Partnership for practice change and knowledge development

Objective. This article presents and evaluates the results of an educational initiative at the occupational therapy programme at
University College Lillebaelt in Denmark. The objectives of the initiative were (A) to establish institutional partnerships
between the educational institution and various practice fi elds and (B) to develop students ’ competences in practice research
and collaboration, thus building up a framework in which research-based change in occupational therapy practice can be
pursued through students ’ practice research. The practice research undertaken in the students ’ bachelor ’ s projects had a
theoretical and methodological foundation in critical psychology. Method. Four bachelor ’ s cohorts with a total of 29 students
participated in the educational initiatives from 2008 to 2011. Nine groups conducted practice research projects, wherein they
collaborated both with occupational therapists in the practice fi eld and with citizens, and later drafted written reports and
communicated their results Concurrent with this, they received special education and counselling from teaching staff. Results.
The initiative was evaluated by analysing focus group interviews, questionnaires and the students ’ bachelor ’ s theses. Results of
the evaluations showed that (A) the developed institutional partnerships promoted the goals of the initiative, including
research-based proposals for change in the practice fi eld and that (B) the students acquired competences in practice research
and collaboration. Conclusions. On top of what students learned through the initiative, all of this was to the bene fi t of the
university college, the occupational therapy program, and the practice fi elds and citizens. The results point toward a
continuation of the educational initiative.
Key words: theory – practice relation, student – practitioner – teacher collaboration, practice research, institutional partnership,
bachelor ’ s thesis