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Published on: July 21, 2021
U.S. and Swedish Student Learning Through Online Synchronous International Interactions
Rebecca M Aldrich1, Karin E Johansson2
1Rebecca M. Aldrich, PhD, OTR/L, is Assistant Professor, Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO; raldrich@slu.edu.
Online technology enabled U.S. occupational science and Swedish occupational therapy students to connect globally. This pilot study found that these interactions positively impacted cultural understanding and highlighted areas for improving global learning in occupational therapy education.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Therapy Education
- Global Health Perspectives
- Interprofessional Education
Background:
- Limited literature exists on integrating firsthand global experiences into occupational therapy curricula.
- There is a growing need for global perspectives in occupational therapy education.
- Online technology offers a potential solution for bridging geographical gaps in education.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe course-based synchronous online interactions between U.S. and Swedish undergraduate students.
- To analyze student learning outcomes from these cross-cultural, technology-mediated sessions.
- To identify areas for improvement in structuring online global learning experiences.
Main Methods:
- Thematic analysis of student open-ended survey responses from a 2014 pilot study.
- Content analysis of four audio-recorded synchronous online interaction sessions.
- Focus on discerning student learning and the nature of interactions.
Main Results:
- Course-based online synchronous interactions positively facilitated learning about diverse cultures.
- Students gained insights into global differences in occupational therapy practice.
- Identified specific needs for enhancing the structure and objectives of interactive sessions.
Conclusions:
- Online synchronous interactions are a viable method for fostering global perspectives in occupational therapy education.
- Findings support the role of technology in developing occupational therapists' cultural competence.
- Recommendations provided for optimizing future cross-cultural online educational collaborations.
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