2023 FOTA Connect Member Sessions

December 6, 2023: Register

Telehealth Handwriting Club
Speaker: Speaker: Lori-Ann Helgeson OTD, OTR/L

During the COVID-19 pandemic, students in a local school district pivoted from on-campus instruction to virtual classrooms. Many of the rehabilitation clinics closed their doors to having occupational therapy fieldwork students in their facilities to limit the chances their clients could be exposed to the COVID-19 virus. To ensure students in an occupational therapy program could continue their progression in the program, the program had several students work with their Academic Fieldwork Coordinator on the development and implementation of a virtual handwriting program. A handwriting program was chosen as the focus of the virtual program based on past experiences and literature reviews related to handwriting clubs completed by the Academic Fieldwork Coordinator of the program. Handwriting abilities have been associated with positive changes in reading development, and letter identification skills (Zylstra, Pfeiffer, 2016). A study cited by Zylstra and Pfeiffer found that handwriting skill instruction was important in the facilitation of learning to write and preventing difficulties with writing (Graham et al., 2000). Collette et al., (2017) stated that handwriting is an essential skill for school-aged children, and it is an essential component to academic success. However, there is no clear information about how much handwriting instruction time and intervention are being done in schools (Collette et al., 2017). One of the reasons for this might be the amount of time that teachers must spend to meet all of the educational standards required by the law (Graham et al., 2012, as cited in Collette et al., 2017). Offering handwriting instruction outside of the school setting was identified as a needed activity that could be addressed with this program. Many of the participants were rising sixth graders. Each of the participants received individualized instruction using the Size Matters Handwriting Program curriculum. Size Matters is an evidence-based handwriting program designed by an occupational therapist (Moskowitz, 2023). This presentation will discuss the basics of the handwriting club design and implementation. 

January 17, 2024: Register

Navigating University Partnerships for Occupational Therapy Clinicians in Developing OTD Capstones
Course Level: Basic: Introductory Level 
Speakers: Pamela Kasyan-Howe, OTD, OTR.L and Kristin Domville, Dr. OT, OTR/L

This course, "Navigating University Partnerships for Occupational Therapy Clinicians in Developing OTD Capstones," is a resource for OT clinicians, faculty and students interested in fostering impactful academic partnerships and utilizing OTD capstone students to advance their practices and the OT profession. This course will provide clinicians with a thorough understanding of Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) standards while exploring the inherent diversity of capstone experiences and projects across various institutions of higher education. The benefits and practicalities of using capstone students in their practice, including identifying opportunities, managing student roles, and maintaining quality, will be emphasized. We will also discuss how these partnerships can contribute to the advancement of the OT profession as a whole by providing experiential time for multiple project types. This course will serve as a road map to successful university partnerships for OT clinicians, equipping them with the tools necessary to maximize these collaborative opportunities.  At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to:1.) Comprehend and apply Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) standards to guide OTD capstone students in their projects, ensuring that they understand how to develop meaningful site objectives that progress the profession.2.) Recognize and adapt to differences in capstone experiences and projects across various institutions of higher education, thereby facilitating a more effective mentoring and collaboration process with OTD students.

Past FOTA CONNECT Sessions