OTHA 1341 - Occupational Performance from Birth Through Adolescence 1H1 Course Syllabus

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State Approval Code
51.0803
Instructor Name
Jessica Rittenberry
Semester/Year
Spring 2025
Meeting Time and Location
OTHA 1341.1H1 - This is a Hybrid Course:
Face-to-Face Class Time: M/W 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Location: PSC 1120-1121
Online: Students are expected to spend at least 3 hours per week reading, reviewing, and participating in pre-class assigned activities for successful completion of this course to meet minimum class participation time.
Alternate Operations During Campus Closure

In the event of an emergency or announced campus closure due to a natural disaster or pandemic, it may be necessary for Panola College to move to altered operations. During this time, Panola College may opt to continue delivery of instruction through methods that include, but are not limited to: online learning management system (CANVAS), online conferencing, email messaging, and/or an alternate schedule. It is the responsibility of the student to monitor Panola College's website (www.panola.edu) for instructions about continuing courses remotely, CANVAS for each class for course-specific communication, and Panola College email for important general information.

Student Basic Needs

Unexpected circumstances may arise, but Panola College offers various resources to support students. If you need mental health services or are facing challenges with transportation, affording class materials and supplies, or accessing food regularly—issues that may impact your class performance—please visit panola.edu/resources.

Class Attendance

Regular and punctual attendance of classes and laboratories is required of all students. When a student has been ill or absent from class for approved extracurricular activities, he or she should be allowed, as far as possible, to make up for the missed work. If a student has not actively participated by the census date, they will be dropped by the instructor for non-attendance. This policy applies to courses that are in-person, online, hybrid, and hyflex.

Attendance in online courses is determined by submission of an assignment or participation in an activity. According to federal guidelines, simply logging into a distance learning course without participating in an academic assignment does not constitute attendance. Distance learning is defined as when a majority (more than 50%) of instruction occurs when the instructor and students are in separate physical locations. Students must engage in an academic activity prior to the course census date. 

When an instructor feels that a student has been absent to such a degree as to invalidate the learning experience, the instructor may recommend to the Vice President of Instruction that the student be withdrawn from the course. Instructors may seek to withdraw students for non-attendance after they have accumulated the following number of absences: 

Fall or spring semesters: 

3 or more class meeting times per week - 5 absences

2 class meeting times per week - 3 absences

1 class meeting per week -  2 absences

The student is responsible for seeing that he or she has been officially withdrawn from a class. A student who stops attendance in a class without officially withdrawing from that class will be given a failing grade; consequently, the student must follow official withdrawal procedures in the Admissions/Records Office.

Please note: Health Science and Cosmetology courses may require more stringent attendance policies based on their accreditation agencies. Please see the addendum and/or program handbook for further information concerning attendance.  

Pregnant/Parenting Policy

Panola College welcomes pregnant and parenting students as a part of the student body. This institution is committed to providing support and adaptations for a successful educational experience for pregnant and parenting students. Students experiencing a need for accommodations related to pregnancy or parenting will find a Pregnancy and Parenting Accommodations Request form in the Student Handbook or may request the form from the course instructor.

Instructional Goals and Purposes

The goal of this course is for students to explore how the transactive relationship between the person, occupation, and environment affects occupational performance, focusing on child and adolescent development. Through video case studies, guest speakers, and lecture/lab experience, students study normal development and how pediatric pathology, conditions, and disorders can affect occupational engagement.  This course also bolsters student knowledge of OT practice models and how they can be implemented within pediatric populations. Students apply concepts related to the PEO Model and OTPF to develop a better understanding of how unique factors within the person, environment, and occupation subsystems for this age group support or inhibit occupational performance. Pediatric frames of reference are introduced, and the student becomes aware of how each is used to guide service delivery. Clinical reasoning skills are nurtured and refined through supported lab experiences, lectures, and simulated practice labs, and client-centered, occupation-based, and evidence-based practice are reinforced. Students examine how legislation influences service provision and professional roles within diverse settings. Finally, students provide written professional-level feedback to each team learner in a structured format that ensures verbal discussion and processing opportunities.  Students will apply many skills learned in this course during their corresponding level I fieldwork experience and clinical simulations (OTHA 2360).

