Workplace Skills for the Occupational Therapy Assistant Syllabus for 2024-2025
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Instructor Information

Course Information

AI Statement

Collusion is defined as “the unauthorized collaboration with another person or by any other means, including artificial intelligence (AI) and computer translators, in preparing work for fulfillment of course requirements.” Using AI like (ChatGPT or Google Gemini) to create a document is considered colluding. <strong>The use of Generative Artificial Intelligence on specific assignments is at the discretion of the instructor. </strong>

COVID-19 Protocols

Recording Policy

Disability Statement

If you have a disability (learning, mental, physical) that affects your ability to participate effectively and have access to any program or service at Amarillo College please contact Disability Services at (806) 345-5639 . Our offices are located in the Enrollment Center, Suite 700. More information may be found at www.actx.edu/disability.
Disability Services facilitates access to all programs and services according to the ADA, Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, as well as other federal and state laws.

Amarillo College Web Accessibility Policy Statement

Amarillo College is committed to providing equal access to all programs and services, including all working, learning, and service environments that affect equal access for persons with disabilities. This commitment to provide equal access and opportunity for persons with disabilities is in compliance with federal and state law. Amarillo College also strives to provide Electronic and Information Resources (EIR) that are accessible to all authorized users.

If you find you are unable to access material in an accessible format please contact the Disability Services Office at (806) 345-5639 . This office will work in conjunction with other campus resources to address and accommodate your issue in a timely manner.

Statement for Mental Health and Advocacy & Resource Center:

As a student you may experience a range of issues that can cause barriers to learning, such as strained relationships, increased anxiety, alcohol/drug problems, feeling down, difficulty concentrating and/or lack of motivation. These mental health concerns or stressful events may lead to diminished academic performance or reduce a student's ability to participate in daily activities. Amarillo College offers services to assist you with addressing these and other concerns you may be experiencing. If you or someone you know are suffering from any of the aforementioned conditions, you can learn more about the broad range of confidential mental health services available on campus by calling the AC Counseling Center at 806-371-5900. The AC Counseling Center website is https://www.actx.edu/counseling/ . Also, if you are in need of social services (affordable housing, utilities, transportation, food, clothing, childcare, medical/dental/vision, legal), please call the AC Advocacy & Resource Center at 806-371-5439. The AC Advocacy & Resource Center website is https://www.actx.edu/arc

Amarillo College Tutoring for Success Policy:

Tutoring for Success applies to any student whose overall performance in the course falls below 75%. The instructor will create the task in the Student Engagement Portal (Watermark) to direct the student to the appropriate tutoring service, which may be faculty- or SI-led, discipline-specific, and/or general. The tutoring service assigned, the due date for when the tutoring must be completed, and the amount of tutoring required are at the discretion of the instructor. Additionally, the task will alert the student’s success team. Students who do not fulfill the assigned tutoring task may be subject to program- and course-specific penalties that could result in a grade reduction and/or in not being allowed to progress in the course until the tutoring requirement has been satisfied.

Administrative Drop Policy

Students who do not attend class on or prior to the census date will be administratively dropped. Effective Fall, 2016

Student Withdrawal Procedures

Students who wish to withdraw from a course must complete all steps indicated on the Academic Withdrawal Request form by the course withdrawal deadline.

NOTE: Students who are attending Texas institutions of higher education, for the first time fall 2007 and later, may not withdraw from more than six courses during their academic career. This withdrawal limitation does not include dual credit or developmental classes (Senate Bill 1231 Rule 4.10.) For more information on Drop and Withdrawal Policies, please visit the Registrar's Office Web site.

Privacy Statement

The Amarillo College Privacy Policy is found at https://www.actx.edu/-amarillo-college-privacy-notice , and applies to all Amarillo College students.  If you have questions about this privacy statement or you believe that your personal information has been released without your consent, send email to humanresources@actx.edu .

