The document summarizes a systematic mapping review of 143 publications from 1990-2008 on fieldwork education in occupational therapy. Some key findings included: - The majority of publications were from the US, Canada, Australia, and Great Britain. - Most articles focused on curriculum, students' learning and perspectives, teaching methods, and assessment. - Research on faculty issues primarily examined challenges and support for fieldwork educators. - Very few articles studied the physical settings of fieldwork or assessed outcomes beyond individual learner levels.

1. AOTA PD/AFC Conference 2012
Fieldwork Education Systematic Mapping Review
Michael Roberts, MS, OTR/L AFC, Tufts University

2. Overview
• Barb Hooper, PhD, OTR, FAOTA from the
Center for Occupational Therapy Education at
Colorado State University
• Wendy Wood PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA and Robin
King, MS, OTR: contributing authors
• Fieldwork component

3. “Demographics”
• 143 publications from 1990-2008
• 124 articles in peer-reviewed journals
• 75 articles qualify as research (“defined
methods, results, systematic research
approach”)

4. “Demographics”
Research participants’ location
(research articles only):
U.S. 26 34.7%
Canada 16 21.3%
Australia 15 20.0%
Great Britain 12 16.0%
Other 6 8.0%

5. “Demographics”
Research participants’ location
(all articles):
U.S. 50 40.3%
Canada 21 16.9%
Australia 23 18.5%
Great Britain 22 17.7%
Other 8 6.5%

6. “Demographics”
Research Percentage by Location:
Research Percentage
U.S. 52.0%
Canada 76.2%
Australia 65.2%
Great Britain 54.5%
Other 75.0%

7. Distribution of research by subject
OT and OTA (not mutually exclusive)
Focus of Paper All Articles Research Articles
OT 105 84.7% 63 84.0%
OTA 13 10.5% 2 2.7%
Other 31 25.0% 16 21.3%
Level I or Level II (not mutually exclusive)
Focus of Paper All Articles Research Articles
Level II 86 69.4% 49 65.3%
Level I 28 22.6% 15 20.0%

8. Distribution of research by subject
Setting/Practice (not mutually exclusive):
Focus of Paper All Articles Research Articles
Alt. Models 52 41.9% 29 38.7%
Emerging 25 20.2% 14 18.7%
Mental Health 24 19.4% 17 22.7%
Comm. Placement 21 16.9% 11 14.7%
Hospital/Med 12 9.7% 8 10.7%

9. “Research Percentage”
Percentage of articles by Subject which qualify as
research articles:
Research percentage
80.0%
70.0%
60.0%
50.0%
40.0%
30.0%
20.0%
10.0%
0.0%

10. Article types
Is this qualitative?
Yes 47 62.7%
No 28 37.3%
Qualitative Method type:
Audit/Program Eval. 53.2%
Phenomenology 27.7%
Action-based 8.5%
Unclear 8.5%
Narrative 4.3%
Ethnography 2.1%

11. Article Types
Is this quantitative?
Yes 49 65.3%
No 26 34.7%
Quantitative Method Type:
Survey Research 79.6%
Single group/cohort 20.4%
Cross-Sectional 2.0%
Multiple groups 2.0%

12. Article Types
Mixed Methods?
Yes 22 29.3%
No 53 70.7%
Systematic Reviews?
Yes 0
No 75

13. Data collection methods
for research articles
60
50
40
30
20
10
0

14. Primary focus of articles

15. Primary focus of articles

16. Curriculum
Primarily Curriculum if the paper specifically
describes and/or studies a particular approach to
curriculum or course design, philosophy, or course
sequence.
Focus of All Articles Research Articles Research % by
Paper (n=124) (n=75) focus
Curriculum 51 41.1% 25 33.3% 49.0%
Low Low Medium Medium High High
SOF SOF % SOF SOF % SOF SOF %
6 24.0% 13 52.0% 6 24.0%

17. Curricular themes addressed
(n=112)
Course or FW design 76 67.9%
Curriculum Design 36 32.1%
Curriculum content 31 27.7%
Meeting Accreditation Standards 27 24.1%
Other 24 21.4%
Outcome Predictor 6 5.4%
Degree Programs 3 2.7%
Retention 1 0.9%

