Collaborative Learning and Critical Thinking: Use of the Jigsaw Learning Activity in Occupational Therapy Teaching

Jessica L. Dashner, Washington University School of Medicine in St. LouisFollow
Christine Berg, Washington University School of MedicineFollow

Document Type (Journals)

Educational Innovations

Abstract

Collaborative team learning prepares future practitioners using well-crafted, guided collaborative learning activities. Collaborative learning distributes responsibility across team members as they engage socially to build knowledge and learner skills. Critical thinking is a learner skill that is fostered through challenging the team of learners’ assumptions through ill-defined, complex real-life cases that defy easy solutions. The ability of occupational therapists to create effective discharge plans has been found to positively alter hospital recidivism. By offering a Jigsaw Case focused on discharge planning at several points in time across the service delivery continuum of care, a team of learners engaged in collaborative learning. We offer a complete Jigsaw Case experience supported by the literature of best practice that faculty can use as an example to tailor their own case based on circumstances and contexts.

Biography

Jessica Dashner, OTD, OTR/L is an Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy and Neurology at the Washington University in St. Louis Program in Occupational Therapy.

Christine Berg, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA is an Associate Professor in Occupational Therapy and Neurology at the Washington University in St. Louis Program in Occupational Therapy.

Declaration of Interest

The authors report no declarations of interest.

Recommended Citation

Dashner, J. L., & Berg, C. (2021). Collaborative Learning and Critical Thinking: Use of the Jigsaw Learning Activity in Occupational Therapy Teaching. Journal of Occupational Therapy Education, 5 (3). https://doi.org/10.26681/jote.2021.050316