Skills for teaching: a problem-based learning faculty development workshop.

This article was acceptedfOr publication September 17, 1997. S everal converging issues within occupational therapy education highlight the importance of faculty development projects. First, there has been a proliferation of occupational therapy education programs. Schools are striving ro prepare an adequate supply of practitioners to meet the demands for employment. One issue that has resulted from program expansion is a paucity of faculty members who are available to teach in either new or established educational programs. TIle need more faculty members. Second, as a result of program proliferation, schools are often left with few options but to employ occupational therapy practitioners who are inadequately prepared as educators and, hence, are poorly prepared to meet the teaching demands of academia. Although many practitioners express interest in expanding their teaching activities from the clinic to the classroom, few have had specific training in teaching and classroom methods. The outcome is often problematic as practitioners with good intentions end up performing a role for which they are ill prepared. As a result, practitioners may experience frustration and difficulty with teaching, become discouraged, and decide on the basis of an unsatisfying experience not to continue teaching. Even more important is that students may suffer from an instructor's lack of education for education and subsequent disillusionment. TIle need more competentfaculty members. Third, the literature reflecting opportunities for occupational therapy practitioners to develop specific teaching skills is sparse. There are overviews of careers in academia (Brayley, 1996) and descriptions of curricula (Royeen, 1995), specific courses (Peloquin & Davidson, 1993; Stern, 1997), and various teaching strategies that promote advanced skills (Neistadt, 1996; Peloquin & Babola, 1996; VanLeit, 1995). However, a common feature of these reports is that it appears that the faculty member receives information and practices skills in isolation. There is little, if any, opportunity to validate skill, compare and contrast technique with others, or have questions about specific teaching methods answered. It is interesting to note that these same principles applied to clinical practice are routine. Opportunities for instructors to experience some collegiality, validate their efforts, and translate the written description(s) into practice would enhance faculty development. Faculty members need more formal and informal learning opportunities. Fourth, the occupational therapy literature related to educational methods reflects an increasing attention to problem-based learning (PBL) and case-based learning (CBL). Specific courses (Stern, 1997; VanLeit, 1995) and comprehensive curricula (Royeen, 1995; Sadlo, 1994;