Virtual case management: blended learning, Hong Kong

Hong Kong Student working with 'Yan's Story'.

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This is a new way to instil the curriculum theory into student professional practice.

Dr Kit Sinclair PhD, OTR, FWFOT, FAOTA

Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Hong Kong Polytechnic University

ClientThe Hong Kong Polytechnic University

ScopeBlended learning for Occupational Therapy.

Yan’s Story: a blended learning solution.

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University delivers Bachelor and Master degrees in rehabilitation sciences.

Yan’s Story was delivered online in combination with face-to-face lectures for final year occupational therapy students, 2009.

This enabled students to practice their case management skills within a virtual student placement, that is, an interactive real-time scenario based in Hong Kong. The scenario explored challenges that a disabled young man would face when discharged from hospital at a time when there was a low level of disability awareness.

Students followed real time developments that Yan encountered in returning to his life. Challenges exacerbated by commonly experienced social, physical, economic and emotional stress.

Challenge

Final year students at the time, had little opportunity to practice their professional skills with real people in student placements in Hong Kong.

Disability was a difficult concept socially. Related personal issues were highly sensitive and private topics, a challenge for case management.

Outcomes

The solutions:

Soft skills involved in case management were applied to the students’ professional practice.

Students increased their retention and application of the theoretical into their work practice.

Students were more work-ready.

This training is no longer available.