Curricula

Objectives

The aim of the course:
The aim of the course is learning the basics of planning and completing a goal-oriented group process that supports the client’s participation and resources with client groups of health care and social services.

Competencies:
Learning to learn (common for all)
Rehabilitation counselling and guidance (rehabilitation counsellors)
Client work competence (social services)
Therapeutic relationship and interprofessionality(occupational therapists)
Clinical reasoning and occupational therapy process enabling participation(occupational therapists)

Learning outcomes:
You are able to evaluate and develop ways of learning in different operating environments. You are able to take responsibility for the group's learning and for sharing what has been learned. You know how to reflect on your personal competence related to guiding a group. You know some key starting points and principles of guiding and putting together a group, implementation and evaluation as well as the group’s developmental stages in the rehabilitation sector and social services. You are able to use occupational and creative methods in goal-oriented group activities and justify their significance. You master the basics of a group-based and goal-oriented interactive and cooperative relationship that supports the client’s participation and resources. You know how to work in dialogical interaction as a group leader and partner.

Content

The core content of the course comprises the key principles and practices of putting groups together, planning, implementation and evaluation as well as the group process. Interaction and learning in a group. Students try out in practice group exercises relying on occupational and creative methods and learn about their significance in strengthening clients’ participation and agency.

Time and location

The course includes contact sessions weekly and is suitable for students who live near Jyväskylä.

Learning materials and recommended literature

Cole, Mary. 2018 e-book. Group dynamics in occupational therapy: The theorethical bacis and practice application of group intervention.

Posthuma, Richard. 2014. Groups, teams and conflict management. International Journal of Conflict Management: Volume 25 Number 2. E-book.

Teaching methods

Independent studying, group assignments, & contact sessions.
The course language is English and is available for exchange students as well.

Practical training and working life connections

Practical exercises are included to all study sessions. At the end of the course, the students will lead a group session to peer students.

Exam dates and retake possibilities

Exam timetable will be informed in the beginning of the course.

International connections

The course is is available for exchange students as well.
Exchange students: 5

Alternative completion methods

Accreditation of a course through the identification of previously acquired competence (AHOT) may be possible. This requires that you have planned and guided various goal-directed activity-based groups in the social and/or rehabilitation sector for at least six months. In addition, you need to have a previous bachelor's degree from the social and/or rehabilitation sector where you have been trained to lead activity-based groups. Partly accreditation can be given if you have experience of leading and instructing activity-based groups for at least six months and you have vocational training education to do that from the social-, health-, education-, instructing- and/or sports and leisure sector(s).

Student workload

Contact sessions and preparation tasks = 2 ects
Group assignment = 2 ects
Exam and preparation = 1 ects

Further information for students

The exam is graded on a scale of passed to failed.
The peer review will take place during the contact days.
The group task is evaluated according to separate criteria on the scale Passed-Failed.

Evaluation scale

Pass/Fail

Evaluation criteria, pass/failed

Pass
You are able to describe the key principles and practices of putting goal-oriented groups together, planning, implementation and evaluation as well as the group process. You know how you can support a group’s interaction and learning as the leader. You are able to give examples and describe your personal experiences of using creative activities. You are able to justify the significance of occupational and creative methods in supporting the client’s resources and rehabilitation.

Prerequisites

You know how to act professionally, comprehensibly and dialogically in interactive situations with clients, their networks of family and friends, and other professionals in different operating environments. You are able to justify the significance of person-centered and client-centric work in case management.