UF OT presented the inaugural Fieldwork Educator Workshop Series

Drs. Heidi Horwitz and Becky Piazza photo
Drs. Heidi Horwitz and Becky Piazza

The University of Florida’s Occupational Therapy Department presented the Fieldwork Educator Workshop Series, Educating and Shaping the Next Generation of OTs: How to Bridge the Communication Gap between Fieldwork Educators and their OT Students, in January and February 2021. This three part series examined topics such as emotional competence and learning styles, feedback strategies, and the creation of a psychological safe space to discuss difficult topics. Each week, speakers provided evidence based research and practice implications to facilitate fieldwork educators’ continuing competence, followed by a moderated discussion and Q&A with a diverse panel of fieldwork educators. Over 150 participants attended virtually, representing multiple clinical practice settings and geographic locations across 12 states. Dr. Becky Piazza presented on Emotional Competence and Learning Styles, Dr. Edwin Myers presented on The Relationship of the Intentional Relationship Model to OT Fieldwork, Dr. Heidi Horwitz presented on Strategies for Student Feedback, Ms. Armenthis Lester presented on Implicit Bias and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Fieldwork Setting, and Ms. Zari Cooper presented on DEI resources. Ms. Sherry-Lynne Bredy moderated the panel discussion. The committee of Dr. Horwitz, Dr. Piazza, Ms. Bredy, and Ms. Cooper created this workshop to enhance educational opportunities for fieldwork educators and to provide a platform for fieldwork educators to meet and share their experiences.