Volume 4, Number 2, 2024 Expeditions

EN:

In this article, I develop guiding questions to explore ways that the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) can contribute to advancing reconciliation in Canadian universities. I draw on decolonization and Indigenization literature to reflect on my SoTL practice, identify tensions, and look ahead to next steps in my research. Ultimately, I aim to invite co-reflection and extend dialogue within the community of SoTL scholars towards contributing to reconciliation through SoTL.

EN:

Physical therapy (PT) students and graduates in Saskatchewan, Canada, are entering a health system requiring enhanced cultural humility, social justice, self-decolonization, and anti-oppressive practice skills. In this reflective essay, we describe our exploration of the complexities of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL), which provide insight into our current and evolving teaching and learning practices in a Master of Physical Therapy (MPT) academic program. Applying SoTL to our MPT pedagogy provides a rigorous, evidence-informed research approach impacting social-justice learning outcomes among PT learners, but we emphasize that it is more than the outcomes that give SoTL its strength. SoTL is also a process that strengthens relationships, builds a culture of collective leadership grounded in relational accountability and humility, lays the foundation for equitable engagement with students as partners, requires reflection and introspection, and could arguably itself be considered a social justice intervention.

EN:

Like all college students, therapy assistant students may face challenges in daily living skills, such as money management, time management, and healthy meal preparation, which may negatively impact their academic and practicum success. Therapy assistant students face the added challenge of working on life skills with clients, and, as a result, students’ own life skills may affect their success in clinical encounters. Few life skills training programs exist for post-secondary students, and we were unable to find any for therapy assistant students.

This study is the third phase of a larger research project that developed, implemented, and evaluated life skills training modules for therapy assistant students. Life skills training modules were offered online to therapy assistant students at a Canadian college to explore whether life skills training increased students’ knowledge, self-rated competence in occupations, and self-efficacy related to personal life skills. Findings revealed that students’ knowledge quiz scores significantly improved, and students rated the modules positively in respect to learning and satisfaction. No significant change was detected in students’ Occupational Self Assessment (OSA) scores. Online life skills training modules may be beneficial for therapy assistant students to increase their knowledge about life skills and meet identified needs.

EN:

As a follow-up to my previous article in Imagining SoTL, entitled “The Word: What’s in It,” this reflection further explores the relationship in the art of Pop-Up Poetry, specifically the emotional impact for both the poet and the participant.