Active participation in fieldwork level I: fieldwork educator and student perceptions

ABSTRACT Fieldwork experiences bridge the gap between a student's education and entry-level practice. Academic programs, faculty members, and fieldwork educators are challenged to prepare occupational therapy students for entry-level practice. The Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) standards advocate for both active participation and guided observation in Level I fieldwork experience ( American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), 2007) . Students report their most meaningful learning experiences, which include performance of clinical skills and participation in clinical reasoning. However, many students enrolled in the author's entry-level master's program and the other schools within a regional consortium report their Level I fieldwork experience is primarily observation. This article describes the results of a survey administered to fieldwork educators and occupational therapy students eliciting their perceptions of active participation in Level I fieldwork. Results indicate that perceptions of the groups are dissimilar. Recommendations and implications for increased active participation in Level I fieldwork are discussed.