University of Akureyri course

Critical Perspectives in Occupational Science and Professional Growth in the Nordic​ (10 ECTS)

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Course description: 

This course explores the transformative potential of critical occupational science to challenge normative assumptions about occupation, explore power dynamics, and consider broader societal, cultural, political, and economic influences of participation, inclusion, and daily activities of people in the Nordic context. Focusing on the interplay between occupation and the unique characteristics of Nordic societies, including their emphasis on equality, sustainability, and well-being – the course situates occupation within complex systems shaped by power, privilege, and marginalization.​ 

Students will critically examine how systemic inequalities, and societal structures influence occupational opportunities, particularly for marginalized groups, and reflect on their professional fields' values, attitudes, and practices. Drawing on interdisciplinary theories and lived experiences, the course fosters professional growth by helping students understand their roles and responsibilities in creating inclusive and equitable systems. Through this, students will learn to address health and sustainability challenges and advocate for meaningful participation in the Nordic region. This course is designed for students and professionals in health sciences, social sciences, and related fields. Participants will explore innovative ways to integrate critical perspectives and user involvement into their professional practices, contributing to sustainable and equitable systems. 

 

Learning outcomes: 

After completing the course, the student will:​ 

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1. Reflect on critical occupational science's historical and theoretical foundations and its relevance to health, sustainability, and social equity in the Nordic context. ​ 

2. Critically analyze how socio-political, cultural, and economic factors, including those unique to the Nordic context, influence the occupations of diverse marginalized populations in the region. ​ 

3. Reflect on established ideas and practices within their professions to identify opportunities for growth/development aligned with critical occupational science perspective.​ 

4. Advocate for the role of occupational science perspective in shaping inclusive, equitable, and sustainable systems within the Nordic context. ​ 

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Assessment: 

• To pass the course, students must obtain a minimum of 5.0 in the assessment components that count for 30% or more, and achieve a weighted average grade from all assessment components of at least 4.75. 

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• Please note that according to the University of Akureyri's assessment rules, students are not entitled to repeat an assessment component that weighs less than 30%, regardless of the reason. Retakes will therefore only be available for assessment components that weigh 30% or more, and in such cases, the student must register for a retake exam. 

 

• All assignments must be submitted by the due date unless otherwise noted. Assignments received after the due date will in most cases have their grade reduced. The general rule is that a student's grade is reduced by 0.5 for each day that passes after the due date. 

 

• If a student's circumstances prevent them from submitting an assignment on time, they are asked to speak to their teacher as soon as possible. It is then possible to negotiate a new due date. 

 

• Students are given the opportunity to make suggestions for changes to assignment due dates and discussion time schedules within two weeks of the course starting. Please note that it is best for students in the course to reach an agreement on such proposed changes before contacting the instructor. 

 

• Students are expected to actively participate in the entire learning process. It is possible to reduce the grade of a student who does not participate in group work on an equal basis with their colleagues. 

 

• In all handling of sources, care should be taken not to use other people's texts without attributing the source. Using other people's texts without attributing it and following the appropriate rules is plagiarism and such practices are taken seriously. If students are found to have plagiarized, their case will be prosecuted according to the school's rules. 

 

• Grade submission: Teachers strive to submit grades as soon as possible or no later than 30 days from the project submission date in accordance with the rules for assessment at the University of Iceland. 

 

• There are four assessment components in this course, see table below. All assignment descriptions will be available on Canvas and there are instructions on where/how to submit assignments. There is no exam in this course.

 

 

Study plan: 

 

• An overview of each week's teaching methods, assignments, and course material is in the table below 

 

• Teaching and assessment is conducted in English 

 

• ECTS stands for European Credit Transfer System and is used to evaluate studies between universities. Each ECTS credit equals 25-30 hours of work for students. Since the course is worth 10 ECTS credits, students can expect to spend 250-300 hours working on it, including attending classes, reading course material, completing assignments, listening to recordings of lectures from teachers, and participating in discussion sessions on Zoom.   

 

• Attendance is mandatory for the seminar on January xth and the discussion session on Zoom on April xth. Both the seminar and the discussion session will take place on Zoom. 

 

• Students need to familiarize themselves with assignment descriptions and when guidance sessions are available for projects. Students send an email to the appropriate teacher to request a guidance session, cf. information in the table below.  (Table coming later)

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Study material: 

Books – Required readings:  

Gibson, B. E. (2016). Rehabilitation. A post-critical approach. Boca Raton: CRC Press.  

  

Hammell, K. W. (2020). Engagement in living: Critical perspectives on occupation, rights and wellbeing. Ottawa: CAOT.  

  

The supplemental reading list on Canvas also includes examples of useful articles, but please note that the reading list is not exhaustive. This course tests your ability to find your own reading material that is appropriate for your interests and assignments. Students are required to use peer-reviewed academic articles and/or edited book chapters. 

