CHCS - Perspectives Winter/Spring 2016

COLLEGE OF HEALTH CARE SCIENCES • 31 Occupational therapists are experts in activity and occupational analysis. Activity analysis is the process of breaking down an activity—such as walking a dog, eating a meal, or texting a friend—into the unique demands, performance skills, and cultural implications that may be associated with engaging in that task. This type of analysis would include assessing task demands, including those associated with object and material, space, social, sequencing, and timing demands. Performance skills would include those associated with the motor, process, and social interaction skills required for success- ful completion of the activity. Finally, an occupational therapist will analyze the potential for cultural meaning the activity may hold. An occupational analysis adds an additional layer, as this type of analysis includes both the personal meaning and way of completing the task that is unique to every individual. By having students engage in activities, they are able to directly apply the information to their own learning process. In this instance, students became acutely aware of the need for a large space to account for excessive noise, as well as the high degree of upper extremity muscle strength that is needed to pull the boards apart. The ability to cope effectively with frustration is another one of the demands involved with participation in this project. Once deconstructed, the students designed and then created floral window boxes. The learning did not stop there, however. The students then engaged in com- munity service by delivering the window boxes to local community programs that the Occupational Therapy—Fort Lauderdale Pro- gram has partnered with in the past. The students worked side by side with clients to plant flowers and learn more about some of the challenges and successes individuals can have when participating in daily occupations. ■ Opposite page: Occupational therapy students show off their completed window boxes. Front row from left are Jazmin Lozano, Aimee Denne, and Devan Cossu-Edwards. In the back row, from left, are Kristie Cabrera, Angela Nadler, Ramneek Williams, and Aaron Miller. Left: Students Paolo Stanchi and Kelly Hammond deconstruct donated wooden pallets. Below: From left, Juli Carbone, Carlyn Evans, Carolyn Cherish, and Carli Immerman construct their window box.