Learning Outcomes

Identify components of health and wellness; develop adaptations for age appropriate occupations; identify the client factors that affect occupational performance; demonstrate skills in the evaluation process; and select intervention strategies to facilitate occupational performance of newborns through adolescents.  (WECM, Sept 1, 2022). 

Specific Course Objectives (includes SCANS)

Specific Course Objectives (includes SCANS)

After studying all materials and resources presented in the course, the student will be able to:

B.1.1. Human Body, Development, and Behavior Demonstrate knowledge of:
• The structure and function of the human body that must include the biological and physical sciences, neurosciences, kinesiology, and biomechanics.
• Human development throughout the lifespan (infants, children, adolescents, adults, and older adults). Course content must include, but is not limited to, developmental psychology.
• Concepts of human behavior that must include the behavioral sciences, social sciences, and science of occupation.
B.1.3. Social Determinants of Health Demonstrate knowledge of the social determinants of health for persons, groups, and populations with or at risk for disabilities and chronic health conditions and distinguishes the epidemiological factors that impact the public health and welfare of populations.
B.2.2. OT History, Philosophical Base, Theory, and Sociopolitical Climate Apply knowledge of occupational therapy history, philosophical base, theory, and sociopolitical climate and their importance in meeting society’s current and future occupational needs as well as how these factors influence and are influenced by practice.
B.2.5. Role in Promotion of Health and Prevention Apply and analyze scientific evidence to explain the importance of:
• Balancing areas of occupation.
• The role of occupation in the promotion of health and wellness.
• The prevention of disease, illness, and dysfunction for persons, groups, and populations.
B.2.6. Effects of Disease Processes Understand how occupational performance is affected by the effects of disease processes including heritable diseases, genetic conditions, mental illness, disability, trauma, and injury.
B.3.22. Principles of Interprofessional Team Dynamics Demonstrate awareness of the principles of intraprofessional and interprofessional team dynamics to perform effectively in different team roles to plan, deliver, and evaluate patient- and population-centered care as well as population health programs and policies that are safe, timely, efficient, effective, and equitable.
B.4.2. Advocacy Explain the role and responsibility of the practitioner to advocate for occupational therapy including changes in service delivery policies, effecting changes in the system, recognizing opportunities in emerging practice areas, and advocating for opportunities to expand the occupational therapy assistant’s role. Articulate the distinct knowledge and skills of occupational therapy practitioners to the community of interest.
B.4.6. Care Coordination, Case Management and Consultation Demonstrate knowledge of: • Care coordination, case management, and transition services in traditional and emerging practice environments. • The consultative process with persons, groups, programs, organizations, or communities in collaboration with
inter- and intraprofessional colleagues.

Note: Alphanumeric codes, descriptions, and objectives, as indicated above, are retrieved from the Accreditation Standards for an Associate-Degree-Level Education Program for the Occupational Therapy Assistant.

Citation: Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education. (2023). 2023 Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE®) Standards and Interpretive Guide. https://acoteonline.org/accreditation-explained/standards/

 

SCANS implemented in these course objectives include:

Foundation skills Workplace Competencies
Basic Skills: i, ii, iv Resources: i, ii, iii
Thinking Skills: i, ii, iii, v, vi Interpersonal Skills: i, ii, iii, iv, v, vi
Personal Qualities: i, ii, iii, iv, v Information: i, ii, iii, iv
  Systems: i, ii, iii
  Technology: i, ii, iii
Course Content

A general description of lecture/discussion topics included in this course is listed in the syllabus's Learning Outcomes / Specific Course Objectives sections.

Students in all sections of this course will be required to do the following.

  1. Understand and comply with all instructional policies and procedures in the current Panola College OTA Student Policy Manual and the Panola College Student Handbook, including but not limited to attendance, assignment submission, makeup exams, professional and ethical behaviors, etc.
  2. If a student receives less than a 75% grade on their midterm check-in, their overall grade point average drops below 80% after week 4, or their weekly timesheets are not kept up-to-date, they may be required to schedule an academic advising session with the course instructor.  As a part of the academic advising session:
    1. The student will create a measurable academic success plan for remediation with the instructor's guidance.
    2. The academic success plan will remain in effect until the end of the semester.
    3. Subsequent advising sessions will be mandatory at a rate established by the instructor in the first academic advising session.
Methods of Instruction/Course Format/Delivery

OTHA 1341 utilizes a hybrid course format with instructional principles rooted in the Team-Based LearningTM framework. According to the Team-Based LearningTM Collaborative (TBLC), “Team-Based Learning is an evidence-based collaborative learning teaching strategy designed around units of instruction, known as “modules,” that are taught in a three-step cycle: preparation, in-class readiness assurance testing, and application-focused exercise. A class typically includes one module.”

