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The research will involve the use of mobile eye-trackers,
designed to be worn like a pair a glasses. This allows accu-
rate monitoring of where, when and what the eyes of the
observer specifically focus on. In addition, the mobile eye-
trackers can be worn by patients to track eye-movements
as part of the assessment process, recording where patients
direct their actions or how they respond to specific events
that occur as they carry out real-world activities.
By studying visual attention errors, iCARE is designed
to improve the functional outcome of patients with cogni-
tive dysfunction following stroke by targeting three areas all
critically affected by attention: observer accuracy, cognitive
assessment and intervention accuracy, and team collabo-
ration. The long-term outcome of this line of research will
help establish interpretive observation guidelines for obser-
vation of cognition during functional tasks to assist clinicians
with decision-making and selection of best practice inter-
ventions.
The School of Occupational Therapy looks forward to
Dr. MacKenzie establishing this innovative, interdisciplinary
research laboratory, and the cutting-edge research findings
that will support better outcomes for stroke survivors.
For more information:
MacKenzie, D.E., &Westwood, D.A. Observation pat-
terns of dynamic occupational performance. (2013). Cana-
dian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 80(2), 92-100. doi:
10.1177/0008417413484885
MacKenzie, D.E., & Westwood, D.A. (2013). Occupa-
tional therapists and observation: What are you looking at?
Occupational Therapy Journal of Research: Occupation,
Participation and Health, 33, 4-11. doi: 10.3928/15394492-
20120928-01
...Continued from previous page
EXPANDING ORIENTATION WEEK: LAYING A
FOUNDATION FOR STUDENT LEARNING
Written by Jutta Hinrichs and Cori Schmitz
E
ach year 120+ students commence the Master of
Science in Occupational Therapy (MScOT) pro-
gram at the University of Alberta (UofA). Histori-
cally, our practice has been to hold various orientation
activities on the first day the students arrive before com-
mencing formal classes. In the fall of 2014, a new initiative
was piloted for orienting first year occupational therapy stu-
dents that would lay a strong foundation for the curriculum
content they would encounter during their 26 months in
the program. Specifically Orientation & FoundationWeek
(Foundation Week) was developed to:
Introduce key concepts and core skills that are the
•
basis of many courses
Establish a foundational context for ongoing curricu-
•
lum content and themes
Proactively address student access to campus re-
•
sources and support services
Initiate student-staff relationships
•
The mandatory, four day FoundationWeek was devel-
oped utilizing small and large group sessions at our main
Edmonton campus (100 students) and our satellite Calgary
campus (22 students). The Calgary students traveled to Ed-
monton and joined the Edmonton students for the final 1.5
days of the week’s activities.
Activities and topics were chosen that linked to the
UofA MScOT curriculum theme model depicted in the di-
agram below:
Continued on next page...