An Awareness of What Is Missing: Four Views on the Consequences of Secularism

While the issues regarding widespread secularization in contemporary Western culture are difficult to properly assess, it can be argued that certain prerequisites are necessary for the well-being of any society and, furthermore, that certain of these necessary conditions are only provided by a given civilization\u27s major religious tradition. All societies need to perpetually engage in collective action and decision making, and as any given community faces the challenges of the future, its governing religious worldview is an indispensable source of guidance and time-honored wisdom. With this in mind, it will be argued that Western civilization is dependent upon a Judeo-Christian orientation for its ongoing vibrancy, integrity, and sustainability as a culture. When the background of shared values and norms provided by Judaism and Christianity no longer functions in any unifying capacity, society loses its sense of identity and purpose, and impoverishment in many areas of human life and endeavor is felt and observed. Something—whether it is described as value, order, meaning, community, or charity—goes missing. This diminishment will be analyzed with respect to four different Western fields of study: philosophy, literature, politics, and education

An in-depth analysis of ethics teaching in Canadian Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy programs

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine current approaches and challenges to teaching ethics in entry-level Canadian physiotherapy (PT) and occupational therapy (OT) programs. Methods: Educators responsible for teaching ethics in the 28 Canadian PT and OT programs (n=55) completed an online survey. Results: The quantity of ethics teaching is highly variable, ranging from 5 to 65 hours. Diverse obstacles to ethics teaching were reported, relating to the organization and structure of academic programs, student issues and the topic of ethics itself. Specific challenges included time constraints, large class sizes, a lack of pedagogical tools adapted to teaching this complex subject, a perceived lack of student interest for the subject and a preference for topics related to clinical skills. Of note, 65% of ethics educators who participated in the survey did not have any specialized training in ethics. Conclusion: Significant cross-program variation in the number of hours dedicated to ethics and the diversity of pedagogical methods used suggests that there is little consensus about how best to teach ethics. Further research on ethics pedagogy in PT and OT programs (i.e., teaching and evaluation approaches, effectiveness of current ethics teaching), would support the implementation of more evidence-based ethics education

Physiotherapy practices and third party payers: issues in professional ethics in the Prairie provinces

[À l'origine dans / Was originally part of : ESPUM - Dép. médecine sociale et préventive - Travaux et publications]During a 4-month period, July 2nd 2014 to November 1st 2014, Canadian physiotherapy (PT) professionals were solicited for participation in an empirical cross-sectional online survey questionnaire. Our research team was interested in exploring the ethical challenges encountered in the interactions between PT professionals and third party payers. Analysis of the survey will be disseminated through scientific publications. The purpose of this report is to give detailed results relevant to your provincial association.Canadian Arthritis Network (CAN), Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Fonds de recherche du Québec-Santé (FRQ-S), Quebec Research Rehabilitation Network (REPAR

Physiotherapy practices and third party payers: issues in professional ethics in the Atlantic provinces

[À l'origine dans / Was originally part of : ESPUM - Dép. médecine sociale et préventive - Travaux et publications]During a 4-month period, July 2nd 2014 to November 1st 2014, Canadian physiotherapy (PT) professionals were solicited for participation in an empirical cross-sectional online survey questionnaire. Our research team was interested in exploring the ethical challenges encountered in the interactions between PT professionals and third party payers. Analysis of the survey will be disseminated through scientific publications. The purpose of this report is to give detailed results relevant to your provincial association.Canadian Arthritis Network (CAN), Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Fonds de recherche du Québec-Santé (FRQ-S), Quebec Research Rehabilitation Network (REPAR

Physiotherapy practices and third party payers: issues in professional ethics in Ontario

[À l'origine dans / Was originally part of : ESPUM - Dép. médecine sociale et préventive - Travaux et publications]During a 4-month period, July 2nd 2014 to November 1st 2014, Canadian physiotherapy (PT) professionals were solicited for participation in an empirical cross-sectional online survey questionnaire. Our research team was interested in exploring the ethical challenges encountered in the interactions between PT professionals and third party payers. Analysis of the survey will be disseminated through scientific publications. The purpose of this report is to give detailed results relevant to your provincial association.Canadian Arthritis Network (CAN), Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Fonds de recherche du Québec-Santé (FRQ-S), Quebec Research Rehabilitation Network (REPAR

