This study was undertaken to assist with the development and introduction into the occupational therapy curriculum of an interactive, multimedia learning resource. The radical changes from traditional teaching/learning methodologies, focusing on instructor presentation, to a more learner active role could disadvantage some students. For instance, having to access information independently and problem-solve utilising material presented electronically may add considerable cognitive demands to the learning task. Many factors influence an individual learning in computerised interactive learning situations and these include motivation, previous experience, and a range of learner characteristics. The last factor includes styles of functioning which impact on both the interpretation of processes and the appraisal of performance levels. In many previous studies researching the use of media and learning, these factors have been isolated and their impact on user performance and attitude measured. However, with interactive multimedia, several elements combine to make research concentration on individual variables questionable. These elements include the range and mix of media used, the interactivity possible, and the degree of user control. Therefore, this exploratory study sought to establish some of the learning characteristics which combined to form statistical models in a range of participant navigational tasks. Multiple regression analysis was employed to determine the ways that individuals with differing personal characteristics make navigational decisions while browsing and problem-solving when utilising interactive learning materials. Case studies were employed to illustrate extreme cases. Personal characteristics measured included technological experience, cognitive style, learning style, computer awareness and computer anxiety. This research indicated that significant ++ / numbers of occupational therapy students displayed a tendency towards field-independent cognitive style, activist and reflector learning styles, and an aversion to the use of computer technology. Awareness of these strengths and weaknesses and their impact on multimedia navigation can assist both students and educators to plan strategies to maximise the effectiveness of learning materials. Statistically significant models were identified for five of the six dependent navigation variables measured although their predictor strength was low. Of the independent variables, age, cognitive style, computer thoughts, and prior computer experience all occurred in two or more of the statistically significant models for the navigation performance dependent variables. The dependent variable forming the strongest statistical model was attitudes towards the learning package, representing 38% of the variance.

Magister Scientiae (Occupational Therapy) - MSc(OT) / Fieldwork is seen to be an essential component in the curriculum of an undergraduate occupational therapy (OT) program through which students develop their professional behavior and apply theoretical education to clinical practice. Students in their final year of the undergraduate OT program at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) use the UWC Community Process as a guide to community fieldwork in community settings. This process follows a community development approach to allow students to focus on the needs of the community. The community fieldwork placement is compulsory for all final year OT students. The main aims of the placement are for students to develop their understanding of the role of an occupational therapist in a community setting and to enhance their understanding of the occupational nature of communities. This study focuses on final year UWC OT students' experiences of the supervision they received while following the steps of the Community Process as well as their perceptions of the relationship between their supervision and their learning about occupation based community practice. The aim of the study was to explore how the 2009 final year OT students experienced fieldwork supervision during their community fieldwork placement. The study followed an interpretivist paradigm with a qualitative research methodological approach and a phenomenological design. Purposeful sampling was used to select participants from the UWC OT department who undertook their community fieldwork placement in 2009. All the data utilized in this study was directly linked to the students' experiences of supervision during their learning of the Community Process. Therefore, the methods of data collection that were used included the students' daily reflective journals, their portfolio files and an evaluative focus group held at the end of the year 2009. All data was critically analyzed through a process of thematic analysis in order to meet the research objectives. The techniques of triangulation and a detailed description of the research process were employed to ensure trustworthiness of the study. The ethical principles of autonomy, nonmaleficence, beneficence as well as informed written consent were adhered to in the study. The findings of the study highlighted the emotions that the students experienced, the development of their professional judgement and the challenges and experiences they encountered in their personal and professional development. The findings further showed that the process of becoming a part of the community allowed the students to define their role as an OT in a community setting and to increase their understanding of community development in the context of their role within the community. The findings also emphasized the students' experiences with regards to various teaching and learning techniques and approaches used within the supervision of their community fieldwork placement. The significance of this study lies in its contribution to the generation of an understanding of how supervision influences students' understanding of occupation-based community practice in occupational therapy.

