The Scholarship of Practice

Book excerpt: Integrate the freshest research with clinical practice Occupational therapy (OT) practitioners often lack the fundamental skills to conduct or effectively use research, illustrating a disturbing gap between the advancement of theoretical concepts and the extent to which concepts are actually applied. The Scholarship of Practice: Academic-Practice Collaborations for Promoting Occupational Therapy closes this gap by presenting a conceptual framework that integrates theory and research with clinical practice. Leaders in the field provide insightful, thought-provoking ideas and strategies to promote research and facilitate effective new concepts and theories to hands-on practitioners. The Scholarship of Practice is a model that blends education with practice, dynamically applying theoretical principles of occupational therapy learned in the classroom to their actual clinical practice. This framework is a planned, focused, practice-relevant way to educate students, build a tradition of independent scholarship, consult with community-based organizations, and contribute to best occupational therapy practice. Case studies show how partnerships and collaborative efforts can foster and apply important advances and rehabilitative strategies within communities. Examples of faculty-practitioner partnering at Duquesne University and the approach to scholarship at the University of Illinois are clearly discussed. This cutting-edge compilation of ideas and research is extensively referenced and filled with useful diagrams and tables. The Scholarship of Practice: Academic-Practice Collaborations for Promoting Occupational Therapy discusses: evidence-based scholarship participatory action research single case study designs approaches that provide scientific evidence supporting OT services how theory, models, or frames of reference are modified as a result of practice demands or expectations best practices in education continuum of care services the “New Doors Model” that provides occupation-based services—while providing new opportunities for occupational therapists the Practice-Scholar Program at Duquesne University the Concerns Report Method research on the outcomes of practice that support improved services creative fieldwork education that engages students in the scholarship of practice and more! The Scholarship of Practice: Academic-Practice Collaborations for Promoting Occupational Therapy makes important, enlightening reading for occupational therapists, OT educators and scholars, and graduate students preparing for advanced roles in OT.