Problem-Based Tutorials are central to the learning process. Students, in small groups, meet the course objectives by exploring a variety of health and professional problems likely to be encountered in practice. The focus is on problem-based learning to gain knowledge, and on clinical reasoning to apply and integrate knowledge within a relevant context. The tutor functions as a facilitator of learning rather than a disseminator of information. Tutorial size may vary from five to eight students. Tutorial group membership is changed each term to maximize interaction among faculty and students. 

Inquiry Seminars are conducted as large group resource sessions. They are designed to provide opportunities to explore and discuss major topics of professional interest and theoretical concepts which are central to the development and practice of the profession. Presentations by guest lecturers, small group activities, large group discussions, and student presentations are commonly used formats to enhance learning. Inquiry seminars serve to promote critical thinking and provide the theoretical perspectives to guide and support the learning process.

Skills Laboratories (Professional Roles & Experiential Practicum (PREP)) provide students with the opportunity to acquire the skills needed to assess and address occupational performance problems of clients of all ages. The sessions complement the health problems encountered in the problem-based tutorials and facilitate the integration of theory and practice. The instructors include the course coordinators and clinical experts drawn from the faculty and the community. Class discussion, demonstration of techniques, practice sessions, community experiences, observation of performance and feedback to students are some of the strategies used to help students develop competence in core occupational therapy skills.

Evidence-based Practice Seminars, Inquiry Course and EBP Project (EBP Courses 747, 748, 749) take place in the second year of the program to focus students’ learning on the competency of Scholarly Practice, which is now a core concept of our professional framework. Again, consistency with our educational conceptual framework is ensured by Course Coordinators through the use of “clinical dilemmas” in EBP 747 and clinical scenarios and problems in EBP 748. Self-directed learning is promoted in all three courses, as students are required to design their own clinical dilemmas, programs for evaluation and topics for their major EBP project in the EBP 749 course.

Professional Preparation (Practicum) is an essential component of a student occupational therapist’s education program. We have purposefully chosen to integrate practicum as part of our PREP Courses in each term, to explicitly acknowledge that fieldwork and academic learning is interrelated, which is consistent with the integration of both educational and professional frameworks within our programs. Also, we have chosen to use a formal Learning Contract within our practica, in keeping with the self-directed philosophy of our program. 
 

Opportunities for interprofessional education occur throughout the curriculum in the form of combined learning experiences and/or special events with other groups of students within and beyond the McMaster community. Consistent with our educational framework, students are expected to be self-directed in selecting the learning experiences that best meet their individual learning needs. A ‘menu’ of interprofessional learning experiences is provided to students, the choices included being consistent with our current philosophy about interprofessional education and practice as part of professional preparation and competencies.