Thesis (MOccTher) -- Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The main aim of this study was to investigate the stressors experienced by occupational therapy students at the University of Stellenbosch and the coping strategies used by these students to manage their stress. The possible relationship existing between the coping strategies and certain mediators of stress, namely self esteem, Type A personality, optimism and locus of control, was also investigated. The sample consisted of 151 occupational therapy students at the University of Stellenbosch. A package of questionnaires was completed by each student. This package included a stressor questionnaire, "Self-Esteem Scale of Rosenberg" (SES), "Jenkins Activity Survey - Student version", (SJAS), "Revised Life Orientation Test" (LOT-R), "Internal-External Locus of Control Scale" (I-E), "Cope Scales" and a Biographical questionnaire. The results indicated that students intensely experience the stressors "limited free time" and "fear of failure". The most important academic stressors were "theoretical and practical examinations and tests" and "academic work load". The most important clinical stressor in especially the third and fourth years of study was the "volume of written requirements". The students' self esteem was distressingly low (an average of 7.28 for a possible score of 10, which indicates a low self esteem). The students' self esteem did however, show an increase from the first to the fourth year of study. The B.Occupational Therapy IV students showed a significantly higher Type A personality than did the B.Occupational Therapy I students. The students' "optimism" and "locus of control" did not differ in the four different years of study. The functional coping strategies used most commonly by students are "religion", "positive re-interpretation and growth", "active coping" and "planning". The maladaptive coping strategies, "seeks social support for emotional purposes", "focus on and ventilate feelings" and "mental disengagement" are also often used by students. "Denial" and "alcohol and substance abuse" are not commonly used by students. A negative relationship between avoidance behaviour and self esteem and Type A personality exists in the B.Occupational Therapy I students. There is also a negative relationship between "seeks social support for instrumental purposes" and "optimism". In the B.Occupational Therapy II students, a positive relationship exists between self esteem and "positive re-interpretation and growth", "active coping", "planning", "religion" and "restraint coping". A similar tendency was noted in the B.Occupational Therapy III and B.Occupational Therapy IV students. In conclusion, some recommendations are made to enable students to effectively cope with their stressors. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die hoofdoelstelling van hierdie studie was om ondersoek in te stel na die stressore wat deur die arbeidsterapie studente aan die Universiteit van Stellenbosch ervaar word en watter behartigingstrategieë die genoemde studente gebruik om hulle stres te behartig. Verder is ondersoek ingestel na die moontlike verband tussen die behartigingstrategieë en sekere mediatore van stres naamlik selfagting, Tipe A persoonlikheid, optimisme en lokus van kontrole, bestaan. Die steekproef het bestaan uit 151 arbeidsterapie studente aan die Universiteit van Stellenbosch. 'n Pakket van vraelyste bestaande uit 'n stressore vraelys, "Self-Esteem Scale van Rosenberg" (SES), "Jenkins Activity Survey - Student version", (SJAS), "Revised Life Orientation Tesf' (LOT-R), "Internal-External Locus of Control Scale" (I-E), "Cope Scales" en 'n Biografiese vraelys is deur elke student voltooi. Die resultate het getoon dat die studente die persoonlike stressore van "gebrek aan vrye tyd" en "vrees vir mislukking" baie intensief ervaar het. Die belangrikste akademiese stressore was die "teoretiese en praktiese eksamens en toetse" en die "akademiese werklading". Die belangrikste kliniese stressor in veral die derde en vierde studiejaar was die "volume skriftelike vereistes". Die selfagting van die studente is kommerwekkend laag ('n gemiddelde van 7.28 uit 'n moontlike telling van 10 wat dui op 'n lae selfagting). Die studente se selfagting het egter toegeneem vanaf B.Arbeidsterapie I tot B.Arbeidsterapie IV. Die B.Arbeidsterapie IV studente het In betekenisvolle hoër Tipe A persoonlikheid as B.Arbeidsterapie I. Die studente se optimisme en lokus van kontrole het nie verskiloor die vier verskillende studiejare nie. Die funksionele behartigingstrategieë wat die studente die meeste gebruik is "godsdiens", "positiewe herinterpretasie en groei", "aktiewe behartiging" en "beplanning". Die disfunksionele behartigingstrategieë van "soek sosiale ondersteuning vir emosionele redes", "fokus op en ventileer gevoelens" en "geestelike onttrekking" word ook dikwels deur die studente gebruik. "Ontkenning" en "alkohol en middelmisbruik" word nie gereeld deur die studente gebruik nie. By B.Arbeidsterapie studente bestaan daar 'n negatiewe verwantskap tussen "gedragsonttrekking" en "selfagting" en "Tipe A persoonlikheid". Daar bestaan ook 'n negatiewe verwantskap tussen "soek sosiale ondersteuning vir instrumentele redes" en "optimisme". By die B.Arbeidsterapie II studente bestaan daar 'n positiewe verwantskap tussen "selfagting" en "positiewe herinterpretasie en groei", "aktiewe behartiging", "beplanning", "godsdiens" en "weerhou behartiging". Dieselfde tendens word gesien by B.Arbeidsterapie III en B.Arbeidsterapie IV. Ten slotte word aanbevelings gemaak om die studente toe te rus om hulle stressore effektief te behartig.

Within medical facilities in South Africa, including the Western Cape, language barriers often exist between healthcare professionals and their patients. This can cause a barrier to efficient patient treatment. In order to address this problem, educational institutions in the Western Cape have started to introduce Xhosa language facilitation for healthcare professionals. In order to facilitate the learning of this additional language, the use of e-learning as a complement to traditional classroom lectures was investigated. The students who participated in this Xhosa language facilitation were specifically identified. This study was quantitative in nature and questionnaires were used. It was concluded that the combination of lectures and the complementary e-learning component helps to improve the student’s ability to learn an additional language, in this case Xhosa. Recommendations were made that would possibly alleviate the problem of language barriers in healthcare settings in the Western Cape. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)

Within medical facilities in South Africa, including the Western Cape, language barriers often exist between healthcare professionals and their patients. This can cause a barrier to efficient patient treatment. In order to address this problem, educational institutions in the Western Cape have started to introduce Xhosa language facilitation for healthcare professionals. In order to facilitate the learning of this additional language, the use of e-learning as a complement to traditional classroom lectures was investigated. The students who participated in this Xhosa language facilitation were specifically identified. This study was quantitative in nature and questionnaires were used. It was concluded that the combination of lectures and the complementary e-learning component helps to improve the student’s ability to learn an additional language, in this case Xhosa. Recommendations were made that would possibly alleviate the problem of language barriers in healthcare settings in the Western Cape. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)