Practice and Service Learning in Occupational Therapy: Enhancing Potential in Context

Based on personal logs and verbal accounts, some of the book's chapters describe issues for students as they enter complex practice situations. They show how students assess problems, design and implement interventions and deal with emotions arising from what they see. Above all the book highlights how occupational therapy practice learning can enhance the potential of students to be resourceful and to make an effective contribution to practice in wide-ranging circumstances. The book is based primarily on experiences of occupational therapy placements in South Africa, but aims to have international appeal as key principles of practice learning are drawn from the differing scenarios covered. The book is divided into three sections: the first, on the practice learning agenda, establishes the academic context and purpose of practice learning within an occupational therapy curriculum, and sets it in the context of lifelong learning. The second section examines the opportunities offered by different locations within the hospital and community and compares different practice experiences for students. The final section, on enhancing potential, offers a critique of some of the mechanisms that are used for supporting students, and ends with a look at the future of practice learning and how it might develop.