 

Handling of references 

Students must follow the rules of academic work. When students refer to sources and create a bibliography, they must use the APA reference system (7th edition). Sources should be selected carefully and only cite research that has been published in peer-reviewed academic journals. 

Students are strictly prohibited from using the intellectual property of others in their essays and projects, unless sources are cited in accordance with accepted academic work practices. Plagiarism in any form is considered completely unacceptable conduct in studies at the University of Akureyri. Students are not permitted to submit an essay or other academic material, in whole or in part, for credit more than once, except with the permission of the teacher involved. Citations of their own, previously published work shall be subject to the same rules that apply to citations of the work of others. 

If there is a suspicion that a student has been guilty of plagiarism or if a student has been guilty of violating the law or other rules of the university, the matter should be brought to the attention of the dean. If the violation is likely to affect a grade, only the teacher in question can make a decision about such a matter. Plagiarism, depending on the severity of the violation, may result in a reprimand or even expulsion from the University of Akureyri. No violations will go unpunished. Students are reminded of the APA manual and the rules of the University of Akureyri. 

 

University studies 

Studying at university is demanding and requires discipline and organized work. Students must be responsible for their own progress and demonstrate dedication to achieve good results. By registering for the course, you have agreed to participate fully, which includes being visible, working purposefully throughout the semester, regularly accessing the course home page, following announcements, reading emails, attending classes/watching recordings, participating in discussions and group work, taking pride in your work on assignments, and submitting them on time. 

The course requires cooperation and respect for each other as participants in a knowledge community. We expect you to take your role as a university student seriously, behave professionally, and have basic knowledge of the use of the internet and electronic media. 

At the beginning of your studies at the Faculty of Occupational Therapy, students sign a confidentiality agreement, which is a prerequisite for professionalism and successful work between professionals and clients. Confidentiality applies to the private affairs of clients, their families, other students and teachers, and everything that concerns their personal affairs, their occupation, health, service resources and other matters that should be kept secret. It is therefore important that students do not give anyone other than the course students access to lessons and meetings and be careful to use headphones in electronic meetings if others are in the same room. 

We encourage you to plan your time well, read the study plan carefully, absorb the course material and discuss it with others in the course. 

 

 

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us. We look forward to working with you! 

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Supplemental reading list 

Gerlach A. J. (2015). Sharpening our critical edge: Occupational therapy in the context of marginalized populations. Canadian journal of occupational therapy. Revue canadienne d'ergotherapie, 82(4), 245–253. https://doi.org/10.1177/0008417415571730 

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Gerlach, A. J., Teachman, G., Laliberte-Rudman, D., Aldrich, R. M., & Huot, S. (2018). Expanding beyond individualism: Engaging critical perspectives on occupation. Scandinavian journal of occupational therapy, 25(1), 35–43. https://doi.org/10.1080/11038128.2017.1327616 

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Gibson, B. E. (2016). Critical rehabilitation research: Why it matters for all research. Commentary. Rehabink. 

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Hammell K. R. (2015). Client-centred occupational therapy: the importance of critical perspectives. Scandinavian journal of occupational therapy, 22(4), 237–243. https://doi.org/10.3109/11038128.2015.1004103 

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López-Deflory, C., Perron, A. & Miró-Bonet, M. (2022). An integrative literature review and critical reflection on nurses‘ agency. Nursing Inquiry, https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nin.12515 

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Mosqueda-Díaz, A., Vílchez-Barboza, V., Valenzuela-Suazo, S., & Sanhueza-Alvarado, O. (2014). Critical theory and its contribution to the nursing discipline. Investigacion y educacion en enfermeria, 32(2), 356–363. https://doi.org/10.17533/udea.iee.v32n2a18 

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Nilsson, I., & Townsend, E. (2014). Occupational justice--bridging theory and practice. Previously published in Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy 2010; 17: 57-63. Scandinavian journal of occupational therapy, 21 Suppl 1, 64–70. https://doi.org/10.3109/11038128.2014.952906 

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Nixon, S. A., Yeung, E., Shaw, J. A., Kuper, A., & Gibson, B. E. (2017). Seven-Step Framework for Critical Analysis and Its Application in the Field of Physical Therapy. Physical therapy, 97(2), 249–257. https://doi.org/10.2522/ptj.20160149 

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Njelesani, J., Teachman, G., Durocher, E., Hamdani, Y., & Phelan, S. K. (2015). Thinking critically about client-centred practice and occupational possibilities across the life-span. Scandinavian journal of occupational therapy, 22(4), 252–259. https://doi.org/10.3109/11038128.2015.1049550 

