Firstly, I better clarify why exactly I’m here. As a second year OT student, I’m doing a course called ‘Participation in Occupation’. Occupational Therapists are all about meaningful occupation (the things you do that matter to you). Today, so many occupations are inextricably linked with technology. In part one of this course, I’m going to be exploring how technology is used in occupations, how it can enhance involvement in occupation, and how I can use it as practicing occupational therapist.
There are two really important words to consider before we journey even further into madness.
Occupation is pretty key to why I’m here... funnily enough. And no, it’s not all about your job. In its most basic form, to be occupied is to be “held or possessed” (Fowler and Fowler, 1976). Christiansen and Townsend (2010) state that “to be occupied is to seize control of time and space as a person engages in a recognisable life endeavor.” An occupation is a task that has meaning to the individual, meet a human need, and use some sort of physical or mental skill (American Occupational Therapy Association, 2008). So it can be anything! If you really enjoy brushing your teeth (or rather, you think it’s important and wouldn’t want to lose that ability), then that’s an occupation. It’s what you do for fun – like train spotting or flower pressing. Of course, it can be the big things too – like your job, or the life roles you fill (motherhood, irritating flatmate, town fool etc).
Information technology (which makes it three really important words to consider), is a big one as well. Check out this link, which explains it much better than I could: http://www.techterms.com/definition/it. Basically, IT is anything computer related: cell phones, iPads, laptops, computers, hardward and software, GPSs. This course has already proved its worth in that I can now define IT... about time given I live in a society that’s totally driven by IT.
It’s prevalence in our society is undeniable. I was mortified when having a conversation about the Christchurch earthquake with a friend the other day. She was expressing her frustration for all the business owners who have, to date, not been allowed inside the cordon to get to their offices. “You don’t understand,” she told me, “They’ve lost their hard-drives!” Initially, I was cross. They’ve lost their hard-drives?! What about their homes?! Jobs?! Families?! But then it struck me – we are so reliant on technology, that not getting back into your red-stickered office to retrieve your computer is actually a disaster. Businesses hinge on all the information stored. Yes, we should have backups (I learnt this the hard way last week... more on that later), but losing such things does have the potential to cripple businesses, and in turn, our economy. But it’s not just businesses that rely on IT to function. At polytechnic, we have no option but to hand in typed assignments. Yes, I could use my type writer, but what happens when electronic submission is required? Faaaail! Without Facebook (or my cellphone), how can I be expected to keep up with all my friends who don’t live in Dunedin, let alone New Zealand? Yeah, I can, and do – but IT makes it SO much easier! These are both just snapshots of how reliant we have become on IT. Check this out! It shows the huge impact of Facebook on not just “western” society: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVEvMrpaQog
Occupation is pretty key to why I’m here... funnily enough. And no, it’s not all about your job. In its most basic form, to be occupied is to be “held or possessed” (Fowler and Fowler, 1976). Christiansen and Townsend (2010) state that “to be occupied is to seize control of time and space as a person engages in a recognisable life endeavor.” An occupation is a task that has meaning to the individual, meet a human need, and use some sort of physical or mental skill (American Occupational Therapy Association, 2008). So it can be anything! If you really enjoy brushing your teeth (or rather, you think it’s important and wouldn’t want to lose that ability), then that’s an occupation. It’s what you do for fun – like train spotting or flower pressing. Of course, it can be the big things too – like your job, or the life roles you fill (motherhood, irritating flatmate, town fool etc).
Information technology (which makes it three really important words to consider), is a big one as well. Check out this link, which explains it much better than I could: http://www.techterms.com/definition/it. Basically, IT is anything computer related: cell phones, iPads, laptops, computers, hardward and software, GPSs. This course has already proved its worth in that I can now define IT... about time given I live in a society that’s totally driven by IT.