Students must complete preparatory materials before class, including text readings, voice-over PowerPoint presentations, reflection papers, discussion postings, videos, and other materials. Digital content presentation occurs in Canvas, CourseArc, Intedashboard, EHRgo, Simucase, ICE videos, and other online technologies/learning modalities. At the start of each in-person class, students participate in Readiness Assurance Testing (RAT) as individuals (iRAT) and as a team (tRAT). In-class clarification lectures follow the IRAT process to improve student comprehension, and the rest of the class time is spent performing application-focused activities/exercises/labs. Major exams cover content from multiple related modules.

Course Grade

The following items will be assigned and assessed during the semester and used to calculate the student’s final grade.

Learning Tasks  Weight
Individual Assessments 40%
     Major Content Exams  
     Individual Readiness Assessment Tests (iRATs)  
Individual Assignments & Application Activities  30%
     Individual Application-Focused Activities/Exercises/Labs  
Team Assignments 20%
     Team Readiness Assessment Tests (tRATs)  
     Team Application-Focused Activities/Exercises/Labs  
Professional Development 10%
     Professional Skills Assessment  
     Peer Feedback  

 

 

Numeric grades in the course will be converted to Letter Grades according to the following conversion chart: 

% Score Letter Grade
90-100 A
80-89 B
75-79 C
60-74 D
Below 60 F

Note 1: No assignment or final scores will be rounded.

Note 2: All rules and regulations printed in the College catalog, the Panola College Student Handbook, and the OTA Student Policy Manual will be reinforced throughout this course.

Note 3: The OTA Program will not tolerate any form of academic dishonesty defined in the Panola College Student Handbook or unethical behaviors defined in the OTA Program’s Student Policy Manual. Any student participating in academic dishonesty or unethical behaviors will receive a zero (0) on the assignment or exam and may be subject to further disciplinary action.

Note 4: See the OTA Program’s Student Policy Manual regarding the results of a non-passing score on the Professional Skills Assessment.

Major Assignments/Assessments

The following items are assigned and assessed during the semester and used to calculate the student's final grade.

Assignments

Individual Assignments & Application Activities

  • Individual Application-Focused Activities/Exercises/Labs/Reflections

Team/Group Assignments 

  • Team Application-Focused Activities/Exercises/Labs

Assessments

Individual Assessments    

  •  Major Content Exams     
  •  Individual Readiness Assessment Tests (iRATs)
  •  Peer Feedback Assessment
  • *Professional Skills Assessment

Team Assessments

  • Team Readiness Assessment Tests (tRATs)

 *Note: See the OTA Program’s Student Policy Manual regarding the results of a non-passing score on the Professional Skills Assessment.

 

Texts Materials, and Supplies

Jean W. Solomon MHS OTR/L , Jane Clifford O'Brien PhD OTR/L (2020). Pediatric Skills for Occupational Therapy Assistants. 5th Edition. Mosby, Inc.,St. Louis, MO.  ISBN: 9780323597135

Athena Oden, PT.  Ready Bodies Learning Minds RBLM: Cultivating The Complete Child, 3rd Edition.   https://readybodieslearningminds.com/store/books/rblm-cultivating-the-complete-child/

 

Required Readings

All required readings, videos, and pre-class preparatory learning activities will be posted on your Canvas course. 

Recommended Readings

All recommended readings, videos, and pre-class preparatory learning activities will be posted on your Canvas course. 

