Educating Scholars of Practice: An Approach to Preparing Tomorrow's Researchers

Area of Science:

• Occupational therapy
• Educational strategies
• Scholarly practice

Background:

• Occupational therapy scholarship often lacks direct practice relevance.
• A disconnect exists between theory, research, and clinical application in the field.
• Therapist preparation for scholarly contributions is identified as a key issue.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe an educational strategy for preparing occupational therapists as scholars of practice.
• To enhance the cumulative body of knowledge relevant to occupational therapy practice.
• To bridge the gap between theory, research, and practice through scholarly contributions.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing social learning theory as a foundation.
• Applying principles of situated learning and cognitive apprenticeship.
• Integrating students into an ongoing community of scholars.

Main Results:

• The proposed strategy aims to foster the development of practice-relevant knowledge.
• It facilitates the creation of a scholarly community among therapists.
• The approach is designed to examine and enhance occupational therapy practice.

Conclusions:

• An effective educational strategy can improve the scholarly output in occupational therapy.
• Preparing therapists as scholars of practice is crucial for advancing the field.
• Community-based learning enhances the link between research and practice.