Differences in Approaches to Learning Between Occupational Therapy Students in the USA and Norway

Area of Science:

• Occupational therapy education
• Comparative education studies
• Student learning approaches

Background:

• Learners exhibit diverse educational strategies.
• Understanding these differences is crucial for pedagogical development.
• Occupational therapy programs may foster distinct learning environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate and compare learning approach differences between US and Norwegian occupational therapy students.
• To identify potential factors influencing these variations in educational strategies.

Main Methods:

• A comparative study involving 321 occupational therapy students from the USA and Norway.
• Utilized the short version of the Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for Students (ASSIST).
• Employed linear regression analyses for data interpretation.

Main Results:

• US students demonstrated significantly higher scores in strategic learning approaches.
• US students also reported higher engagement in deep learning strategies compared to Norwegian students.
• Identified variations in learning styles between the two national cohorts.

Conclusions:

• Significant differences exist in the learning approaches of US and Norwegian occupational therapy students.
• National educational regulations, entry requirements, and individual student factors may contribute to these observed differences.
• Findings suggest a need for culturally sensitive pedagogical approaches in occupational therapy education.