Physiotherapy practices and third party payers: issues in professional ethics in Quebec

[À l'origine dans / Was originally part of : ESPUM - Dép. médecine sociale et préventive - Travaux et publications]During a 4-month period, July 2nd 2014 to November 1st 2014, Canadian physiotherapy (PT) professionals were solicited for participation in an empirical cross-sectional online survey questionnaire. Our research team was interested in exploring the ethical challenges encountered in the interactions between PT professionals and third party payers. Analysis of the survey will be disseminated through scientific publications. The purpose of this report is to give detailed results relevant to your provincial association.Canadian Arthritis Network (CAN), Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Fonds de recherche du Québec-Santé (FRQ-S), Quebec Research Rehabilitation Network (REPAR

What place for ethics? An overview of ethics teaching in occupational therapy and physiotherapy programs in Canada

Purpose: The recent introduction of master’s level curricula for Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy training programs in Canada raises both challenges and opportunities to address ethical issues during professional training. This study evaluated the inclusion of ethics content in course descriptions and course calendars in order to develop a preliminary understanding of how rehabilitation ethics is taught in Canadian universities. Method: We reviewed the ethics content in the online curricula of 27 Canadian rehabilitation programs (OT & PT). Courses addressing ethical issues were identified through keyword searches, and were then subjected to both quantitative and textual descriptive analyses. Results: The mean proportion of credits allotted to courses that included ethics terminology was 5.9% (SD=1.4) for OT and 6.5% (SD=4.8) for PT (p=0.69). The most common terms in the course descriptions were ‘ethics/ethical’ followed by ‘legal’, ‘professionalism’, ‘deontology’ and ‘regulatory’. Textual analysis revealed eight course topics, the most frequent being: standards of practice, ethical decision-making, clinical courses and mediation/communication. Conclusion: With the growing recognition and status of occupational therapy and physiotherapy in the healthcare system, and corresponding shifts in how professionals are being trained, it is crucial to assess and reflect upon the place accorded to and manner of teaching ethics

Ethics teaching in rehabilitation: results of a pan-Canadian workshop with occupational and physical therapy educators

Purpose: Ethical practice is an essential competency for occupational and physical therapists. However, rehabilitation educators have few points of reference for choosing appropriate pedagogical and evaluation methods related to ethics. The objectives of this study were to: 1) identify priority content to cover in ethics teaching in occupational therapy (OT) and physical therapy (PT) programs and 2) explore useful and innovative teaching and evaluation methods. Method: Data for this qualitative descriptive study were collected during a one-day knowledge exchange workshop focused on ethics teaching in rehabilitation. Results: Twenty-three educators from 11 OT and 11 PT Canadian programs participated in the workshop. They highlighted the importance of teaching foundational theoretical/philosophical approaches and grounding this teaching in concrete examples drawn from rehabilitation practice. A wide range of teaching methods was identified, such as videos, blogs, game-based simulations and role-play. For evaluation, participants used written assignments, exams, objective structured clinical examinations and reflective journals. The inclusion of opportunities for student self-evaluation was viewed as important. Conclusion: The CREW day provided ethics educators the opportunity to share knowledge and begin creating an on-line community of practice. This space for dialogue could be expanded to international rehabilitation ethics educators, to facilitate a broader network for sharing of tacit and experiential knowledge.

Amplifying the voices of neurodivergent students in relation to higher education assessment at UWE Bristol

