Fieldwork Experience Research Articles

How Recreation(al) Therapy/Therapeutic Recreation Academic Programs Structure the NCTRC-Eligible Internship into their Curricula

Recreational Therapy/Therapeutic Recreation (RT) academic programs provide opportunities for students to further develop competencies through the NCTRC- eligible internship prior to graduation. The NCTRC- eligible internship experience is the third focus of the American Therapeutic Recreation Association’s Academic Action Task Force study to understand the landscape of RT academic program fieldwork experiences in the United States and Canada. Out of a total of 95 RT academic programs, 54 programs responded to an online questionnaire about the fieldwork opportunities provided to students. This brief report discusses the results of the NCTRC-eligible internship experiences in three areas: Pre-Internship Preparation, Program Eligibility Factors, and the NCTRC- eligible Internship Experience. Results indicated that most programs provide some level of support in finding, applying to, and securing internship sites; require students to have the majority of the coursework completed, a minimum program GPA of 2.0, completion of a 12-credit internship; and, evaluate learning outcomes through mid- and final evaluation reports. Areas of variability remain, such as site supervisor requirements and course requirements. Recommendations are made for further inquiry related to NCTRC-eligible internship fieldwork education.

How Fieldwork is Embedded within Curricula and Coursework in Recreational Therapy Academic Programs

The purpose of this second of a three-part study on fieldwork in Recreation(al) Therapy/Therapeutic Recreation (RT) education was to create a landscape of fieldwork as it pertains to academic courses. Course- related fieldwork is a learning opportunity for RT students to develop and practice competencies through hands-on experiences in applied RT service settings. In an online survey, 54 of 95 programs surveyed responded. Forty-four indicated that fieldwork was incorporated in 172 courses. All the courses fell within nine course-types: Introduction/Foundations, Assessment, Programming, Management, Populations/Settings, Interventions/Modalities, Research/Evaluation, Issues and Trends, and Other Fieldwork Placements (such as practicum, junior internship). This brief report discusses findings in the areas of course requirements, approaches to designing fieldwork experiences, settings and populations, and course connection to the RT process (i.e., assessment, planning, implementation, evaluation, and documentation).The findings revealed the majority of courses containing fieldwork are similarly required for graduation, prior to the NCTRC internship, worth 3-credits, and require an average of 12-23 hours of fieldwork. However, the settings and populations CTRS' work in most are underrepresented in course-related fieldwork and several courses reported lack of connection to the RT process. Further collaboration is needed to clarify course-related fieldwork terminology and develop guidelines for all RT academic programs. Implications address curriculum considerations and future research.

Group meditation, addressing stigma, and "mental health days": Recommendations for integrating self-awareness practices into genetic counseling graduate programs.

Genetic counseling graduate programs provide a rigorous curriculum comprised of coursework encompassing counseling and medical genetics, fieldwork, and research experience. Students face similar emotional and mental demands as practicing genetic counselors while also experiencing stressors commonly associated with graduate study. Increased self-awareness may help combat these stressors. This mixed-methods study surveyed 154 genetic counseling graduate students to determine the types of self-awareness practices they would like to have included in their graduate training and surveyed 11 program faculty regarding the feasibility of implementing these practices. The students' most preferred practices were self-reflection (n = 73, 47.4%), support from peers, colleagues, and/or supervisors (n = 71, 46.1%), and mental health counseling (n = 71, 46.1%). Analysis of responses to open-ended questions capturing students' recommendations for programs yielded six recurrent themes: (1) Consistent, Structured Practice with Accountability, (2) Emphasis on Mental Health, (3) Practical Techniques, (4) Access to Resources, (5) Encouragement and Support, and (6) Barriers to Implementation. Many students suggested that programs should incorporate repetitive exercises that could be implemented on a schedule with an emphasis on consistency (Theme 1). Students also emphasized the importance of providing exposure to multiple examples of self-awareness practices, so they could find an approach that was most beneficial on an individual basis (Theme 3). These findings were shared with program faculty via a presentation at the Association for Genetic Counseling Program Directors annual meeting, and attendees were subsequently surveyed regarding self-awareness practices currently integrated into their curriculum, as well as the feasibility and likelihood of integrating new practices. Program faculty respondents indicated that most of the recommended practices were included in their curriculum already or would be feasible and likely to incorporate. These results provide insight into the attitudes of genetic counseling students toward structured practice in self-awareness and how genetic counseling graduate programs might integrate such practices into the curriculum.

