Curriculum transformation: a proposed route to reflect a political consciousness in occupational therapy education

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dc.contributor.authorDe Jongh, Jo-Celene
dc.contributor.authorHess-April, Lucia
dc.contributor.authorWegner, Lisa
dc.date.accessioned2013-10-10T19:41:26Z
dc.date.available2013-10-10T19:41:26Z
dc.date.issued2012
dc.description.abstractIntroduction: Curriculum review is an ongoing, dynamic, long-term process that forms part of occupational therapy education. The Department of Occupational Therapy, University of the Western Cape (UWC) recently responded to the challenge of becoming socially responsive and politically relevant by engaging in curriculum review. The review revealed that political reasoning was not clearly delineated previously in the curriculum. In response to this problem, over a period of several years we engaged in a process of curriculum transformation so that students become politically conscious. Methods: The process entailed environmental scanning, feedback from teaching staff and clinicians, students’ evaluations, regular curriculum revision meetings, academic development meetings, workshops and seminars. A qualitative study using a cooperative enquiry approach was conducted to analyse the data. Findings: From the analysis the following themes emerged: (1) identifying the essence of occupational therapy education at UWC, (2) understanding political practice on a theoretical and then a personal level, (3) integrating and operationalising political consciousness into the curriculum. We discuss the debates and critical questions raised in our efforts to develop a curriculum that prepares graduates to be politically conscious and socially responsive. Finally, we present key strategies for the way forward. Conclusion: Curriculum transformation around a political practice of occupational therapy does not merely mean just a change in curriculum content, but requires the internalisation of a political consciousness by educators individually and collectively.en_US
dc.description.accreditationDepartment of HE and Training approved listen_US
dc.identifier.citationDe Jongh, J., Hess-April, L. & Wegner, L. (2012). Curriculum transformation: a proposed route to reflect a political consciousness in occupational therapy education. South African Journal of Occupational Therapy, 42(1):16-20en_US
dc.identifier.issn00382337
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10566/737
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.privacy.showsubmitterfalse
dc.publisherOccupational Therapy Association of South Africaen_US
dc.rights©2012 Occupational Therapy Association of South Africa. Permission has been given to reproduce this file.
dc.status.ispeerreviewedtrue
dc.subjectOccupational therapy educationen_US
dc.subjectCurriculum transformationen_US
dc.subjectPolitical consciousnessen_US
dc.subjectGraduate attributes
dc.titleCurriculum transformation: a proposed route to reflect a political consciousness in occupational therapy educationen_US
dc.typeArticleen_US

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