Applying a digital literacy framework and mapping tool to an occupational therapy curriculum

Area of Science:

• Health Sciences
• Occupational Therapy Education
• Digital Health Literacy

Background:

• Rapid technological advancements in healthcare necessitate digital literacy among health professionals.
• Occupational therapy competency standards increasingly include digital literacy.
• Entry-level occupational therapy programs require better guidance on embedding digital literacy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a digital literacy framework and mapping tool.
• To identify opportunities for digital literacy development in an entry-level occupational therapy program.
• To guide universities in demonstrating student digital literacy.

Main Methods:

• Employed an intrinsic case study design.
• Applied a digital literacy framework and mapping tool to an Australian occupational therapy curriculum.
• Mapped digital literacy integration across program years.

Main Results:

• Digital literacy integration varied across the curriculum, with limited focus in early years.
• Basic and intermediate digital literacy opportunities increased in later program years.
• Advanced digital literacy development was minimally evident throughout the program.

Conclusions:

• The framework and tool effectively broadened the understanding of digital literacy.
• These tools can help refine curricula to operationalize digital literacy for practice.
• They facilitate crucial discussions on digital literacy needs for students and practitioners.