Understanding and optimising support resources to facilitate CALD student and supervisor allied health fieldwork experiences.

Although fieldwork supervisors and culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) students can experience challenges during allied health placements, there is little holistic understanding of how they view and use support resources to address these challenges. This study sought to identify, codify, and map the perceived value attached to support resources used or sought by CALD students and fieldwork supervisors and to ascertain areas where they could be optimised and better presented to users. We conducted a thematic analysis to examine interview and open-ended survey responses from CALD students (n = 18) and fieldwork supervisors (n = 161) respectively. The six generated themes depicted different patterns of perceived value in university and non-university support resources and spanned three levels of specificity: general, discipline-contextualised, and individualised. Fieldwork supervisors valued a staged approach to support resource design and use for CALD students commencing with general level resources to build foundational language skills and socio-cultural familiarisation and moving on to include disciple-contextualised supports, preplacement mechanisms to monitor student readiness, and formalised mechanisms to enable tailoring of placements. CALD students, however, often undervalued institutional general resources relative to discipline-contextualised resources. The commonality of support resources valued and sought by supervisors from different fields suggests they could be optimised for delivery via an inter-professional community of practice. Identifying and mapping the perceived value attached to support resources provides actionable insights into how to enhance the 'fit' between resources and user needs. Drawing the often-fragmented support resources into a cohesive ecosystem focused around perceived value at different levels of specificity allows CALD students and educators to better conceptualise the types of benefits that can accrue from taking a broader and staged approach to fieldwork placement preparations. Knowing this ecosystem encapsulates what prior uses find of value may enhance perceptions of resource relevance in the minds of new users.

Fieldwork from A–Z? Exploring shifting identities in doctoral research in Australia and Zimbabwe

While research into PhD programs and doctoral students’ experiences has increased in recent years, fieldwork is overlooked as a source of learning and support. In education, the focus of this paper, fieldwork remains laced with notions of the anthropologist gathering data in a place that is not their own, which narrowly construct the role of the novice and their expectations around ‘doing’ research. To demonstrate the relevance of these issues and key ethical tensions that they underpin, we explored our recent PhD fieldwork experiences within classrooms in Australian and Zimbabwean schools. By analysing fieldnotes from our lived experiences, we identified similarities between conducting fieldwork ‘out there’ (in Zimbabwe) and ‘at home’ (in Australia). These similarities highlighted a multitude of roles and dynamics associated with the researcher presence, as well as the importance of balancing complex needs during fieldwork. Our analyses also revealed how daily in situ interactions with participants—and others—were crucial to the development of our identities and data gathering practices. We argue that ongoing efforts to demystify fieldwork experiences are critical for understanding that ‘the field’ is not simply ‘out there’ and offer practical suggestions for current and future doctoral students to consider.

The use of PrEP among men who have sex with men and transgender women as Biomedical Prevention Work: A conceptual framework

Based on ethnographic fieldwork among men who have sex with men and transgender women in Tanzania, this article explores the various types of work that may go into enrolment into PrEP programming and using pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). PrEP protects against HIV acquisition and is widely touted as an essential tool in ‘ending AIDS by 2030’. While taking PrEP has often been portrayed as ‘just taking a pill a day’ in public health campaigns, a striking observation during fieldwork was that enrolling in PrEP programming and adhering to PrEP involved a wide range of tasks. Inspired by this fieldwork experience and the literature on sociology of work, more specifically illness work and patient work, we started to think of these tasks as work. This paper identifies the range of tasks that PrEP users in Dar es Salaam had to perform as part of their enrolment and usage of PrEP. We provide a description of these tasks, organised into three categories of work that we refer to as (a) readying work, (b) user work, and (c) social navigation work that jointly make up what we propose to call biomedical prevention work. We further suggest that this analytical framework can be applicable to other biomedical prevention methods in other contexts.

