What will I learn on this module?
Building on level 4 modules DA4100 and DA4101this module will develop your understanding of the public health agenda through an occupational lens. You will critically explore regional, national and international health issues affecting individuals and communities, developing your familiarity with policy and. You will consolidate your knowledge and understanding of occupational science theory and concepts, including occupational justice, to consider the social, cultural, political and environmental influences on health and well-being. You will explore the relationship between occupation and contemporary population health challenges (for example obesity, food insecurity and climate change), engaging with local, national and global debates on health in order to develop and apply your own understanding. You will also develop an understanding of how occupation can be a solution for communities to move towards sustainable health and wellbeing, exploring health promotion, disease prevention, and health protection approaches and strategies to support change, with a focus on the occupation as a means for promoting and sustaining healthy and just societies. You will identify public health occupational therapy challenges within the communities who access the practice setting. You will analyse these using relevant theoretical models and evidence-based approaches, demonstrating your developing understanding of the occupational therapy role within the public health agenda when working with a range of communities including those who are disenfranchised. The assessment directly relates to identified public health concerns within your working area.
You will also consider the skills required to work closely with a wide range of communities, using co-production principles to promote an inclusive way of working. We will support the three key values identified in our work with experts by experience, valuing intentional relationship building, showing curiosity about people, their contexts and their communities, and being aspirational in our practice. Within this module we will seek to build relationship skills through co-production, show curiosity regarding the unique relationship between health and occupation and work towards inclusive, client centred and health promoting practice delivery. This module is delivered over the year along side modules focusing on occupational therapy skills and research and evidence You will utilize knowledge and skills developed in this module to support your understadning of the importance of research adn evidnce based pracice, and the application of OT practice skills when engaing in the wider concepts of public health and community focused to enhance and support your learning on the other modules ensuring that your learning is cohesive across level.
How will I learn on this module?
Core concepts will be introduced through online lectures. A hybrid learning approach including online seminars and practical group sessions will also be utilised in order to explore topics interactively and to further understand how theory, policy and evidence are being applied to authentic public health topics and initiatives. The voice of people who experience inequalities, injustice or have direct experience of public health initiatives will be represented within the module, and sessions will help students to engage in critical dialogue. Classroom-based sessions will be utilised during consolidation weeks, enabling you to synthesise work-based learning, practice placement learning alongside the theoretical and practical university-based sessions. Your learning will be further enriched during campus-based consolidation weeks, which provide dedicated time for you to synthesise your work-based learning experiences with practice placement opportunities and the theoretical content from university-based sessions. During these consolidation weeks, you will work directly with experts by experience, exploring the delivery of occupational therapy and health care from service users' perspectives. These sessions will enable you to compare and contrast these experiences with examples from your own day-to-day work setting, developing your ability to critically reflect on practice and to understand how different service delivery models, environments, and approaches impact on the people receiving occupational therapy. This integration of workplace learning, academic study, and service user expertise creates a useful learning environment that develops your capacity to become a critically reflective, person-centred occupational therapy practitioner.
How will I be supported academically on this module?
The module tutor, alongside the module teaching team, will structure a range of blended learning, including face-to-face opportunities during consolidation weeks, to support your learning within the module and to assist you in working towards the module assessment. The module guide, the electronic reading list, and information communicated throughout the module within sessions and on the e-learning portal will all signpost you to resources to support your academic development.
A formative assessment opportunity will be integrated within the module. Staff and/or peer feedback will assist you in evaluating your own progress within the module and identifying areas for development. Assessment preparation with the module teaching team will also be an integral part of the module through briefings and tutorial assessment adaptations recognise the diversity of workplace settings represented across the apprentice cohort, with assessment briefs explicitly permitting you to tailor your responses to reflect your specific practice area. The summative assessment will be a conference-style poster which highlights the occupational perspectives on a contemporary public health issue identified within you day to day work practice.
What will I be expected to read on this module?
All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. The reading list for this module can be found at: http://readinglists.northumbria.ac.uk
(Reading List service online guide for academic staff this containing contact details for the Reading List team – http://library.northumbria.ac.uk/readinglists)
What will I be expected to achieve?
Knowledge & Understanding (K&U):
1. Discuss regional, national and international public health policy and priorities and debate the influence of occupations and the relevance to occupational therapy.
2. Understand and apply occupational science concepts in relation to groups, communities and populations
Intellectual/Professional skills & abilities (IPSA):
3. Review information from a range of sources to inform decision making.
4. Present health information in a clear and accessible manner.
Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):
5. Demonstrate and articulate an inclusive approach which respects and values diversity and a commitment to addressing inequality.
How will I be assessed?
Formative assessment:
Students will present a visual representation (or a draft poster) of how an occupational perspective informs a public health concern.
Summative assessment:
A conference-style poster presenting an analysis of a contemporary public health topic from an occupational perspective identified in your work area. Feedback and feedforward will be provided via blackboard within 2 weeks of submission
Students will be given clear guidance on confidentiality and anonymity.
You will receive written feedback summarising strengths and areas for development from your summative assessment.
Feedback will be provided via gradebook within the university standard of 20 working days.
This will promote achievement of all MLO’s.
Module abstract
This module will bring an occupational science perspective to local, national and global health and wellbeing issues. You will be supported to take a critical approach to understanding the relationship between occupational and health, drawing on concepts such as occupational justice and the dark side of occupation, you will explore how human activities and behaviours are influencing contemporary population health challenges (for example obesity, food insecurity and climate change). By engaging in local, national and global debates on health you can develop your understanding of how occupation can be a solution for communities to move towards sustainable health and wellbeing.
The module is delivered in a hybrid fashion with online learning and in-person consolidation block, supporting you to develop your skills and knowledge. The module assessment requires you to produce a conference-style poster showcasing your understanding of the occupational perspective of a population health issue from your workplace setting. This module utilises learning from other level 5 modules focusing on OT practice skills and research and evidence based practice to support your development in understanding the complexity of public health and community focussed practice ensuring that your learning is cohesive across level 5