18. Students learning/perspectives
Primarily Student if addresses student learning,
student perspectives, or student outcomes.
Focus of All Articles Research Research %
Paper (n=124) Articles (n=75) by focus
Student 32 25.8% 26 34.7% 81.3%
Low Low Medium Medium High High
SOF SOF % SOF SOF % SOF SOF %
9 34.6% 6 23.1% 11 42.3%

19. Area of student learning addressed
(n=117)
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0

20. Teaching
Primarily Teaching if focused on teaching
techniques and specific teaching method
described
Focus of All Articles Research Research %
Paper (n=124) Articles (n=75) by focus
Teaching 13 10.5% 6 8.0% 46.2%
Low Low Medium Medium High High
SOF SOF % SOF SOF % SOF SOF %
3 50.0% 2 33.3% 1 16.7%

21. Teaching methods addressed
(n=87)
Experiential/active learning 55 63.2%
Teaching styles/skills 30 34.5%
Community-based learning 28 32.2%
Self-directed learning 28 32.2%
Other teaching 25 28.7%
Cooperative learning 22 25.3%
Mentoring 17 19.5%
IPE 11 12.6%
PBL 7 8.0%
Occupation-centered learning 6 6.9%
Case-based learning (video/paper) 5 5.7%
Lecture-based learning 4 4.6%
Service learning 4 4.6%

22. Assessment
Primarily assessment if focused on how to assess
students’ knowledge, skills, and competence.
Focus of All Articles Research Research %
Paper (n=124) Articles (n=75) by focus
Assessment 8 6.5% 6 8.0% 75.0%
Low Low Medium Medium High High
SOF SOF % SOF SOF % SOF SOF %
2 33.3% 2 33.3% 2 33.3%

23. Areas of assessment addressed
(n=35)
FW Assessment Tool 15 42.9%
Other Assessment 15 42.9%
Feedback Verbal 10 28.6%
Observe Performance 10 28.6%
Feedback Written 9 25.7%
Written Product 9 25.7%
Self-Assessment 6 17.1%
Portfolio 3 8.6%

24. Faculty
Primarily Faculty if addresses faculty issues, with
faculty defined to include fieldwork educators
Focus of All Articles Research Research %
Paper (n=124) Articles (n=75) by focus
Faculty 17 13.7% 10 13.3% 58.8%
Low Low Medium Medium High High
SOF SOF % SOF SOF % SOF SOF %
3 30.0% 4 40.0% 3 30.0%

25. Faculty areas addressed (n=112)
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0

26. Wordle:
Faculty challenges “other”

27. Wordle: Other Faculty Issue

28. Physical setting
Primarily about physical setting if the paper is a
study of a learning environment or comparison of
learning environments
Focus of All Articles Research Research %
Paper (n=124) Articles (n=75) by focus
Physical 3 2.4% 2 2.7% 66.7%
Low Low Medium Medium High High
SOF SOF % SOF SOF % SOF SOF %
0 0.0% 0 0.0% 2 100.0%

29. Physical setting areas addressed
(n=62)
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Community Other Clinical Teaching Distance Training Ambulatory Classroom
Experience Hospital Learning Center Care

30. Wordle:
Physical settings “other”

31. Emerging Findings
83
79 78
55
50
46 45 44
43 41
40 40 38
34
30 29 29
26
23 22 22
18 18 16
15
11
7 7 6

32. Modified Kirkpatrick Hierarchy
For research articles describing educational
interventions or innovations:
• Level 1: Participation (participants’ views)
• Level 2a: Attitudes/perceptions (related
changes)
• Level 2b: Knowledge/skills (acquisition)
• Level 3: Behavioral change (apply new skills)
• Level 4a: Change in organizational practice
• Level 4b: Benefits to patient/clients

33. Hierarchy levels for
faculty-focused articles
25
20
15
10
5
0

34. Hierarchy levels for
student-focused articles
30
25
20
15
10
5
0