- Title
- Are contemporary practice environments conducive to the learning needs and preferences of Generation Y occupational therapy students?
- Creator
- Hills, Caroline
- Relation
- University of Newcastle Research Higher Degree Thesis
- Resource Type
- thesis
- Date
- 2018
- Description
- Research Doctorate - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
- Description
- Introduction: This thesis by publication reports on a study comprised of four interconnected stages that explored whether contemporary practice environments are conducive to the learning needs and preferences of Generation Y occupational therapy students. At the time of submission, seven papers have been published in peer-reviewed journals. Background: Practice education is a central component of occupational therapy programs. This study was conducted in response to growing concerns about the professional behaviours and attributes of students collectively referred to as ‘Generation Y’. Many generational authors had argued that due to the influence of parenting styles in their formative years and the increasing use of technology, students born between 1982–2002 both expect and require different teaching and learning approaches to those of previous generations. However, little was known about the teaching and learning preferences of Generation Y occupational therapy students, particularly regarding practice education. Aim: The overall objective of this study was to explore the perceptions of key stakeholders about whether contemporary practice environments are conducive to the learning needs and preferences of Generation Y occupational therapy students’. A series of aims were developed to address the perspectives of the main stakeholders in practice education, that is, students and practice educators. These aims were: 1. To explore practice educators’ perceptions of Generation Y occupational therapy students, and to investigate how this group of students are being managed in practice education. 2. To explore practice educators’ perceptions of Generation Y occupational therapy students, and to investigate how this group of students are being managed in practice education. 3. To explore the lifestyles of Generation Y occupational therapy students, including their use of technology, to determine whether they are consistent with the generational characteristics reported in the literature. 4. To review the teaching and learning preferences of Generation Y healthcare students reported in the literature. 5. To explore the preferred teaching and learning preferences of Generation Y occupational therapy students in practice education. Method: A sequential explanatory mixed method, multiphase study informed by the tenets of pragmatism was selected for this research. The research framework comprised of four stages: Stage One involved the administration of two surveys of practice educators to explore their perspective of whether a typical Generation Y student exists; how Generation Y students present in practice education; and the teaching and learning strategies that had proven effective with this cohort of learners. The results were analysed using descriptive statistics and thematic and content analysis. Stage Two consisted of two surveys of Generation Y occupational therapy students to identify their lifestyles; their technological abilities; and the extent to which these characteristics aligned with the purported generational stereotypes identified in the literature. The results were analysed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. Stage Three was a systematic review of the literature on Generation Y health professional students’ teaching and learning preferences. Quantitative papers were appraised using the Joanna Briggs Institute Meta-Analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instrument (JBI-MAStARI) and qualitative papers were appraised using the Joanna Briggs Institute Qualitative Assessment and Review Instrument (JBI-QARI). Stage Four consisted of interviews with 22 Generation Y occupational therapy students to explore their preferred teaching and learning preferences in practice education and their views on how contemporary practice education environments meet their needs. The interview data were thematically analysed. Results: The results from each of these studies were reported in seven publications but true to a mixed methods design, a meta-synthesis was undertaken to integrate the key results (see Chapter Eight). In summary, little evidence was found in the published literature on the teaching and learning preferences of Generation Y Health care students. However, practice educators reported that the term “Generation Y” does appear to describe some common attitudes, behaviours, and characteristics of younger students, and that, with some exceptions, many students do fit the Generation Y stereotype. Many occupational therapy students in this study had different expectations of their practice learning experience, to those of previous generations, and to those highlighted in the literature. For example, the participants described how they wanted their educator to treat them as an individual and provide customised teaching and learning approaches. They also wanted opportunities for autonomous practice and meaningful relationships with their educators. The importance of high quality regular formative and summative feedback was also a recurring theme in the qualitative data. Interestingly, while seemingly confident in their abilities, many of the participants also demonstrated a degree of vulnerability and expressed a strong need to belong and be valued as a contributing member of the occupational therapy service and the multi-disciplinary team. Finally, although the Generation Y students in this study did not feel competent in the use of all technologies, they nevertheless valued the opportunities presented by social media and also believed that access to the internet was imperative both when undertaking practice education and for lifelong learning. A range of teaching and learning preferences and approaches were generated from both practice educators and students’ perspectives and these have been synthesised into a Student-Centred Practice Education Model (see Chapter Eight). This model aims to provide a pedagogical structure for practice educators and students in contemporary practice education. Conclusion: There is evidence of changes in the focus and direction of the occupational therapy profession across history, through the generations, and in response to changes in knowledge, societal expectations, and healthcare delivery models. This research identified there are also changes occurring in practice education, particularly with the emergence of Generation Y learners. The occupational therapy profession’s fundamental ethos is one of embracing diversity through individualising approaches in order to provide client-centred care. Therefore, it can similarly be argued that practice educators must have the ability to respond to changes in the occupational therapy student cohort and to provide individualised student-centred practice education. The recommendations emanating from this study provide clear guidance to educators in this regard, and can be used to inform and optimise the benefits from practice learning experiences.
- Subject
- Generation Y; occupational therapy students; practice education; fieldwork; clinical practice; Millennials; thesis by publication
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/1383690
- Identifier
- uon:31974
- Rights
- Copyright 2018 Caroline Hills
- Language
- eng
- Full Text
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