ECOTROS ANNUAL REPORT November 2007

Transcription

1 ECOTROS ANNUAL REPORT November 2007 Introduction The ECOTROS project group works within the ENOTHE theme: The development of continuing education and research into education. Within this theme ENOTHE supports the importance of enhancing research in order to underpin higher education and also the strengthening of research and innovation. This annual report covers the period from October 2006 to October Included in this report are the Progress report April 2007 and the outcomes of the Sheffield project groups meeting (April 2007) and the Cork meeting (October 2007). The ECOTROS Workplan 2008 is attached. Organisational aspects Members Five project group members with research, clinical and educational backgrounds from Austria, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden and United Kingdom. They are also the contact persons for their country. (for names and addresses, please see ECOTROS-Information I). There are more members on the mailing list. The list has extended this year by approximately 20 people and we now have approx. 300 members on the list. Allocation of responsibilities: All project group members have general and special tasks. o As project leader, Fenna van Nes represents the project group at meetings and in the communication with international partners (e.g. COTEC, European Master Course and European Parkinson-Network) and holds contact with the ENOTHE board and office. o As internal project manager, Sebastian Voigt-Radloff is responsible for the project documentation and progress controlling. He is also responsible for adhering the group to deadlines and to the work plan. Webmaster of the ECOTROS website. o Dr. Tanja Stamm is the moderator of the ECOTROS mailing list and she is responsible for giving and receiving information to the new moderators for the two sub-mailing lists: one about Evidence Based Practice, and one about Prevention. o Dr. Asa Lundgren-Nilsson responsible for questionnaires o Dr. Chris Mayers responsible for questionnaires, co-ordinating the Intensive Programme and checking English. The communication among the project group members works via a pre-structured system with deadlines for commenting and deciding. The group members also meet twice a year at the ENOTHE meetings. During the last year there has been one additional meeting in January to prepare a Erasmus application for an Intensive 1

2 Programme. Letters from the ENOTHE board to the project group as well as personal contact between the project leader and an ENOTHE board link person, ensure the communication with ENOTHE. Communication among the 300 project members takes place via the mailing list and via the sub-mailing lists. In November 2006 there was a survey. ECOTROSinformation packages are available via the website and there has been a workshop at the annual ENOTHE conference in Cork The ongoing project documentation as well as all ECOTROS-PR-material, important documents and ECOTROS-information packages are centrally saved and are available on-line for all project group members: Contacts are made via the discussion-list with 300 members and via contact persons for the different countries and with the national contact persons; plus occasionally outside Europe (see ECOTROS documentation sent separately from this report). ECOTROS partners There are 12 ECOTROS partners (universities, national associations, Parkinson-network) and 19 national contact persons supporting the continuous dissemination. These ECOTROS partners are: 1. COTEC, Council of Occupational Therapists for the European Countries 2. European Master of Science in Occupational Therapy 3. European network of Occupational Therapist working with Parkinson's disease (ENOTPD), Jelka Jansa, MScOT 4. German Association of Occupational Therapists 5. Swiss Association of Occupational Therapists 6. Zuyd University Heerlen, Mieke le Granse MScOT 7. University of Applied Science Osnabrück, Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Andreas Fischer 8. Europa Fachhochschule Fresenius Idstein, University of Applied Science, Prof. Pip Higman 9. University of Applied Science and Arts Hildesheim, Prof. Dr. Ulrike Marotzki 10. University of Applied Science Bielefeld, Dipl. Päd. Ursula Walkenhorst 11. Alice-Salomon Fachhochschule, University of Applied Sciences, Berlin, Prof. Dr. Elke Kraus 12. Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Hans Jonsson, Associate Professor National contact persons There are 19 national contact persons: 1. Austria: Dr. Tanja Stamm, Tanja.Stamm@meduniwien.ac.at 2. Belgium: Luc Vercruysse, luc.vercruysse@uc-kortenberg.be and Patricia de Vriendt, patricia.devriendt@arteveldehs.be 3. Bulgaria: Lilja Todorova, litod@ru.acad.bg 4. Denmark: Jette Schjerning, schjerning@get2net.dk 5. Finland: Tiina Lautamo, Tiina.Lautamo@sport.jyu.fi 6. France: Marie-Chantal Morel, marie-chantal.morel@chubordeaux.fr 7. Germany: Sebastian Voigt-Radloff, sebastian.voigt@uniklinikfreiburg.de 2