It’s prevalence in our society is undeniable. I was mortified when having a conversation about the Christchurch earthquake with a friend the other day. She was expressing her frustration for all the business owners who have, to date, not been allowed inside the cordon to get to their offices. “You don’t understand,” she told me, “They’ve lost their hard-drives!” Initially, I was cross. They’ve lost their hard-drives?! What about their homes?! Jobs?! Families?! But then it struck me – we are so reliant on technology, that not getting back into your red-stickered office to retrieve your computer is actually a disaster. Businesses hinge on all the information stored. Yes, we should have backups (I learnt this the hard way last week... more on that later), but losing such things does have the potential to cripple businesses, and in turn, our economy. But it’s not just businesses that rely on IT to function. At polytechnic, we have no option but to hand in typed assignments. Yes, I could use my type writer, but what happens when electronic submission is required? Faaaail! Without Facebook (or my cellphone), how can I be expected to keep up with all my friends who don’t live in Dunedin, let alone New Zealand? Yeah, I can, and do – but IT makes it SO much easier! These are both just snapshots of how reliant we have become on IT. Check this out! It shows the huge impact of Facebook on not just “western” society: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVEvMrpaQog
Technology and me! I’m not actually as anti-IT as I first come across. Actually, I quite like it. That doesn’t mean I know about it – or am any good at it. I’m quite happy using my laptop, except when the hard-drive spontaneously human combusts and leaves me with just 10% of whatever was on it last week. I can use basic programs like Word, Kodak EasyShare for photos, and iTunes. I’ve survived Moodle, and of course Facebook and Hotmail. My cell phone and I get on most of the time, except when it decides not to work or starts ticking like a time bomb (it does this sporadically – don’t be alarmed). I like my iPod, except when it freezes before eight hours cherry picking. And my digital camera – I like that all the time.
Why do I approach technology the way I do? I don't really know! I guess I'm quite cynical about really intense, impressive new technologies, probably because they're really expensive so the chance of me ever owning them is a bit like pigs flying. And to be honest, I'm not actually that interested in a lot of them. My 2nd generation iPod serves me really well. I don't use my computer all that much other than for school work, so as long as it works it doesn't really phase me what fancy add-ons it does or doesn't have. In saying this, I am currently on a Facebook fast as it has been taking up way too much of my time. What better way to break the habit than not touch it for a month or two?!
Why do I approach technology the way I do? I don't really know! I guess I'm quite cynical about really intense, impressive new technologies, probably because they're really expensive so the chance of me ever owning them is a bit like pigs flying. And to be honest, I'm not actually that interested in a lot of them. My 2nd generation iPod serves me really well. I don't use my computer all that much other than for school work, so as long as it works it doesn't really phase me what fancy add-ons it does or doesn't have. In saying this, I am currently on a Facebook fast as it has been taking up way too much of my time. What better way to break the habit than not touch it for a month or two?!
So, as a practicing OT (hopefully one day!!) how might I use information technology? My first fieldwork placement saw the therapists and other members of the IDT use IT a lot like most of us would in our own homes. They used cell phones to keep in touch with each other as the team was community based. Email was used to the same ends. Google maps proved pretty invaluable for finding those difficult addresses, and Google itself (along with Wikepedia) was pretty useful for conditions and service providers. When I had a day on the ward, Nintendo Wii was used to promote both fine and gross motor skill in elderly stroke patients. It was exciting to see how engaged the clients were, and how much fun they could have with “modern technology” which usually they would steer clear of. And even better, it was teaching them awesome skills! Check out these YouTube link to Wiihab: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjY8g98xVsg and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XPjnv5ecPs&feature=related .
Hopefully, as the course continues I’ll be able to make more links between OT and technology. As an OT in a society where IT is commonplace, the more I know about it the better. I guess it is increasingly likely that “meaningful occupation” to some people will involve IT, be it digital photography, computers or video-games. Therefore I need to appreciate IT and the positive impacts it can have on an individual’s life. I think the use of IT will also depend greatly on what sort of setting I work in. I'm excited to learn more domain-specific stuff as I move into different jobs. The way I see it at the moment - I'm better to learn about said technology when the need actually arises, so I can master it with an end in mind.
