Piloting a Research Roundtable for Occupational Therapy Students

Area of Science:

• Occupational Therapy Education
• Medical Education Research

Background:

• Understanding research articles is a crucial yet challenging skill for occupational therapy students.
• Effective pedagogical strategies are needed to enhance students' research literacy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a research roundtable format in improving occupational therapy students' ability to understand research articles.
• To assess the impact of interprofessional faculty facilitation on student learning experiences.

Main Methods:

• A research roundtable was implemented, involving small groups of students analyzing research articles.
• Interprofessional faculty facilitators guided discussions within the small groups.
• Survey feedback was collected from 75 students over two academic years.

Main Results:

• The roundtable format was perceived as valuable for student learning by the majority of participants.
• Small group dynamics, faculty support, and open discussions fostered an emotionally safe and engaging learning environment.
• Students reported a deeper understanding of research concepts and increased confidence in their research abilities.

Conclusions:

• The research roundtable model is an effective strategy for enhancing occupational therapy students' research article comprehension.
• Interprofessional collaboration and a supportive learning environment are key components for successful research skill development.
• This approach has the potential to improve research literacy and confidence among future occupational therapy practitioners.