This paper reports on a study funded by the UWE Pedagogical Project fund in 2021-2022, which aimed to amplify the voices of neurodivergent (referred to as ‘ND’) students in relation to lived experiences of Higher Education (HE) assessment practices which were perceived as enablers or barriers to their success. The research team included neurodivergent researchers and allies and 18 neurodivergent student participants across all faculties at UWE. Through the use of a participatory approach, the study aimed to reduce traditional power dynamics between the researcher and research participants. Ethical approval was gained through the University Research Ethics Committee, and relevant ethical guidelines adhered to (British Educational Research Association, 2018). Student participants were invited to be involved in the overall research design, drawing up questions and methods for data collection and subsequent analysis of data. Data were subsequently collected via online interviews which were either recorded and transcribed verbatim by the researchers or received as written answers depending on student preference. The anonymised interviews were stored on a secure online server in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation. Key FindingsIn order to extract meaning from the data, the study drew broadly upon Braun and Clarke’s (2006) thematic analysis methods and utilised NVivo 1.6.1 as a coding tool. Clouder’s (2020) synthesis of literature relating to the experiences of neurodivergent students within HE was also useful in framing our thinking, particularly the categorisation of three areas of significance for neurodivergent learners at HE: (i) Teaching Learning and Assessment practices (ii) HE responses to neurodivergent learners (iii) Student experiences of HEAt a time when there remains a persistent awarding gap between disabled students and their peers, which can be particularly significant for students with neurodivergent profiles, findings are relevant to HE institutions concerned with widening participation and inclusivity in Higher Education. Finding 1: Teaching Learning and Assessment practicesGiven the focus of our study, it is unsurprising that much of the data related to teaching, learning and assessment practices. A key finding of the project was a perception of rigidity of assessment practices which did not allow neurodivergent scholars to evidence their knowledge of either concepts or content related to their chosen disciplines. At the same time, participants did not advocate for an ‘anything goes’ scenario in relation to assessments, arguing that some parameters were helpful in framing assessments. We termed this ‘bounded flexibility’. Formal exams were often noted as a barrier, along with limited opportunities for well-timed formative assessment sessions. A further perceived barrier was an inability to decode assessment criteria, which was exacerbated by a perception that tutors held implicit academic expectations which they did not always articulate. RecommendationsBounded flexibilityTo enable neurodivergent students to evidence their full potential in assessments, we suggest there is a need for UWE to consider the implementation of assessment practices, to all students, which routinely offer some flexibility in relation to: (a) student choice associated with the content or topic of assessments that are linked to the key concepts of modules, and (b) choice in relation to the mode of assessment (e.g. group/individual presentations, presentations which are face to face/online, recorded or live etc.).Formative assessment opportunities and feedbackTo support neurodivergent students towards success in assessments, we suggest that there is a greater need for emphasis upon formative low stakes assessment opportunities being skilfully built into the life course of modules. Furthermore, students should have opportunities to be scaffolded in the decoding of assessment criteria, with explication of how these translate into successful assessments.Finding 2: Responses from HEStudents reported a perception of a lack of awareness from tutors of the challenges that can be associated with neurodivergence, which hampered success. They also reported that there was often a deficit model of abilities, with reasonable adjustments often viewed by staff as a form of remedial provision. There was limited awareness of the strengths that neurodivergent profiles can also bring.  Recommendations:Increased staff awareness of the strengths and areas of challenge experienced by neurodivergent studentsIn order to develop staff awareness of neurodivergence, we suggest a need for institutional inclusive infrastructures to be in place aimed at supporting staff in this area, including awareness of different neurodivergent profiles, staff training, and resourced neurodivergent champions. We strongly suggest that members of the neurodivergent UWE community need to be part of these dialogues to avoid ‘othering’.UWE to take an asset-based approach to neurodivergenceIn supporting neurodivergent students to develop a strong sense of themselves as competent learners, we recommend an asset-based approach to neurodivergent learning profiles at an institutional level. This would require recognition of the strengths that neurodivergent profiles can bring to the learner when barriers are removed (including via flexible assessment practices). Critique of reified pedagogic practicesWith a view to supporting the success of neurodivergent students, we recommend that programmes and tutors need to regularly critique their own pedagogical repertoires from anti-ableist and inclusivity positions and recommend that there is a need for university support in doing so. Finding 3: Experience of HEA key finding was the significance placed on establishing meaningful relationships with academic staff, beginning at transitions into HE. These ‘relational pedagogies’ (Gravett and Winstone, 2020), in which students feel they are valued and listened to, facilitate a sense of belonging. This was perceived as essential since it enabled students to disclose and to seek the support needed to scaffold towards success. Such ‘Pedagogies of mattering’ (Gravett et al, 2021) also require academics to constantly critique their pedagogical and assessment practices, calling into question how curricula are (co) constructed. At the same time, it has been argued that neo-liberal discourses, with their focus upon the marketisation of HE, have led to the depiction of modern-day universities as places underpinned by ‘forces inimical to individual flourishing and collaborative endeavours’ (Taylor et al. 2020, 1) and there may be reticence from academics to take on what is perceived as a ‘caring’ role outside the remit of their profession. Difficulties with UWE processes, including irregular timetabling and staff not always following UWE procedures (e.g. putting up materials 48 hours in advance), were regularly noted as barriers to success. Recommendations: Greater resourced support structures for students and staffThe University should provide clear, accessible guidance on university systems in different formats, and make this available to all students and staff. More regular timetables need to be designed wherever possible, alongside offering support and understanding to students struggling with organisational pressures. We recognise some of the staffing issues may be due to under-resourced staff with workload issues, and so more structural support for staff is needed (who may also be neurodivergent themselves). Alternatively, the University needs to provide more staffing to ease workload pressures, which in turn will help with the ability to develop relationships with students and provide feedback. Supporting neurodivergent students in developing a sense of belonging by celebrating neurodivergence in UWE staff To support neurodivergent students in developing a greater sense of belonging, we recommend that UWE should visibly and strategically celebrate the achievements of neurodivergent staff. This is because visible representation of relatable role models has been a useful tool for inclusion for other marginalised groups. At the same time, we recognise a consistent reluctance for academics to disclose their own neurodivergent profiles (Brown and Leigh, 2018) and that this can be based on the belief of the pervasiveness of ableism in the academy which could be damaging to careers, identities, and wellbeing (Brown, et al, 2018). Furthermore, this would help with fostering a culture of staff empathy and awareness of inclusion of neurodivergent students, where needs can be raised without concern of negative impacts. With a concerted (resourced) effort, UWE could be a pioneer in this area, leading other HE institutions

