Online learning: the potential for occupational therapy education.

Area of Science:

• Health Professions Education
• Educational Technology
• Higher Education Studies

Background:

• Online learning significantly impacts higher education, with growing student demand for blended and fully online courses.
• Occupational therapists increasingly seek online continuing professional development, yet educators lag in adopting web-based instructional technology.
• This review examines web-based learning in higher education and its current application in occupational therapy education.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide background on web-based learning in higher education.
• To outline the current use of online learning in occupational therapy education.
• To stimulate discussion on online learning's impact on professional socialization, student satisfaction, and outcomes in occupational therapy.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of web-based learning in higher education.
• Analysis of current usage in occupational therapy education.
• Inclusion of research on technology-enhanced campus-based delivery.

Main Results:

• Evidence suggests blended learning approaches enhance interaction.
• Computer-mediated learning can address higher-order learning needs in professional programs.
• Research findings are presented to encourage discussion on online learning's role.

Conclusions:

• Occupational therapy educators should explore and adopt web-based instructional technologies.
• Blended learning strategies can effectively meet the needs of occupational therapy students and professionals.
• Further research is needed to fully understand the implications of online learning in occupational therapy education.