Assistive Technology in Pediatric Occupational Therapy Practice: Perceptions of Practitioners and Academic Curriculum Leaders
Principal Investigator: Shannon Gravelle, OT Reg. (Ont.), Doctoral Candidate in the Doctor of Science in Rehabilitation and Health Leadership (Queen's University), s.gravelle@queensu.ca
Associate Investigators: Dr. Beata Batorowicz, Queen’s University, b.batorowicz@queensu.ca and Dr. Sandra Fucile, Queen's University
Purpose and description of study:
The purpose of the study is to explore how occupational therapists who work with children perceive occupational therapy and Assistive Technology (AT). The research will focus on OTs discussing their education/graduate-level curriculum on Assistive Technology (AT), their perceptions of AT within their clinical practice, their perceptions of the strengths and challenges of occupational therapy and AT, and what they envision for the future of occupational therapy and AT.
Target audience for participation:
We are seeking participants for virtual focus groups who: a) work as registered OTs with school-age children (ages 5 to 21 years) in Ontario, b) graduated from a Masters-level occupational therapy program in Ontario, and; c) graduated since 2018 and have a minimum of one year of clinical occupational therapy experience.
Study procedures: If you agree to participate in this study, you will be asked to: complete a brief questionnaire (below) on demographic related information, provide your email address, and electronically sign the consent form.
Participants will be sent a link via email to attend a focus group, based upon their availability provided to the research team. The focus group will be conducted by the Primary Investigator using the Zoom platform.
Participants will be asked to discuss their perceptions of occupational therapy and AT alongside 4-5 other OTs within a 90-minute focus group session. The session will be recorded (audio and video) and consent for participation will be recorded at the beginning of the focus group.
Next steps: The results of the study aim to provide valuable information that sets the direction for discussion and creating a vision with a plan about the future of the occupational therapy and AT curriculum in Ontario.
Voluntary participation: Your participation in this study is entirely voluntary and you can decline to participate in the research or any aspect of the research at any time. You have not waived any legal rights by consenting to participate in this study. Consent will be recorded at the beginning of the online focus group. In appreciation for your time and contributions to this research study, a $75 online gift card to a store of your choice will be provided following participation in the focus group.
Letter of Information and Consent Form to Participate
Please contact Shannon Gravelle at
s.gravelle@queensu.ca with questions.
Deadline to participate: November 30, 2023