3 8. Greece: Maria Sjouroliakos, 9. Italy: (temporary) Brigitte Fleitz, 10. Netherlands: Fenna van Nes, 11. Norway: Sissel Horghagen, 12. Portugal: Silvia Martins, 13. Slovenia: Andreja Svajger, 14. Spain: Salvador Simó, 15. Sweden: Asa Lundgren-Nilsson, 16. Switzerland: Claudia Rudhe, 17. United Kingdom: Dr. Chris Mayers, 18. Turkey: Onur Alturtas, 19. Estonia: Karin Lilienberg, Main objectives To facilitate the sharing of knowledge and communication in Europe between occupational therapists who are present or future researchers in Occupational Therapy Research (OTR) and Occupational Science (OS), in order to promote research by occupational therapists. To produce information packages containing information in order to support present and future researchers in OTR and OS. To produce a data-base of OTs with a PhD and/or Masters degree, students and others involved in OTR and OS (This objective has changed, because creating an onlinedatabase was technically not possible within the given time frame, budget and technical support. The gained information will be summarized in word-format). To make knowledge accessible for clients/users, practitioners, researchers, educationalists and students (new objective after discussion in Brussels, April 2006). Objectives for 2007 facilitating research by making information easily accessible via the website with the use of keywords and writing an article about the survey of research studies within Europe. bridging research, education and practice by making knowledge (evidence) generated by research accessible to all (potential) users of this knowledge Meetings One additional meeting has taken place January The results have been implemented in the Intensive Programme Application (see later). Outcomes 2007 ECOTROS-Information on OS projects and on OTs interested in research (based on ongoing online survey): has been up-dated. At the end of October there are 120 researchers and their projects on the website. 3

4 The information is organised with easily pre-listed keywords, authors choose the keywords from this list themselves. The ECOTROS website accessible via under Continuing education and research has been adapted -as far as technically possible- following the recommendations given in a workshop in Ankara Information Package VII Going for funding of research projects - step by step guide has been finalised with the recommendations of the workshop held in Ankara 2006 and is available on the website. Statement about our understanding of Research in OT and OS (as a basis for discussion with ECOTROS members) is available on the website. Article about survey of research studies has been submitted to the British Journal for Occupational Therapy. Socrates Funded Intensive Programme Dissemination of Research Findings to Users practitioners, clients, patients, carers has been accepted for funding. The ECOTROS project group forms the development team and takes part in the teaching. Abstract Exploring a potential Research Agenda for a workshop at the COTEC Conference, Hamburg 2008 has been accepted. To enhance collaboration between Universities, research networks, OT-departments, European Disability forum, user organisations, health professionals and others interested in research and development of occupational therapy and possibilities for occupation and participation in daily life are web links available on the website with Client Organisations, and Occupational Therapy Organisations. Two submailing lists have been implemented about EBP and about Prevention in order to initiate and facilitate European cooperation around specific research topics. Information has been collected to develop and produce user-friendly critically reviewed and summarised research findings. The mailing list has again expanded to include approx. 300 members and on average 8-12 mailings a week (corresponding to aim 1) There is active involvement by many participants Co-operation with WFOT about Research has been initiated Information about Occupational Science projects and literature is updated. The quality of the ECOTROS-Information on OS abstracts has been improved by giving an introduction with recommendations for users of this information. One of the members of the ECOTROS discussion list is willing to take the task of updating this information regularly and will be coached by ECOTROS. Ongoing survey of occupational therapists undertaking research within Europe 4