Pedagogical Perspectives of Interdisciplinary Teaching and Research: An Energy System Modelling Outlook in Relation to Energy Informatics

The purpose of this paper is to present and discuss pedagogical frameworks and approaches to developing, delivering, and evaluating a new interdisciplinary course within the domain of energy informatics at both Master’s and PhD levels. This study is needed because many papers on sustainable energy engineering education concentrate on course content but provide very little information on the pedagogical methods employed to deliver that content. The proposed new course is called “smart energy and power systems modelling” and is aimed at discussing how mathematical optimization, in the context of computer science, can contribute to more effectively managing smart energy and power systems. Different pedagogical frameworks are discussed and adapted for the specific domain of energy informatics. An ASSURE model coupled with Bloom’s taxonomy is presented for the design of the course and identification of learning objectives; self-regulated learning strategies are discussed to enhance the learning process; a novel model called GPD (Gaussian Progression of Difficulty) for lecture planning was proposed; a teaching-research nexus is discussed for the course planning and enhancement. Adopting qualitative analyses and an inductive approach, this paper offers a thorough reflection on the strengths and weaknesses of the new course, together with improvement possibilities based on fieldwork and direct experience with the students and colleagues. Opportunities and challenges of interdisciplinary teaching are presented in light of real-world experience, with a particular focus on the interaction between mathematics and computer science to study the specific application of energy and power systems.

Empathy and associated influencing factors in occupational therapy students: A cross-sectional study

INTRODUCTION: Empathy, often described as the comprehension of another person's state of mind, enables one to appreciate social environments and anticipate others' behaviour. In occupational therapy, the therapeutic use of self, which is grounded in empathy, is commonly considered essential, as it enables therapists to manage a therapeutic relationship with clients. However, high caseloads, stressors and pressure to perform often impact empathy levels. This study aimed to determine the empathy levels of undergraduate occupational therapy students, as well as factors affecting empathy levels METHOD: A quantitative approach was used, with an observational, cross-sectional study methodology, employing an electronic survey consisting of the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) and a questionnaire developed by the researchers RESULTS: In total, 112 (response rate 70.4%) students participated in the study. Overall, the students had a satisfactory level of empathy. Of concern, however, was the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and the lack of clinical fieldwork experience, which possibly contributed to the lower empathy levels observed among second-and third-year students CONCLUSION: From the findings, it is suggested that more attention should be given to empathy, as it plays an integral role in practice with clients, as well as in the training of occupational therapy students Implications for practice The findings suggest the opportunity for interventions and support systems that can help students manage high caseloads, stressors, and performance pressures, while also fostering and maintaining empathy. Implementing strategies such as stress management programs, mindfulness training, and self-care initiatives can help mitigate the negative impact on empathy levels and promote the development of empathetic skills in future occupational therapists. The research study's results have implications for the professional practice of occupational therapy. It emphasizes the need for ongoing education and training programs that focus on empathy development and maintenance throughout a therapist's career. By providing therapists with the tools, resources, and support to sustain their empathy levels in challenging work environments, the study suggests that the quality of care provided to clients can be enhanced, leading to better therapeutic outcomes and overall client satisfaction. Organizational changes within healthcare settings may be necessary to address workload issues and create a supportive environment that nurtures empathy among occupational therapy professionals.

Incorporating telehealth education into the genetic counseling curriculum.

As the provision of telehealth genetic counseling (THGC) services continues to expand, it is imperative that genetic counseling students gain proficiency in telehealth service delivery. To prepare students to provide THGC services, the MSGC program at the University of Pennsylvania has included didactic sessions on THGC, THGC role plays, THGC standardized patient sessions, and THGC fieldwork experiences and clinical rotations. This article highlights best practices in THGC and guidance for Master of Science in Genetic Counseling (MSGC) programs training the next generation of genetic counselors providing THGC services.