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Phelan S. K. (2011). Constructions of disability: a call for critical reflexivity in occupational therapy. Canadian journal of occupational therapy. Revue canadienne d'ergotherapie, 78(3), 164–172. https://doi.org/10.2182/cjot.2011.78.3.4 

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Reimer-Kirkham S. (2019). Complicating nursing's views on religion and politics in healthcare. Nursing philosophy : an international journal for healthcare professionals, 20(4), e12282. https://doi.org/10.1111/nup.12282 

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Robertson, D., Warrender, F., & Barnard, S. (2015). The critical occupational therapy practitionert: how o define expertise?. Australian occupational therapy journal, 62(1), 68–71. https://doi.org/10.1111/1440-1630.12157 

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Robinson, J., Gott, M., Gardiner, C., & Ingleton, C. (2017). Specialist palliative care nursing and the philosophy of palliative care: a critical discussion. International journal of palliative nursing, 23(7), 352–358. https://doi.org/10.12968/ijpn.2017.23.7.352 

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Ryan, G., & Sfar-Gandoura, H. (2018). Introduction to positivism, interpretivism and critical theory. Nurse researcher, 25(4), 41–49. https://doi.org/10.7748/nr.2018.e1466 

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Assignments 

 

1. Seminar assignment (10%) 

• Group presentation and discussion – Each group will select a topic on Canvas and prepare a 20 minute presentation based on assigned readings and topics related to critical occupational science and its relevance to the Nordic context. Groups will summarize key points from the readings, connect them to the course themes, and lead a 10-15 minute class discussion. 

• Topic ideas: 

• Challenging “common sense” 

• Perspectives on health and disability 

• Well-being and quality of life 

• Traditional developmental milestones 

• In-Dependence 

• Social and cultural contexts 

• Environment and participation 

• Capabilities approach 

• Normative understanding of occupation (productivity) 

• Objective: Foster active engagement and critical reflection on course material through seminar discussions. 

• Learning Outcomes Addressed: Outcome 2, Outcome 3. 

 

2. Individual assignment – Research paper (30%) 

 

• Students will write a research paper (2500-3000 words) on a topic of their choice related to the historical and theoretical foundations of critical occupational science and its application to health, sustainability, and social equity in the Nordic region. Possible topics could include: 

• The evolution of occupational science in the Nordic countries. 

• The role of occupation in promoting sustainability in Nordic societies. 

• Occupational justice for marginalized groups in the region (e.g., refugees, indigenous populations, disabled individuals). 

The paper should critically analyze the intersection of theory and practice, integrating interdisciplinary theories and concepts to demonstrate how they can challenge normative assumptions about occupation and promote inclusive, sustainable systems. 
Objective: Develop a deeper understanding of critical occupational science’s theoretical foundations and its relevance to the Nordic context 

Learning Outcomes Addressed: Outcome 1, Outcome 3. 

 

3. Group project – Case study on Occupational inequalities (40%) 

• Objective: Apply critical occupational science concepts to address occupational inequalities and promote sustainable solutions for marginalized populations in the Nordic context. 
  Description: 

• In groups of 3-4, students will select a marginalized population in one of the Nordic countries (e.g., migrant communities, elderly people in rural areas, disabled people) and create a case study that examines how socio-political, cultural, and economic factors influence their occupations. 

• The group will analyze the systemic barriers that affect occupational participation for this population and propose actionable solutions grounded in critical occupational science concepts. 

• The case study should be presented in a report (3500-4000 words) that includes: 

• An overview of the population and the challenges they face. 

• A critical analysis of the factors contributing to occupational inequality. 

• Proposals for policy or practice changes that can promote inclusion, equity, and sustainability. 

• The group will present their findings to the class in a multimedia format (e.g., presentation, video, interactive website). 
  Learning Outcomes Addressed: Outcome 2, Outcome 3, outcome 4 

 

 

4. Advocacy project – policy brief or public campaign (20%) 

• Objective: Advocate for occupational opportunities and sustainability through practical application of critical occupational science principles. 
  Description: 

• For the final project, students will create an advocacy campaign or policy brief aimed at raising awareness and promoting systemic change regarding occupational inequalities in the Nordic context. 

• Students will choose a current issue related to occupational justice (e.g., employment barriers for marginalized groups, lack of inclusive spaces for disabled people, or…..) and develop a policy brief or public campaign targeting policymakers, community leaders, or the general public. 

• The brief or campaign should: 

• Define the issue clearly and its impact on marginalized populations. 

• Incorporate critical occupational science concepts to argue for a more inclusive and sustainable approach. 

• Offer practical, evidence-based solutions or policy recommendations. 

• Students should use data, case studies, and visual aids (e.g., infographics, videos) to make a compelling case for change. 
  Learning Outcomes Addressed: Outcome 4, Outcome 3.