Date of Award
2001
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Programs for Higher Education
Advisor
Linda M. Howard
Committee Member
G. Jeremiah Ryan
Committee Member
David O. Remington
Keywords
analysis, applied dissertation project, clinical field, College Misericordia, committee review, comprehensive educational experience, course development, curriculum development, data analysis, development problem-solving methodology, Diamond model, dissemination, educational requirements, empirical support, evaluation, faculty, formative review, implementation, institution specific, journals, literature review, needs assessment, occupational therapy, OT curriculum, pediatrics, performance, professional conferences, publication, questionnaire, research questions, specialization program, specialization track, students, summative review, syllabi, validation, weekend program
Abstract
The problem under investigation was that there were no classes offered that culminated into a specialization track in the occupational therapy (OT) curriculum. The purpose of this applied dissertation project was to develop a specialization track in pediatrics in OT curriculum at College Misericordia that would provide students with multiple options to complete their educational requirements and also provide specialized training.
There were four research questions for this study: ''What are the advantages of a specialization in pediatrics at College Misericordia?" "What are appropriate components to be included in the development of a specialization program in pediatrics at College Misericordia?" "How should the specialization program in pediatrics at College Misericordia be implemented?" "How should the specialization program in pediatrics at College Misericordia be evaluated?"
The development problem-solving methodology was used for the completion of this project. A series of 1 3 procedures was implemented.
The needs of the students and the faculty's opinion for the topics for course development in pediatrics were determined through creation, validation, implementation, and analysis of a questionnaire. Due to the limited number of students and faculty, instead of random sampling technique, all the available students in the second and third year of the weekend program and the entire faculty were provided with the questionnaire. A total of 55 students and 12 faculty were provided with a questionnaire.
The other procedures included in development of the specialization track were a review of the related literature, formative and summative committee review, analysis of the collected data, and development of the specialization track in pediatrics with development of four syllabi for the courses offered in the track. Also included in the procedures was the development of a plan for implementation and evaluation.
This project concluded that the development of specialization track should be conceptually organized, empirically supported, and should be institution specific. The track should also meet the needs of the students and provide a comprehensive educational experience. The Diamond model for curriculum development (Diamond, 1989) provided a valuable and realistic framework. Study recommendations included acceptance of the specialization track by the OT department along with the plan for implementation and evaluation. It was further recommended that the results of the study be disseminated to all interested groups in various forms like presentation at professional conferences or sent for publication in OT journals. Further research should examine the need to develop other specialization tracks in OT curriculum as well as the effect of specialization tracks on the performance of the OT students in the clinical field.