Course

OTHA-2330-001 Workplace Skills for the Occupational Therapy Assistant

Prerequisites

Corequisites: OTHA 2266 and OTHA 2267

Course Description

Seminar-based course designed to complement Level II fieldwork by creating a discussion forum addressing events, skills, knowledge and/or behaviors related to the practice environment. Application of didactic coursework to the clinic and test-taking strategies for certification exams.

Student ResourcesStudent Resources Website

Department Expectations

Occupational License Disclaimer

Notice to Students enrolled in an educational program for preparation of issuance of certain occupational licenses:

Students enrolled in an educational program in preparation for obtaining certain occupational licenses are potentially ineligible for such license if the student has been convicted of an offense. For further information, please contact:

Melodie Graves
Justice Involved Advocate
Student Service Center 117
mgraves24@actx.edu
806-371-5995
Make appointment at https://melodiegraves.youcanbook.me

You can also contact the Legal Clinic, or the faculty member in charge of the educational program that you seek to enroll in. The further information you will receive will include notification to you of your right to request a criminal history evaluation letter from the licensing authority in order to clarify your particular situation.

Hours

(3 sem hrs; 3 lec)

Class Type

Online Course

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

REQUIRED COURSE MATERIALS:

Course purchases/requirements:

NBCOT Study Pack/NBCOT publication 

AOTA Study Pack

Down load of NBCOT materials to desktop/potentially print 

Students should not rely solely on these review materials.  The study packs  should be used in conjunction with texts, notes, projects, and other assignments that have been used over the course of the occupational therapy assistant education at Amarillo College. Many students have relied heavily on text books purchased for the program to prepare for the certification exam.

Supplies

COURSE SUPPLY LIST AND SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS:

Computer and Internet access

Printer and print cartridges

Student Performance

 

1. Prepare and submit weekly assignment/s.
2. Complete NBCOT practice exam question assignments. 
3. Create a study plan to promote success on the national certification exam.
4. Complete study sessions according to plan.
5. Learn positive techniques for successfully taking the NBCOT exam.
6. Be familiar with the NBCOT certification exam including format, process and testing procedures scoring, scaling, cost, reporting results, retaking the exam and relationship to the state licensing agency
7. Identify state licensing requirements for practice as a OTA and develop a task list for post graduation
8. Describe the ongoing professional responsibility for providing fieldwork education and the criteria for becoming a fieldwork educator
9. Discuss the role of an OTA as FWE and develop a professional plan for participation as a FWE in the future

2023 ACOTE standards addressed in this course:

B.2.9. Create and implement a plan to address individualized personal and professional responsibilities that are consistent with current accepted standards and long-term professional goals. The plan must address the following: • Personal well-being. • Alignment with current accepted norms in occupational therapy practice. • Advocacy related to clients, occupational therapy, or the role of the occupational therapist or occupational therapy assistant. • Long-term career objectives. • A strategy to evaluate, refine, and update the plan over time.

B.4.5. Demonstrate knowledge of applicable national requirements for credentialing and requirements for licensure, certification, or registration consistent with federal and state laws.

 

Consistency with and connection to curriculum design: 

Workplace Skills for the OTA and Fieldwork I and II are capstone courses in the OTA curriculum at Amarillo College. These courses emphasize entry level preparation based on all prior courses. The approach is knowledge of the profession first, knowledge of self second and finally therapeutic use of self. The Workplace Skills course specifically addresses the program goal of developing lifelong learners. Learners are responsible for creating a study plan to prepare for the certification exam, following and reporting on completion of the study plan, knowing the process and action steps for licensure in their state of choice, and identifying continuing education courses to fulfill their first license renewal period after graduation. The students develop a plan to continue NBCOT certification through a variety of options as allowed by NBCOT. 

Students Rights and Responsibilities

Student Rights and Responsibilities

Log in using the AC Connect Portal

In order to receive your AC Connect Email, you must log in through AC Connect at https://acconnect.actx.edu .

