OT4003 - Introduction to Occupational Disruption

You will learn through a range of student-centred approaches, designed to help you make the transition to university learning and to help you develop knowledge in relation to important topics. A blended approach using both face to face and online learning opportunities will be utilised to introduce you to key module concepts, with practical and seminar sessions used to explore these concepts in interactive and experiential ways. In particular, opportunities to engage with the narratives of people who have experienced occupational disruption will support the development of skills in person-centred, inclusive care including collaboration with others and an appreciation of the importance of and the differences and diversity in the lived experience of individuals.
Student-led directed learning will also be important to help you to develop knowledge about key scientific and theoretical concepts, which will be introduced during the module.

The identified module tutor, alongside the module teaching team, will provide a structured blending learning experience including face-to-face and on-line learning opportunities to support your learning within the module and to assist you to work towards the module assessment. The module guide, 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 with feedback will assist you to evaluate your own progress within the module and identify areas for development. Assessment preparation with the module teaching team will also be an integral part of the 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)

Knowledge & Understanding:
1. Demonstrate verbally and in writing a foundation level knowledge of a range of acute and chronic disease processes which may affect an individual across the lifespan.
2. Demonstrate verbally and in writing an understanding of the impact of social, cultural and political factors on occupational engagement across the life span.

Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:
3. Identify information from a range of sources to be able to discuss the variety of factors linked to occupational disruption.
4. Apply theoretical principles to support analysis of interactions between physical, psychosocial and social components of occupational engagement.

Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):
5. Collaboration with others to facilitate client centred practice and promote inclusion and participation

Formative assessment:
Students will be required to identify their chosen narrative and share their chosen focus for the analysis.

Summative assessment:
Students will be required to compete a 2000 word narrative analysis.
They will select a narrative from within the public domain that reflects an individual’s experience of how occupation influences, or is influenced by, illness, well-being, or recovery.
These narratives can be found in newspapers, magazines, patient voices repositories, blogs etc. Guidance and tutorial support will be provided to ensure the student selects a suitable narrative.

The student then identifies the key occupational issues and how they link with the individual’s needs.

The work is assessed against the following criteria:
Choice of a suitable narrative for analysis (5%)
Identification of the individual’s key strengths and needs identified within the narrative (10%)
Establishing one or two suitable key themes from within the narrative to focus analysis (10%)
Establishing the influence of occupation upon their well-being (25%)
The use of research evidence to support understanding of the individuals’ issues and experiences (20%)
The use of occupational therapy and occupational science theory to analyse the narrative (20%)
Effective presentation of work, showing attention to academic writing skills, structure and effective referencing (10%)

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Occupational Therapists support those experiencing disruption due to physical (e.g. disease) or social factors (e.g. bereavement). Participation in this module will develop your knowledge and understanding of some of the major types of disease, injury and social issues associated with key life stages.

Impact on health and wellbeing is influenced by life stage, individual circumstances and the social, cultural and physical environment surrounding the person. Understanding these intersecting complex factors will contribute to you respecting equality and diversity and demonstrating a non-judgemental approach to promote inclusion and participation.

The module will also help you to prepare for your first practice placement (Placement 1 module), where you will meet individuals who are experiencing disruption and change to everyday activities. You will develop an empathic and compassionate understanding of how individuals work towards restoring and maintaining health and wellbeing through engagement in meaningful occupation.

The assessment is a narrative analysis to showcase knowledge and understanding of individual experiences of occupational disruption and the impact on an individual’s health and wellbeing.