OTA Program Philosophy

The Occupational Therapy Assistant Program at Madisonville Community College is designed around a Developmental Model of Human Occupation. The Developmental Frame of Reference is the basis for the sequencing of course content. 

• Occupational therapy is viewed as a health profession that is concerned with the quality and satisfaction of daily life for an individual from birth to death. As the human being develops, through active learning there is a continual interaction between the person and the environment which constantly produces changes and reaction in both the person and the environment. 
• Human beings spend their time engaged in purposeful activities throughout all occupations. Health is maintained through a flexible balance of these activities, and the balance varies during different developmental periods of one’s life. Occupational therapy educators use active learning through evidence based practice that engages the learner in a collaborative process. This process builds on prior knowledge and experience and integrates professional academic knowledge with emerging knowledge and technologies. 
• The innate pattern of human activity follows a developmental sequence which can guide role performance. As new roles are assumed, they are influenced by a person's basic biological endowment, maturation of skills, the culture, spatial, vertical and temporal requirement, which develops new skills and interests throughout the life span. Occupational therapy educators advocate the use of occupation to facilitate health promoting growth, change, and/or adaptation with the goal of participation in meaningful occupation that supports survival, self actualization, occupational balance, and quality of life. 
• Concepts derived from several theoretical philosophies of self, specifically the holistic, and wellness models (Fidler, Mosey, and others) provide a way of understanding this progression and of applying this model to the training and education of occupational therapy assistants. Students engage in the process of evidence based learning, clinical reasoning, and self reflection to promote integration of philosophical and theoretical knowledge, values, beliefs, ethics, health promotion, and technical skills for broad application to occupational therapy practice.