If you are an active staff or faculty member according to Human Resources, use "Exchange". All other students, use "AC Connect (Google) Email".

Expected Student Behavior

ACADEMIC CIVILITY & INTEGRITY

The faculty member teaching this course seeks to have  a civil and high integrity learning environment for the benefit of all learners, guests and instructors.  Any act of incivility or lack of academic integrity may result in a number of actions including being asked to leave the classroom up to dismissal from the college. 

Civility includes: 

1. Respect. Respect is demonstrated in verbal and non-verbal ways. Be sure your voice conveys respect as well as all body language. Respect is expected between instructors, between instructors and learners and between learners.  

2. Advocate for yourself. Speak up when you have a question or don't understand something. Please ask the instructor rather than your classmates. If you have a question, perhaps others have the same question. Let the faculty answer your questions rather than getting wrong information from a classmate. 

3. Make the best use of your class time. You're paying for it! Be prepared for class by BUYING and having available ALL MATERIALS. Complete assignments in the format they were asked for. 

4. Have courage. When you have a concern, speak up. If it's a conflict with a classmate, talk to that classmate NOT others in the cohort. When it's an issue with a faculty member/instructor, take the concern to the faculty member involved NOT other instructors.

5. Stay connected to the instructor and the course. This off campus course is designed so support your success at fieldwork AND prepare you for the next step of becoming a CERTIFIED and LICENSED OTA. Text and call and email the instructor as you need to because you will not have opportunities to meet face to face. 

6. The instructor is open to amending this syllabus to include additional suggestions regarding civility using a collective learner contract process.

 

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

An act of ACADEMIC DISHONESTY includes ANY of the following and can result in a number of actions including being asked to leave the classroom up to dismissal from the college. 

1. Cheating

1. Copying from another person's work. This includes all forms of course work. It includes current classmates as well as graduates of the program and OTA practitioners. 
2. Collaborating with or seeking aid from another person while completing course work without permission from the instructor.
3. Knowingly using, buying, selling, stealing, or soliciting, in whole or in part, the contents of course work.
4. The unauthorized transporting or removal, in whole or in part, of the contents of course work.
5. Substituting for another person, or permitting another person to substitute for one’s self, to complete course work.
6. Bribing another person to obtain information about course work. 
7. Copying from another persons work.
8. Allowing another person to copy from your or work.
9. Using materials such as textbooks, notes, or formula lists during an assignment without the instructor's permission.
10. Collaborating on a test without the instructor's permission.
11. Having another person write for you including any submitted written work or assignment such as presentations, power points, case studies, patient notes, emails, etc. (As found at https://spcollege.libguides.com/c.php?g=254383&p=1695452) (As found at https://catalog.actx.edu/content.php?catoid=13&navoid=491#Student_Conduct_and_Responsibilities)

2. Bribery

1. Bribing someone for an academic advantage, or accepting such a bribe (i.e. a student offers a professor money, goods, or services in exchange for a passing grade, or a professor accepts this bribe).
2. Using an academic advantage as a bribe (i.e. a professor offers a student a passing grade in exchange for money, goods, or services, or a student accepts this bribe). (As found at https://spcollege.libguides.com/c.php?g=254383&p=1695452)

3. Misrepresentation: Misrepresentation is any act or omission that is intended to deceive an instructor for academic advantage. Misrepresentation includes lying to an instructor in an attempt to increase your grade, or lying to an instructor when confronted with allegations of academic dishonesty.(As found at https://spcollege.libguides.com/c.php?g=254383&p=1695452)

4. Conspiracy: Conspiracy means working together with one or more persons to commit or attempt to commit academic dishonesty. (As found at https://spcollege.libguides.com/c.php?g=254383&p=1695452)

5. Fabrication/Lying: Fabrication is the use of invented or misrepresentative information. Fabrication most often occurs in the sciences, when students create or alter experimental data. Listing a source in your works cited that you did not actually use in your research is also fabrication.(As found at https://spcollege.libguides.com/c.php?g=254383&p=1695452)

6. Collusion: Collusion is defined as “the unauthorized collaboration with another person or by any other means, including artificial intelligence (AI) and computer translators, in preparing  work for fulfillment of course requirements.” Using AI like (ChatGPT or Google Gemini) to create a document is considered colluding. The use of Generative Artificial Intelligence is not allowed in this course. 

