Module Directory

This placement requires active participation in practice; initiating elements of the occupational therapy process and sharing your professional reasoning at each stage. Your reasoning will involve thinking critically about the different aspects of practice and the knowledge and evidence which informs your practice. You will use reflection to develop awareness of yourself as a practitioner and identify areas for further learning. You will initiate interactions with other team members and those involved in this setting, based on the understanding of the contexts for practice. You will demonstrate your learning as you progress through the placement and summarise your achievements using a continuing professional development activity which has been agreed and negotiated with your educator.

By the end of the 6-week placement, you will be able to:

• Question situations to identify problems.


• Demonstrate the application of solutions to problems identified.


• Initiate occupational therapy in a specific setting.

By the end of this module, students will be expected to be able to:

1. Evaluate sources of knowledge, evidence, and information for practice in a specific setting (placement).


2. Use reflection and professional reasoning to guide the occupational therapy process and develop own practice for the benefit of service users, carers, and the service as a whole (placement).


3. Select, apply, and critically evaluate appropriate actions to initiate occupational therapy in a specific setting (placement).


4. Critically reflect on how the occupational therapy process and professional reasoning are applied within the placement setting for the benefit of the service user (reflection).

Practice- based learning practice experience in a relevant practice setting.

Preparation and debriefing workshop details will be available to students prior to sessions on Pre-registration occupational therapy Placement Moodle page.

Students to draw upon previous experiences and learning to date to inform their practice placement.

Students will develop relevant skills for their practice placement setting in line with the assessment criteria.

Learning support:

• You will have access to support from your practice educator, peers, personal tutor, Practice Placement Lead and student support during the practice placement.
• The practice educator acts as facilitator; mentor and assessor of the student's development and learning.
• Where two students are on placement together, they can provide peer support; opportunities for self-directed study and an increased depth of experience for all parties.
• You are encouraged to disclose any learning needs to the practice educator(s) and consider strategies to support learning. This is indicated on completion of the SWAIN form.
• Support from the University of Essex occupational therapy placement tutor is available to both students and educators throughout the placement together with support from other tutors at half-way tutorial.