Other
SCANS Criteria
  1. Foundation skills are defined in three areas: basic skills, thinking skills, and personal qualities.
    1. Basic Skills: A worker must read, write, perform arithmetic and mathematical operations, listen, and speak effectively. These skills include:
      1. Reading: locate, understand, and interpret written information in prose and in documents such as manuals, graphs, and schedules.
      2. Writing: communicate thoughts, ideas, information, and messages in writing, and create documents such as letters, directions, manuals, reports, graphs, and flow charts. 
      3. Arithmetic and Mathematical Operations: perform basic computations and approach practical problems by choosing appropriately from a variety of mathematical techniques.
      4. Listening: receive, attend to, interpret, and respond to verbal messages and other cues.
      5. Speaking: Organize ideas and communicate orally.
    2. Thinking Skills: A worker must think creatively, make decisions, solve problems, visualize, know how to learn, and reason effectively. These skills include:
      1. Creative Thinking: generate new ideas.
      2. Decision Making: specify goals and constraints, generate alternatives, consider risks, and evaluate and choose the best alternative.
      3. Problem Solving: recognize problems and devise and implement plan of action.
      4. Visualize ("Seeing Things in the Mind's Eye"): organize and process symbols, pictures, graphs, objects, and other information.
      5. Knowing How to Learn: use efficient learning techniques to acquire and apply new knowledge and skills.
      6. Reasoning: discover a rule or principle underlying the relationship between two or more objects and apply it when solving a problem.
    3. Personal Qualities: A worker must display responsibility, self-esteem, sociability, self management, integrity, and honesty.
      1. Responsibility: exert a high level of effort and persevere toward goal attainment.
      2. Self-Esteem: believe in one's own self-worth and maintain a positive view of oneself.
      3. Sociability: demonstrate understanding, friendliness, adaptability, empathy, and politeness in group settings.
      4. Self-Management: assess oneself accurately, set personal goals, monitor progress, and exhibit self-control.
      5. Integrity and Honesty: choose ethical courses of action.
  2. Workplace competencies are defined in five areas: resources, interpersonal skills, information, systems, and technology.
    1. Resources: A worker must identify, organize, plan, and allocate resources effectively.
      1. Time: select goal-relevant activities, rank them, allocate time, and prepare and follow schedules.
      2. Money: Use or prepare budgets, make forecasts, keep records, and make adjustments to meet objectives.
      3. Material and Facilities: Acquire, store, allocate, and use materials or space efficiently. Examples: construct a decision timeline chart; use computer software to plan a project; prepare a budget; conduct a cost/benefits analysis; design an RFP process; write a job description; develop a staffing plan.
    2. Interpersonal Skills: A worker must work with others effectively.
      1. Participate as a Member of a Team: contribute to group effort.
      2. Teach Others New Skills.
      3. Serve Clients/Customers: work to satisfy customer's expectations.
      4. Exercise Leadership: communicate ideas to justify position, persuade and convince others, responsibly challenge existing procedures and policies.
      5. Negotiate: work toward agreements involving exchange of resources, resolve divergent interests.
      6. Work with Diversity: work well with men and women from diverse backgrounds. Examples: collaborate with a group member to solve a problem; work through a group conflict situation, train a colleague; deal with a dissatisfied customer in person; select and use appropriate leadership styles; use effective delegation techniques; conduct an individual or team negotiation; demonstrate an understanding of how people from different cultural backgrounds might behave in various situations.
    3. Information: A worker must be able to acquire and use information.
      1. Acquire and Evaluate Information.
      2. Organize and Maintain Information.
      3. Interpret and Communicate Information.
      4. Use Computers to Process Information. Examples: research and collect data from various sources; develop a form to collect data; develop an inventory record-keeping system; produce a report using graphics; make an oral presentation using various media; use on-line computer databases to research a report; use a computer spreadsheet to develop a budget.
    4. Systems: A worker must understand complex interrelationships.
      1. Understand Systems: know how social, organizational, and technological systems work and operate effectively with them.
      2. Monitor and Correct Performance: distinguish trends, predict impacts on system operations, diagnose deviations in systems' performance and correct malfunctions.
      3. Improve or Design Systems: suggest modifications to existing systems and develop new or alternative systems to improve performance. Examples: draw and interpret an organizational chart; develop a monitoring process; choose a situation needing improvement, break it down, examine it, propose an improvement, and implement it.
    5. Technology: A worker must be able to work with a variety of technologies.
      1. Select Technology: choose procedures, tools or equipment including computers and related technologies.
      2. Apply Technologies to Task: understand overall intent and proper procedures for setup and operation of equipment.
      3. Maintain and Troubleshoot Equipment: Prevent, identify, or solve problems with equipment, including computers and other technologies. Examples: read equipment descriptions and technical specifications to select equipment to meet needs; set up and assemble appropriate equipment from instructions; read and follow directions for troubleshooting and repairing equipment.