Promoting critically informed learning and knowing about occupation through conference engagements

Authors

Rebecca Aldrich, Mrs. T. H. Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry, University of Southern California
Roshan Galvaan, Division of Occupational Therapy, Inclusive Practices Africa Research Unit, Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Cape Town
Alison Gerlach, School of Child and Youth Care, Faculty of Human and Social Development, University of Victoria
Debbie Rudman, Western UniversityFollow
Lilian Magalhaes, Department of Occupational Therapy, Federal University of São Carlos
Nick Pollard, College of Health, Wellbeing and Life Sciences, Sheffield Hallam University
Lisette Farias, Division of Occupational Therapy, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society (NVS), Karolinska Institutet

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2022

Journal

Journal of Occupational Science

Volume

4

Issue

29

First Page

602

Last Page

617

URL with Digital Object Identifier

https://doi.org/10.1080/14427591.2021.1970617

Abstract

As occupation-focused discussions and applications of critical theoretical perspectives increase, attention must also be paid to how different spaces of knowledge dissemination, exchange, and production support critically informed learning and knowing about occupation. This paper presents the reflections of a group of international scholars and lecturers whose shared interest in critical theoretical perspectives prompted the incremental co-development of a series of conference engagements. We describe how our group came together, what kinds of learning experiences we developed to promote and support engagement with critical theoretical perspectives, and what understandings we gained through ongoing critical reflexivity about those learning experiences. Our discussion addresses two problematics related to conferences as learning spaces: inclusion, and sustained engagement with epistemic communities and ideas that may form through critically oriented conference sessions. We also discuss how enacting critical pedagogies and principles of ‘unconferencing’ may better promote critically informed ways of learning and knowing occupation than typical conference structures. The paper ends with a call for continued integration of varied critically informed teaching and learning opportunities at conferences, as a means of further encouraging diverse types of knowledge production, sharing, and learning about occupation.

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