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Developing occupational therapy students' information and historical literacy competencies: an interprofessional
1Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy, University of Scranton, Scranton, PA.
Journal of the Medical Library Association : JMLA
|July 3, 2018
Summary
An interprofessional project significantly improved graduate students' information and historical literacy skills, enhancing their understanding of their profession. Further research is needed to assess long-term impact.
Area of Science:
- Health Sciences Education
- Information Literacy
- Historical Literacy
Background:
- Occupational therapy education can benefit from integrated information and historical literacy instruction.
- Interprofessional collaboration between educators and librarians can enhance curriculum development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of an interprofessional project on information and historical literacy in graduate occupational therapy students.
- To assess the impact of integrating historical literacy into information literacy instruction.
Main Methods:
- A graduate course was modified to include information and historical literacy objectives.
- Data collected over six years included pre- and post-course questionnaires, assignment grades, and course evaluations.
- Statistical analysis (t-tests) and qualitative analysis of comments were used to measure outcomes.
Main Results:
- Significant increases in self-reported information and historical literacy competence were observed (p<0.0001).
- Student ratings of historical literacy objectives were high (M=4.6/5), and assignment quality improved.
- Course evaluations indicated student satisfaction with the integrated learning experience.
Conclusions:
- The project successfully enhanced students' information and historical literacy skills, as evidenced by self-reports and assignments.
- The instructional model demonstrates effective interprofessional collaboration and can be adapted for other health science programs.
- Integrating historical literacy offers a unique approach for health sciences librarians and educators to deepen students' professional understanding.