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Fieldwork Evaluation Process

The University of North Dakota Occupational Therapy Department has implemented a method to evaluate fieldwork facilities. Evaluation is done to determine whether fieldwork settings are equipped to provide application of principles learned in the academic program and appropriate to the learning needs of the student, and to ensure that all aspects of the fieldwork program are consistent with the curriculum design of the UND Occupational Therapy Program.

The evaluation process begins with a paper review which includes but is not limited to the facilities philosophy statement, objectives, learning experiences, and AOTA Fieldwork Data Form. This review is conducted by the UND OT Department Fieldwork Coordinator, who then routes the form back to the facility for further clarification or information. After providing their input, the facility will forward the form back to the UND OT Department where a decision will be made upon unanimous approval of the UND OT Department faculty. Final evaluation results will be sent to the facility and a copy placed in the facility fieldwork manual. This process might also be supplemented through telephone or e-mail exchange, and may involve curriculum updates, student evaluations of the fieldwork site and fieldwork visits.

Facilities who are not approved as fieldwork sites will be provided specific rationale as to the decision made, and will be provided with suggestions should they wish to pursue approval as a fieldwork site in the future. Conversely, if a fieldwork facility chooses to withdraw from offering fieldwork experiences to UND students, they are also expected to notify the UND Occupational Therapy department of this decision and the reasoning behind it. The information concerning that facility will then be removed from the fieldwork manuals and placed in an inactive file.

Data will be gathered in the areas of evaluation and assessment, primary treatment conditions, interventions, client participation, student resources for learning, facility expectations, and consistency with the UND OT Department objectives for fieldwork.

Information collected will be used to:

  1. Assist student in the fieldwork selection process
  2. Inform fieldwork facilities of curriculum content, expectations and learning experiences currently offered in the UND Occupational Therapy curriculum
  3. Determine whether fieldwork facilities are offering learning experiences compatible with those presented in the UND Occupational therapy curriculum.
  4. Provide UND Occupational Therapy department a method of objectively evaluating existing fieldwork facilities
  5. Provide the UND Occupational Therapy department an instrument to guide faculty in selecting new fieldwork facilities in an objective manner.
Occupational Therapy Department
School of Medicine and Health Sciences
Hyslop 210
2751 2nd Ave. No. Stop 7126
Grand Forks, ND 58202-7126
Telephone: (701) 777-2209
Fax: (701) 777-2212
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