledge construction process. Objective To elucidate aspects of the DOTM construction process, to understand how the production of knowledge occurred based on practical situations placed as an object of study, which resulted in the proposition of a theoretical-methodological framework specific to and in Brazilian Occupational Therapy. Method Qualitative research, with data from two interviews with Jô Benetton and one with Sonia Ferrari, analyzed thematically. Results Three main themes were identified that express how the DOTM was constructed in the light of a pragmatist epistemology: 1) Concerns, searches and experiments; 2) Inventions; 3) Emergence of a way of thinking-doing in practice. Conclusion The construction of the DOTM occurred in a non-dichotomous way between the production of knowledge and care, allowing the establishment of new relationships between theory and practice.