Equity Case Studies on Rural Community Colleges: A Blueprint for Campus Change

ABSTRACT The purpose of this article is to provide a blueprint to conduct equity case studies in rural community colleges. Informed by our field work experiences applying case study design and equity-minded frameworks, this blueprint involves four distinct steps: 1) identifying rural community colleges in North Carolina; 2) operationalizing equity in rural community colleges; 3) building rapport and creating buy-in with campus presidents and stakeholders; and 4) methodological considerations. We provide details about each of these steps with the goal of sharing principles, tools, and advice that aided our research design. We conclude by providing research implications to equip future researchers and practitioners interested in advancing equity-minded research in rural community colleges.

ORCA-SPY enables killer whale sound source simulation, detection, classification and localization using an integrated deep learning-based segmentation

Acoustic identification of vocalizing individuals opens up new and deeper insights into animal communications, such as individual-/group-specific dialects, turn-taking events, and dialogs. However, establishing an association between an individual animal and its emitted signal is usually non-trivial, especially for animals underwater. Consequently, a collection of marine species-, array-, and position-specific ground truth localization data is extremely challenging, which strongly limits possibilities to evaluate localization methods beforehand or at all. This study presents ORCA-SPY, a fully-automated sound source simulation, classification and localization framework for passive killer whale (Orcinus orca) acoustic monitoring that is embedded into PAMGuard, a widely used bioacoustic software toolkit. ORCA-SPY enables array- and position-specific multichannel audio stream generation to simulate real-world ground truth killer whale localization data and provides a hybrid sound source identification approach integrating ANIMAL-SPOT, a state-of-the-art deep learning-based orca detection network, followed by downstream Time-Difference-Of-Arrival localization. ORCA-SPY was evaluated on simulated multichannel underwater audio streams including various killer whale vocalization events within a large-scale experimental setup benefiting from previous real-world fieldwork experience. Across all 58,320 embedded vocalizing killer whale events, subject to various hydrophone array geometries, call types, distances, and noise conditions responsible for a signal-to-noise ratio varying from -14.2 dB to 3 dB, a detection rate of 94.0 % was achieved with an average localization error of 7.01^circ. ORCA-SPY was field-tested on Lake Stechlin in Brandenburg Germany under laboratory conditions with a focus on localization. During the field test, 3889 localization events were observed with an average error of 29.19^circ and a median error of 17.54^circ. ORCA-SPY was deployed successfully during the DeepAL fieldwork 2022 expedition (DLFW22) in Northern British Columbia, with a mean average error of 20.01^circ and a median error of 11.01^circ across 503 localization events. ORCA-SPY is an open-source and publicly available software framework, which can be adapted to various recording conditions as well as animal species.

Autoethnography as a Debriefing Strategy: The Creative-Relational Foundations for a Transformative Ethico-Onto-Epistemology in the Academy

Today’s qualitative research may take place in complicated ethnographic fields, which situate researchers near difficult experiences at an individual, community, environmental or political level. The current academic climate frequently ignores the emotional impact of doing research under challenging circumstances. The overarching culture in higher education is one that carries taboos around ‘what is’ and ‘what is not’ expected from the researcher. The general expectation is for researchers to ‘neutralize’ themselves from the research topic rather than personally relate to it. Under the cultural belief of sustaining ‘scholarly composure’ the affective and emotional impact of fieldwork is often left on the margins of recognition. This paper explores the value of autoethnography as a creative-relational approach to promote spaces in which researchers feel safe enough to process fieldwork experiences through debriefing sessions. This is a courageous effort that calls for a transformative ethico-onto-epistemological shift in the academy. One that opens-up ways of ‘knowing and being’ that are not entirely about an outcome-based pursuit but about growth and change that materializes through relationality.

