MAERGD4000 Interventions in Everyday Life and Work Course description

The course deals with theories about activity, participation and inclusion from occupational therapy, occupational science and other subjects in order to understand everyday life and working life, but also what can limit and promote participation throughout life. The main focus is on development of interventions in order to promote health, activity and participation in society, an overview of the different forms of interventions and critical analysis of these. Topics such as empowerment, recovery processes, motivation and client-centred practice are central to the course. It also covers social challenges that form part of the development of a more inclusive working life and society.

Students will have the option of continuing topics from this course when they take the course MAERGD4100 Knowledge Translation later on.

The student must have been admitted to the study programme.

After completing the course, the student is expected to have achieved the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and competence:

Knowledge

The student

• has in-depth knowledge about how everyday activities and working life can be understood in relation to occupational science and activity theories
• has an understanding of research methods applied in intervention research directed towards everyday activities and working life
• has in-depth knowledge about different perspectives on understanding everyday activities and working life in relation to health and participation in society
• has in-depth knowledge about facilitating factors and barriers to work participation
• has in-depth knowledge of the relationship between everyday activities and working life
• has in-depth knowledge about individual interventions and programmes where facilitations are viable options

Skills

The student is capable of

• applying the knowledge base for occupational therapy and occupational science to the development of interventions and research on everyday activities and working life
• analysing and applying different theories and models relating to everyday activities and working life
• applying research literature about interventions that are relevant to everyday activities and working life
• critically analysing the relationship between professional intervention practice, empowerment, recovery processes, motivation and client-centred practice
• critically evaluating and using results for primary and secondary intervention research to promote participation in everyday activities and working life
• developing knowledge about individual interventions and programmes that use facilitation in order to promote participation in everyday activities and working life
• analysing intervention decisions in relation to context, ethnicity, sex, and social background

Competence

The student is capable of

• communicating research results to fellow students, colleagues and the general public
• reflecting critically on what significance activity patterns, lifestyles, culture, age, social background and gender have for participation in everyday activities and working life

The work and teaching methods used are lectures, seminars, assignments, group work, oral presentations and self-study. Throughout the course, students will work towards a written assignment to be submitted for the exam; see the Assessment chapter below. The written assignment is to prepare a project outline or protocol for the master's thesis.

The students will receive supervision in groups from the lecturer, and they are encouraged to collaborate to discuss and provide feedback on each other's assignments. The students will also receive two hours of individual supervision from occupational therapy departmental staff, preferably from the student's future supervisor on the master's thesis. These two hours are included in the 25 hours dedicated to supervision of the master's thesis.

Assessment content: Learning outcomes

Assessment: Individual home exam - written assignment of 5.000-6.000 words including references.

Time: Work on the assignment will take place throughout the course. Submission in the second semester

Resit exam: The student submits a reworked version of the assignment.

All aids are permitted.

Grade scale A-F

One external and one internal examiner will assess all exams.