Fieldwork Educators Seminar

Excellence in Occupational Therapy Fieldwork Education: Roles, Strategies, and Best Practices

August 26, 2026, 8am–12:45pm
USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy
1540 Alcazar, CHP-133
Los Angeles, CA 90089-9003

Speakers
Candace Chatman, Deanna Mannarelli, Clarissa Saunders-Newton, Bari Turetzky

Non-Financial Disclosure
No non-financial relationships to the content of this course.

Target Audience
Occupational Therapy Fieldwork Educators. This course is designed for OTs as an introductory level course, although all levels are welcome. It is also open to USC Chan occupational therapy fieldwork educators.

Educational Level
This course is designed as an introductory course introducing core concepts tailored to occupational therapy fieldwork educators. It will also be highly beneficial for any practitioner supporting students, whether novice or seasoned. The course will provide evidence demonstrating the growing need for thorough preparation of fieldwork educators. It will equip participants with a clear understanding of the educator’s role, relevant academic and state regulations, and effective teaching strategies for clinical settings. Participants will learn evidence-based approaches to supervision and instruction, practical techniques to integrate teaching into everyday practice, and proven strategies for addressing common student challenges during fieldwork experiences.

Prerequisites (if applicable)
No prerequisite required.

Learning Objectives
By the end of the seminar, attendees will be able to:

1. Define the roles, responsibilities, and priorities of the Fieldwork Educator.
2. Recognize the professional benefits of participating in fieldwork education.
3. Recall the academic and state regulations that govern occupational therapy and fieldwork.
4. List 2-3 effective learning, teaching, and communication strategies and their implications for fieldwork education.
5. Identify 2 evidence-based supportive strategies and resources to address common student challenges.
6. Explain strategies to support justice, equity, and inclusion in the fieldwork context.

Course Description
This is a continuing education seminar for fieldwork educators who provide level I and level II fieldwork supervision for USC Chan occupational therapy students. This course addresses current professional issues relevant to fieldwork education with emphasis placed on examining best practices in teaching, learning, and supervision. Through this process, participants are encouraged to reflect on their anticipated roles and responsibilities as educators and foster the development of an envisioned future as an effective and thoughtful fieldwork educator.

Time-Ordered Agenda
8:00 - 8:30 am Breakfast
8:35 - 8:45 am     Program updates and upcoming fieldwork opportunities (Samia and Deanna)
8:45 - 9:15 am     The role and benefits of being a fieldwork educator
9:15 - 9:45 am     The academic and state regulations that govern fieldwork
9:45 - 10:00 am   Break
10:00 - 11:30 am Introducing effective learning, teaching, and communication strategies for fieldwork education
11:30 - 12:30 pm Supportive strategies and resources to address common student challenges
12:30 – 12:45 pm Concluding remarks and learning evaluation and feedback form

Instructional Methods
Live, Hybrid,- Interactive: PowerPoint presentations (multi-media) with lecture and small-group discussion.

CEU Credit
3.5 CEUs. This course is 3.5 contact hours.  Participants must complete a post-test and course evaluation to receive a certificate of attendance.

Cancellation Policy
Cancellation by USC will result in an email communication to those registered. There is no fee for this seminar, therefore, there is no monetary compensation for the cancellation. If an attendee is no longer able to attend, a courtesy email to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) would be appreciated.

Special Needs Requests
If you require ADA accommodations, please email details of request(s) to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) at least two weeks before the course date so that arrangements can be made.

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USC Chan is an AOTA Approved Provider of professional development. PD activity approval ID #16769. This Live, Hybrid activity is offered at .35 CEUs, Introductory, Professional Issues. The assignment of AOTA CEUs does not imply endorsement of specific course content, products, or clinical procedures by AOTA.

USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy

1540 Alcazar Street, CHP 133, Los Angeles, CA 90089-9003

ACOTE accreditation | NBCOT certification

The USC entry-level doctorate in occupational therapy (OTD) degree program (cost of attendance) is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education® (ACOTE®) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). The USC entry-level master’s degree program (cost of attendance) is in Accreditation–Inactive status by ACOTE®. View our program’s ACOTE® standards public data. ACOTE® c/o the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.®, 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E, Bethesda, MD 20814, (301) 652-AOTA, www.acoteonline.org.

Professional program graduates are eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapist administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc.® (NBCOT®), nbcot.org. Program results from the NBCOT can be found online at www.nbcot.org/Educators-Folder/SchoolPerformance.