Telepresence Robotics in OT Education

Abstract Date Presented 04/22/2023 Telehealth is rapidly expanding in OT practice; therefore, advanced technologies must also be incorporated into OT education. A telepresence robot was used for a remote faculty presence and to stimulate critical thinking skills during an OTD Level I fieldwork experience. Student satisfaction scores were significantly higher when the robot was incorporated into the learning than when it was not, and students reportedthat learning was enhanced with this technology. Primary Author and Speaker: Kirsten Davin Additional Authors and Speakers: Barbara M. Mollere Doucet

Simulated Fieldwork & the Impact on OT Students’ Perceived Level of Preparedness for Level II Fieldwork

Abstract Date Presented 04/21/2023 The purpose of this study was to identify the perceived level of preparedness of OT students for Level II fieldwork. Results indicate that participants felt their Level I simulated fieldwork experience helped to prepare them for Level II fieldwork. Primary Author and Speaker: Breanna Chycinski Additional Authors and Speakers: Kailen Kiander, Macie Zack, Brynne Pieters, Lauren Shipman

Pengaruh Pemahaman Konsep Dasar Akuntansi dan Pengalaman Praktik Kerja Lapangan terhadap Kesiapan Siswa dalam Bekerja Pada Kelas XII Program Keahlian Akuntansi dan Keuangan Lembaga di SMK Negeri 1 Tabanan

The purpose of this study was to be able to determine the effect of understanding the basic concepts of accounting and practical experience of field work on student work readiness. This study used a quantitative research type with a research population of class XII AKL students at SMK Negeri 1 Tabanan, totaling 53 students using a proportional random sampling technique. Based on the results of research (1) there is a positive and significant influence between understanding the basic concepts of accounting on student work readiness as indicated by a sig value <0.05 (0.002 <0.05). (2) there is a positive and significant relationship between practical field work experience and student work readiness with a sig <0.05 (0.000<0.05). (3) there is an influence between understanding the basic concepts of accounting and practical experience of field work simultaneously on student work readiness with a sig value <0.05 (0.000<0.05). Based on the findings and results of the research, the implications that can be given are (1) students increase their knowledge and master the areas of expertise they are interested in, one of which is accounting. (2) make good use of field work practices as a vehicle for skills training. (3) in order to achieve high job readiness, it is necessary to master knowledge and skills through actual training related to the field of work of interest.

Pharmaceutical sales and marketing as a future career for pharmacy students in Iraq: perception and barriers

The exposure of pharmacy students to fieldwork experience throughout the early stages of their education would assist prepare them for their future career. Many students feel working in community pharmacies does not give a profitable wage when compared to other opportunities. which might influence them to choose the promotional pharmaceutical field. This study aims to examine students' perceptions of the pharmaceutical promotional sector as a potential future profession as well as the obstacles they face. This is a cross-sectional study targeting students of pharmacy in Iraq through an online questionnaire to assess students' perceptions. The perceptions were evaluated to determine the influencing factors. The greatest percentage of students work for improving their skills and for saving money for the future. Concerning the barriers that students face in pursuing a career in pharmaceutical marketing, the existence of unethical actions, as well as a lack of needed skills and knowledge, were cited as barriers by a greater percentage of respondents. In conclusion, generally, there is a favorable view of working in this industry and there is an apparent need for colleges to focus more on the aspects of this career.

“Exploring unchartered territories”: fieldwork experiences from researching street traders

PurposeDoing qualitative research with vulnerable urban populations such as street traders present significant methodological challenges, which many researchers may not be prepared to handle. This paper aims to provide a reflective account of the authors' fieldwork experiences while conducting a study with street traders in Harare, Zimbabwe.Design/methodology/approachThis paper draws data from a qualitative case study conducted with street traders in Harare's Central Business District (CBD). In this study, mixed qualitative methods were used including focus group discussions, semi-structured interviews and photovoice.FindingsThe study’s findings suggest that researching street traders is a complex process that requires flexibility, adaptability and creativity of researchers across the following aspects: gaining access in unfamiliar research contexts, building rapport and trust with participants, managing ethical dilemmas and addressing power imbalances between researchers and participants.Originality/valueWhile there is a growing body of empirical research on street trading in the global south, there are limited studies that discusses the practical fieldwork experiences associated with conducting primary research with such vulnerable and dynamic urban populations. The authors highlight strategies and practical steps that can be taken to address these challenges. This paper emphasizes the need for flexibility and adaptability in researching street traders, as it is akin to exploring uncharted territories where conventional methodological templates may not be effective.