5 Contact persons for obtaining a PhD in Europe can be found on the website and will give information on request and/or assist in obtaining the requested information. Information about (some) Masters /PhD programmes is available via links on the website. Workshop: Mentoring: helping you to meet your needs as a PhD student, now and in the future has been held in Cork (October 2007) with 18 participants. Recommendations will be implemented in order to develop a PhD support system via the ECOTROS website (see attachment III). Direct beneficiaries ENOTHE members interested in research or responsible for education in research or for the development of a evidence based curriculum The approximately 300 members of the ECOTROS discussion list. Evaluation, dissemination, use of technology and involvement of partners. Evaluation of the project will be done with different perspectives: 1 A questionnaire on the benefit and future potential of ECOTROS (see annual report 2006) to all members will be repeated. 2 An external evaluation is planned to evaluate the project and give recommendations for the future (see attachment IV) 3 The project group will critically self-evaluate the project (see attachment IV) The results from the different perspectives will be presented in a report. Methodology, tools and technology. Methods of collecting information: The ECOTROS project group members collect information on specific topics and share, discuss and adapt this information with use of the discussion list. There are also on-line questionnaires; periodical surveys; requests and discussion between mailing list members, national contact persons and ECOTROS-partners; and contacts between project group members and persons within their national or international professional network. Methods of disseminating information: (See below Dissemination ). Methods of facilitating the sharing of knowledge: Providing and moderating the ECOTROS mailing list enables the expertise of 279 research interested persons to be shared. The general ECOTROS approach is to connect these persons and provide opportunities to combine this expertise. This is also done at the ECOTROS workshops at the ENOTHE conference. The developed website is used to make information and knowledge accessible and updatable. 5

6 Dissemination ECOTROS-Information packages (I to VII) are on the ENOTHE website, distributed via the ECOTROS mailing list and sent by post to all ENOTHE members and ECOTROS partners. Information about outcomes of meetings is given via the mailing list. The issue of intellectual property rights is not relevant as all products are accessible to all and made with the involvement of many persons. Permission is sought before addresses are put in the public domain and to protect against signs are replaced by. Via the website linked to the ENOTHE website. Sub-mailing lists are initiated by members from the ECOTROS discussion list, they implement these lists with coaching from the list facilitator. Attachments Attachment 1: Workshop CORK 2007 All other information is available at the website and can be reached via under continuous education and research ( I II III IV V VI VII VIII March 2005: Project introduction & Project group members June 2005: 59 European occupational therapists interested in research cooperation & the results of the first ECOTROS survey August 2005: Current Occupational Science Research Projects within Europe November 2005: 89 European occupational therapists interested in research cooperation December 2005: Current Occupational Science Research Projects within Europe, Version 2 May 2006: Studying for a PhD in Europe. January 2007: Going for funding of research projects - step by step guide : Database researchers (ongoing) Fenna van Nes, projectgroupleader. ECOTROS 6

7 Attachment I: ECOTROS workshop: Cork October 2007: Mentoring: helping you to meet your needs as a PhD student, now and in the future Objectives for this workshop are : To o discuss the role of the mentor and show the difference between this and the role of the supervisor o clarify what is expected of a mentor o give opportunity to express problems, concerns and positive experiences o compiling a list of recommendations for ECOTROS to develop PhD support, including mentorship o compile a list of recommendations for ECOTROS to develop PhD support, including mentorship o start compiling a list of possible mentors (for the ECOTROS website) o develop a working definition of the role of a mentor (for the ECOTROS website) Role of the Mentor The Oxford Dictionary defines a mentor as an experienced and trusted advisor The mentor should o be someone chosen by you, who you respect and like. More informal relationship than the role of supervisor, no dependence. o answer questions about the PhD process, often before you start. o not get involved in the supervision process. Supervisors guide the research process at theory, method and practical levels. Mentors do not do this. o be an OT if possible and have a PhD. Good if he/she will have been through the process. o be available for you to have a moan about the work load. Therefore good at listening and making coffee o be an encourager during the PhD period o advise on dissemination of research findings eg. conference presentations and publications (can also be the role of the supervisor) o help you to become involved with the international research community. o Willing to give time to the process 7

8 Recommendations an ECOTROS PhD support group forming a list of mentors including areas of interest Web-site for communication and PhD in progress Examples of the mentor and supervisor processes Workshop/face to face/ at every ENOTHE conference.. for - peer group support with regular meeting - presentation of projects - discussion of research methods - networking - sharing experiences - funding queries Resource list books, articles on undertaking a PhD 8