7. Duplicate Submission: A duplicate submission means a person submits the same paper for two different classes. If a person submits the same paper for two different classes within the same semester, the person must have the permission of both instructors. If a person submits the same paper for two different classes in different semesters, the person must have the permission of their current instructor. ( As found at https://spcollege.libguides.com/c.php?g=254383&p=1695452)

8. Academic Misconduct: Academic misconduct is the violation of college policies by tampering with grades or by obtaining and/or distributing any part of a test or assignment. For example:

1. Obtaining a copy of a test or assignment before it is administered.
2. Distributing, either for money or for free, a test or assignment before it is administered.
3. Encouraging others to obtain a copy of a test or assignment before the item is administered.
4. Changing grades in a grade book, on a computer, or on an assignment.
5. Continuing to work on a test after time is called.(Definition and items 1-5 as found at https://spcollege.libguides.com/c.php?g=254383&p=1695452)
6. Utilizing prior student's answers. Examples include using interviews, assignment submissions, created projects or any other previously completed work for another class or by another classmate or by a former student. 
7. Using assignments or information from past course offerings or former students to advantage yourself or others in the current course. 

9. Improper online conduct... and blended course use includes:                            

1. Accepting or providing outside help on online assignments or tests.   

10. Disruptive behavior: Disruptive behavior is any behavior that interferes with the teaching/learning process. Disruptive behavior includes:                                   

1.Disrespecting a professor or another student, in class or online.                              

2. Exhibiting behavior that gives reasonable cause to question, in the opinion of the College, whether the student is able to satisfactorily function in institutional programs or institutional activities in which the student is engaged.                       

3. Interference with teaching, research, administration, or the College’s subsidiary responsibilities through “disorderly conduct or disruptive behavior.”       

4. Disorderly conduct which shall include any verbal or physical abuse, intimidation or the subjection of another person to inappropriate, abusive, threatening or demeaning actions on property owned or controlled by the College or at College-sponsored functions. Students who behave in a disorderly fashion may be required to leave the premises, withdraw from a club or organization, or withdraw from the College. (Items 4-19 as found at https://catalog.actx.edu/content.php?catoid=13&navoid=491#Student_Conduct_and_Responsibilities)

11. Plagiarism: "Plagiarism” shall be defined as the appropriating, buying, receiving as a gift, or obtaining by any means another's work and the unacknowledged submission or incorporation of it in one’s own written work. (As found at as found at https://catalog.actx.edu/content.php?catoid=13&navoid=491#Student_Conduct_and_Responsibilities)

Examples include:

• A classmate is giving you feedback on your notes and you use their language or wording instead of your own.
• A former student offers you suggestions on how to complete an assignment such as items to include on the assignment or project. 
• Having someone else write, dictate or by any other means create a paper, case study, intervention plan, power point, goals and objectives, SOAP note, email, etc. All material copied or paraphrased is to be cited by the student. 

The following link can be helpful in helping you determine if you are committing plagiarism https://spcollege.libguides.com/c.php?g=254383&p=1695453 

Grading Criteria

 

The final course grade will be computed as follows:

                       NBCOT practice questions                                       30%

                        Weekly submissions                                                40%

                        Mock cert exams                                                     20%

                        Study pack utilization ( BOTH NBCOT & AOTA)     10%

                        Final Grade                                                              100%

Attendance

Calendar

Additional Information

Content and schedule of course materials is subject to change at the discretion of the instructor.