Supporting ethics educators in Canadian occupational therapy and physical therapy programs: A national interprofessional knowledge exchange project

Ethics education is the cornerstone of professional practice, fostering knowledge and respect for core ethical values among healthcare professionals. Ethics is also a subject well-suited for interprofessional education and collaboration. However, there are few initiatives to gather experiences and share resources among ethics educators in rehabilitation. We thus undertook a knowledge exchange project to 1) share knowledge about ethics training across Canadian occupational and physical therapy programs, and 2) build a community of educators dedicated to improving ethics education. The objectives of this paper are to describe this interprofessional knowledge exchange project involving ethics educators (with a diversity of professional and disciplinary backgrounds) from Canadian occupational and physical therapy programs as well as analyze its outcomes based on participants’ experiences/perceptions. Two knowledge exchange strategies were employed: an interactive one-day workshop and a wiki platform. An immediate post-workshop questionnaire evaluated the degree to which participants’ expectations were met. Structured telephone interviews nine to ten months after the workshop collected participants’ perceptions on whether (and if so, how) the project influenced their teaching or led to further interprofessional collaborations. Open-ended questions from the post-workshop questionnaires and individual interviews were analyzed using qualitative methods. Of 40 ethics educators contacted, 23 participated in the workshop and 17 in the follow-up interview. Only 6 participants logged into the wiki from its launch to the end of data collection. Five themes emerged from the qualitative analysis: 1) belonging and networking; 2) sharing and collaborating; 3) changing (or not) ways of teaching ethics; 4) sustaining the network; and 5) envisioning the future of ethics education. The project attained many of its goals, despite encountering some challenges. While the wiki platform proved to be of limited benefit in advancing the project goals, the interactive format and collaborative nature of the one-day workshop were described as rewarding and effective in bringing together occupational therapy and physical therapy educators to meet, network, and share knowledge.Anne Hudon is supported by a doctoral fellowship from the Fonds de recherche du Québec-Santé (FRQ-S) and was supported by a scholarship from the MENTOR program in collaboration with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the Quebec Research Rehabilitation Network (REPAR) at the time of the study. Maude Laliberté held a doctoral fellowship from the FRQ-S. Matthew Hunt is supported by a research scholar award from the FRQ-S. This project was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR-EOG-120255), the Edith Strauss Rehabilitation Research Project Foundation, the Canadian Council of Physiotherapy University Programs (CCPUP & CPA), the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation of Greater Montreal (CRIR), and the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Montreal