Human-Centered Design in Occupational Therapy Education: A Pragmatic Teaching Strategy.

Area of Science:

• Occupational Therapy Education
• Human-Centered Design (HCD)
• Design Thinking

Background:

• Creative problem-solving and innovative thinking are crucial for occupational therapy (OT) education.
• Human-Centered Design (HCD), rooted in constructivist theory and design thinking, provides a collaborative and empathetic approach.
• Integrating HCD can enhance essential skills for future occupational therapists.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe an experiential Human-Centered Design (HCD) workshop for graduate occupational therapy students.
• To evaluate the workshop's impact on creativity, design thinking skills, and self-efficacy.
• To explore student perceptions of HCD integration in their professional development.

Main Methods:

• A 150-minute experiential HCD workshop was implemented in a first-semester graduate OT Fieldwork Seminar.
• The workshop utilized the 5E Instructional model, incorporating phases of empathy, definition, ideation, prototyping, and feedback.
• Activities included paired design challenges and low-fidelity prototyping, with structured reflection integrated throughout.

Main Results:

• Quantitative data indicated significant improvements in creative self-efficacy, psychological empowerment, and design thinking skills.
• Qualitative reflections demonstrated enhanced creative confidence and a greater appreciation for collaborative approaches.
• Students expressed intentions to utilize HCD principles in their future occupational therapy practice.

Conclusions:

• Brief, immersive learning experiences like the HCD workshop can effectively enhance student engagement and skill development.
• Integrating HCD into occupational therapy curricula is valuable for fostering creativity and design thinking.
• Future research should investigate the long-term effects and broader curricular integration of HCD in OT education.