Meaningful occupation for occupational therapy students: a student‐centred curriculum

Abstract The need for meaningful occupation in various roles throughout the lifespan is central to the philosophy of occupational therapy. Client‐centred practice is another core concept that occupational therapists embrace; however, the use of such an approach when interacting with occupational therapy students as ‘clients’ is not evident in the occupational therapy literature. The purpose of this descriptive paper is to compare the principles of client‐centred practice and student‐centred learning and to describe how the occupational therapy programme at McMaster University in Canada has designed, organized and implemented a student‐centred, problem‐based curriculum. The educational research literature provides evidence that learning in such a curriculum is not only more enjoyable for students but also achieves positive outcomes in terms of self‐directed learning, transfer of learning to clinical practice and long‐term retention of knowledge. Feedback from McMaster students suggests that they are well prepared for professional practice and very satisfied with their education. It is concluded that learning in a student‐centred, problem‐based curriculum constitutes ‘meaningful occupation’ for occupational therapy students and is more consistent with principles of client‐centred practice than traditional, lecture‐based educational approaches. Although further research is needed, specifically in the field of occupational therapy education, occupational therapy educators throughout the world are encouraged to apply the values and beliefs that they espouse as occupational therapists and take up the challenge of providing more meaningful occupation for their students. Copyright © 1999 Whurr Publishers Ltd.