The development of a curriculum designed to foster authentic leadership skills in occupational therapy students

While the Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) degree is distinctively characterized by clinical leadership (O’Brien et al., 2012; Pierce & Peyton, 1999); there is a limited amount of literature regarding evidence-based, theory driven, outcome-oriented curricular practices that develop leadership skills in Entry-Level Doctor of Occupational Therapy (EL-OTD) students. The occupational therapy (OT) profession would benefit from OT programs taking an empirical approach to implementing leadership development as there is currently a need to understand which approaches produce the most impactful and relevant changes for the profession. This project intends to fill the gap in empirical knowledge through the creation of an authentic leadership curriculum based on learning theories and learning science principles that can be assessed for impact and successful knowledge transfer among EL-OTD students. The proposed initiative involves the infusion of authentic leadership components in a leadership curriculum that will be nested into an EL-OTD curriculum. Specifically, this initiative consists of the inclusion of course learning objectives and course activities focused on the components of authentic leadership theory framework within each course in the OT program’s curriculum. The structured approach to construction and implementation of the leadership curriculum is based on Systems Theory and also relies heavily on Action Learning Theory, Leadership Development Theory, Conger’s Four Approaches to Leadership Development, and Authentic Leadership Theory. The elements of each theory build a conceptual model answering the questions what, when, and how leadership development will occur. The aim of this educational intervention is to increase authentic leadership in students. OT and occupational therapy assistant (OTA) programs are identified stakeholders who may benefit from the program evaluation research findings and evaluation of the students’ leadership skills, as these findings can impact future curriculum development and reporting on programmatic outcomes. The short-term program evaluation objectives include increased EL-OTD students’ self-awareness as leaders, understanding of the meaning of leadership in OT practice, and authentic leadership skills. Evidence supports that leadership development programs are effective at increasing leadership skills. Accordingly, this innovative curriculum draws from elements of multiple theories from various disciplines in order to address the content and methods needed for infusing leadership development within an EL-OTD program. Consequently, the development of and outcomes related to the authentic leadership curriculum have the potential to reach current, applicant, candidate or transitioning OTD programs.2022-09-25T00:00:00

Best Practices in Leadership Curriculum Development: A Case Study of a Curriculum Designed to Foster Authentic Leadership Skills in Graduate Students

Evidence supports that leadership development programs effectively increase leadership skills. Best practice in leadership curriculum development based on empirical evidence from occupational therapy, business and management, and higher education disciplines will be introduced. A case study of an innovative curriculum developed based on these best practices, learning theories, and learning science principles will be described. The structured approach to construction and implementation of the leadership curriculum based on authentic leadership theory demonstrates one program’s approach to the assessment of the impact and knowledge transfer among graduate occupational therapy students