Researchers' Theater: Enhancing Student Engagement in an Introductory Research Course

Area of Science:

• Occupational Therapy Education
• Pedagogy in Health Sciences

Background:

• Research coursework presents challenges for occupational therapy students, potentially hindering learning engagement.
• Student engagement is crucial for effective knowledge acquisition and skill development in academic settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and implement an innovative assignment, Researchers' Theater, to enhance student engagement in occupational therapy research coursework.
• To evaluate the impact of a student-led, creative learning framework on occupational therapy students' engagement.

Main Methods:

• A student engagement framework guided the creation of the Researchers' Theater assignment.
• The assignment involved small groups of first-semester occupational therapy students leading creative review activities weekly.
• Data collection included student feedback surveys and instructor observations.

Main Results:

• Student feedback and instructor observations indicated increased affective, behavioral, and cognitive engagement.
• The Researchers' Theater framework positively influenced students' involvement with course material.
• Findings suggest the assignment effectively reinforced learning content.

Conclusions:

• The student-led, game-based Researchers' Theater framework shows significant potential for enhancing occupational therapy students' engagement.
• Innovative pedagogical approaches are valuable for reinforcing complex course content and improving the learning experience.