Exploring the Contribution of B.Ed. (Hons) Programme in Preparing Prospective Educators for their Professional Roles

This research employs an exploratory case study design within the qualitative paradigm of educational research. The study has been conducted in one of the private teacher education institutes in Karachi. On HEC’s notification of phasing out of 1-year B.Ed., the institute offered B.Ed. (Hons) degree programme in affiliation with the Karachi University. The first cohort of B.Ed. (Hons) is working at different educational institutes. This study was carried out to explore the contribution of the B.Ed. (Hons) programme in preparing prospective educators for their professional responsibilities. Employing a qualitative research method allowed the researcher to transmit the ideas, experiences and testimonies of the B.Ed. (Hons) graduates.Reflecting on their experiences, graduates have acknowledged the contribution of different aspects of the programme including learning from the compulsory and enrichment courses, exposure of academic and co-curricular activities, research and field work experiences of teaching etc. creating an impact in their professional lives. The perceived experiences of the participants show that learning from B.Ed. (Hons) has helped them change their perspectives of teaching and learning, provided them with greater opportunities at the workplace and helped them to meet their professional responsibilities and commitments. The study recommends continuation of providing support mechanisms and enrichment courses for the student body.

Preparing preservice teachers for working with students with intellectual disability: evaluating the impact of supplementary fieldwork experiences

ABSTRACT In this paper, the utility of instruments for evaluating how well preservice teachers are being prepared for teaching students with intellectual disability in inclusive classrooms are explored. This included an investigation using an instrument to assess the attitudes of first-year preservice teachers (PSTs) toward individuals with intellectual disability (n = 96) and to measure changes in PSTs’ attitudes after participating in a supplementary fieldwork experience that involved tutoring young adults with intellectual disability (n = 39). Results revealed that PSTs held generally positive attitudes, particularly those who had previous experience with people with intellectual disability. Involvement in the tutoring programme contributed further to promoting productive attitudes among PSTs by decreasing levels of discomfort when interacting with people with intellectual disability, but counterintuitively tempered their endorsement of inclusion in schools. While more opportunities for PSTs to work alongside students with intellectual disability in authentic contexts are needed to prepare them for the reality of being inclusive educators, our findings suggest that the current ways these opportunities are designed and assessed need further investigation.

Constraints on peace research in war-torn situations: Cabo Delgado, Mozambique

Purpose It is assumed that fieldwork experiential learning on constraints of survey and ethnography research orientations in investigating armed conflict in Africa can contribute to the body of knowledge and help practitioners as well as other researchers working in difficult situations, such as war zones. More importantly, this paper aims to understand significant problems in Southern Africa, further methodological debates and produce new frontiers of knowledge in Southern African research studies. This paper will help other researchers who will be planning to conduct research in ongoing war-torn zones to be flexible with mixed research methodologies and data collection techniques that can ensure not only reliability and validity of the data but also, and more importantly, greater generalizability of this study. Design/methodology/approach This research in Cabo was initially guided by survey and ethnographic approaches. After facing constraints in their use in investigating the complexity of new wars, the author developed and shifted to interpretivism methodology as an alternative. It is essential that researchers be sensitive to the tensions between survey and ethnography methodologies and how they can be a mismatch to the research purpose. Findings The fieldwork experiences, using standardised survey and ethnography research orientations in Gabo, show that there is no generally appropriate blueprint of how to conduct research in violent conflicts. The valorised survey and ethnographic research strategies were not closely matched to facilitate understanding of the complexity of hybrid armed actors, indiscriminate and targeted violence which combined to militate against data generation. In the face of these problems, the author developed a new methodology, interpretivism, which embedded the descriptive, explanatory and predictive approaches. In tumultuous contexts, the standardised methodologies prioritize data generation more than critical thinking. Originality/value It is essential to study the nature of African armed conflicts by combining creativity and flexibility in the selection of research strategies. The constraints on peace research in war-torn situations in Cabo Delgado, Mozambique, have laid out the weaknesses of peacetime research methodologies, including survey research and ethnographic approaches. Now is the time to reassess fieldwork-based research particularly in violent settings.