Hopefully, as the course continues I’ll be able to make more links between OT and technology. As an OT in a society where IT is commonplace, the more I know about it the better. I guess it is increasingly likely that “meaningful occupation” to some people will involve IT, be it digital photography, computers or video-games. Therefore I need to appreciate IT and the positive impacts it can have on an individual’s life. I think the use of IT will also depend greatly on what sort of setting I work in. I'm excited to learn more domain-specific stuff as I move into different jobs. The way I see it at the moment - I'm better to learn about said technology when the need actually arises, so I can master it with an end in mind.
For all its benefits, IT does have some short falls. There are numerous ethical issues surrounding the capturing, sharing and transferring of information via IT devices. Again, the Canterbury earthquake provides a good example. My flatmates and I watched the news in the first few days after the quake with constant complaint about the massive invasion of privacy. Where do the media get off repeatedly showing images of people who are hugely traumatised and injured, clearly not fit to be filmed? How is it fair that when someone is suffering so immensely, that this is zoomed in on and broadcast all over the world for weeks to come? Ditto for the media filming families leaving the family conferences after the Pike River tragedy.
Cell phones are awesome, because if they’re a wee bit more high tech than mine, they take videos (and quite good ones!) straight away. And let’s be honest, we have them right there 99.9% of the time. This has given amazing insight into experiences: it’s been video’s captured on mobile-phones that were the first snapshots we, as the outside world, got of the Boxing Day tsunami in 2004, both Canterbury earthquakes, and the Japan earthquake. But what about when we film things that shouldn’t really be broadcast to the world, but do none the less? What about when a disastrous photo of us goes up on Facebook, and the only way we can get rid of it is report the whole profile? What about when Google takes photos of our house with us sunbathing topless on the roof, or when our husbands best friend is visiting...caught in the act!
A lot of these considerations link into informed consent: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Informed_consent. Basically – it’s when I am presented with enough clear, unbiased facts that allow me to make an informed decision regarding anything to do with me: my medical treatment, use of my work, money or property, and in our case, use of material that pertains to us: videos, images, recordings...
Informed consent is obviously very important in OT practice to respect the rights of our clients. If we use IT as a medium for creating records of our interventions, this cannot be shared with anyone unless they have given full consent. Our lecturers often share case studies with us from their own practicing careers, but before even sharing stories that could potentially lead to us identifying the individual, informed consent must be gained.
Informed consent is obviously very important in OT practice to respect the rights of our clients. If we use IT as a medium for creating records of our interventions, this cannot be shared with anyone unless they have given full consent. Our lecturers often share case studies with us from their own practicing careers, but before even sharing stories that could potentially lead to us identifying the individual, informed consent must be gained.
Informed consent is linked to social justice. If you have much too much spare time, follow this link. http://www.socialjustice.co.nz/social_justice_excerpt.pdf. It’s actually really interesting. If not, read page 147. Basically, it’s all about equal distribution of resources. This creates a massive ethical consideration for IT – I think it’s pretty undeniable that IT is widening the gap between the rich and the poor, both in our NZ society and on a world scale. I guess the thing to keep foremost in our mind as OTs is that we mustn’t employ IT for our interventions if it is going to be at the expense of other clients. If some are going to get a lower service, if some are going to benefit purely because they have access to better resources... don’t do it. Unless you can provide for those that need provision.
The last thing I need to cover in this tutorial is intellectual property. As you will see coming up, I have a reference list. Appreciate it, because making it took at least an extra 10 minutes. What I’m doing in listing all the resources I’ve used, is acknowledging that a lot of my stuff is someone else’s intellectual property. I didn’t come up with the idea, I didn’t do the study, so I can’t take credit. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intellectual_property.
Assuming you’ve made it this far, THANK YOU for persevering! That’s it.
References
American Occupational Therapy Association (2008). Occupational therapy practice framework: Domain and process (2nd ed.). Retrieved from: http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdesped/download/pdf/OT_PracticeFrameworkDomainProcess.pdf
Christiansen, C., & Townsend, E. (2010). Introduction to occupation: The art and science of living (2nd ed.). New Jersey; Pearson.
Occupation. (1976). In H. Fowler & F. Fowler (Eds.), The Concise Oxford Dictionary (6th rev. ed.).
