Master of Occupational Therapy Program - Governors State University

Critical Reasoning
Critical reasoning is the process by which experience, theory, information, ethics,
advocacy,
cultural competency, the act of thinking critically or reflectively, and situation specific
issues combine to result in best practice. Given the constant interplay of
person/group/community, performance and context, critical reasoning becomes the
necessary process by which judgments are formed. Through critical reasoning, one
recognizes that any change at one point entails changes elsewhere (Argyris and
Schon, 1974). This process is built in part upon the foundation of experiences and
reasoning which occur during clinical experiences and opportunities and requires the
ability to process information, take action, and simultaneously reflect on this action to
learn from it.
As an outcome of our program, graduates will use critical reasoning skills to
synthesize information from course content, occupational therapy fieldwork,
personal experiences, contextual factors and research from the field of
occupational therapy and related fields, to enhance the well-being of individuals,
families, and society in a variety of systems.
Lifelong Learning
Lifelong learning is the continued self-directed acquisition of new knowledge and skills.
This learning can be generalized to other experiences and may be applied directly to
occupational therapy practice. Lifelong learning supports growth as a human being,
enhancing an individual’s therapeutic use of self.
Learning occurs through everyday experiences and open communication with those
served, the community, and colleagues. It occurs through written resources such as
texts and journals, attendance at conferences and continued educational experiences,
mentoring, participation in research activities, and active involvement in professional
and community organizations.
As an outcome of our program, graduates will demonstrate the responsibility of a
lifelong commitment to learning, research, and service with health and human service
agencies. Through this commitment to lifelong learning, the graduates will continually
add to their impact on the health and well-being of all persons served and society as a
whole.
Curriculum Sequence
The curriculum design provides the basis for program planning, implementation, and
evaluation.
The program is built upon a strong prerequisite academic base of liberal arts and
scientific knowledge. During the foundational sequence, the emphasis is placed on
basic and applied human sciences, including anatomy, physiology, movement analysis,
and neuroscience. Focus is placed on the acquisition of basic information about health