Jill Ashburner1, Jenny Ziviani, Sylvia Rodger, Elizabeth A Hinder, Linda Cartmill, Jessica White, Sandy Vickerstaff. 1. Dr. Ashburner: Manager, Research and Development, Autism Queensland, Sunnybank, Queensland, Australia. Dr. Ziviani: Professor, Children's Allied Health Research, Queensland Health; Conjoint Professor, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Dr. Rodger: Professor, Division of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Rehabilitation Science and Director of Research and Education, Autism Cooperative Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Ms. Hinder: Senior Advisor, Occupational Therapy, Department of Education, Training and Employment, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia. Ms. Cartmill: Research Officer, Division of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Rehabilitation Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Dr. White: Research Assistant, Research and Development, Autism Queensland, Sunnybank, Queensland, Australia. Dr. Vickerstaff: Project Officer, Research and Development, Autism Queensland, Sunnybank, Queensland, Australia.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Research suggests that learning gained through training is infrequently implemented in the workplace. A short-term postcourse comentoring program was developed with the aim of facilitating workplace implementation of learning after a 3-day course for occupational therapists. The program was evaluated for usefulness, successes, challenges, recommended improvements, and associations with changes in self-rated knowledge and confidence. METHOD: Two months after the course, 42 participants completed an evaluation of the comentoring program with closed- and open-ended questions addressing usefulness, successes, challenges, pairing preferences, and recommendations. They also completed a record on whether or not they had worked on goals nominated in their comentoring contract. Before and 2 months after the course, they completed a self-rated questionnaire on knowledge and confidence. RESULTS: The comentoring program was recommended by 80% of participants. Benefits included opportunities for information and resource sharing, debriefing, problem solving, reassurance, and implementation of ideas. Ninety-five percent of participants worked on some or all their comentoring goals. Although there were significant improvements in knowledge (P < 0.001) and confidence (P < 0.001), the total comentoring evaluation score was not significantly associated with these changes. It is therefore possible that these improvements related to the course itself rather than the comentoring program. Challenges related to time, scheduling, distance, and pairing of comentors. CONCLUSION: Reported benefits of the program included enhanced psychosocial support and prompting to trial newly learned strategies. Effectiveness may be improved by setting aside time for comentoring in the workplace and better matching of comentors.
INTRODUCTION: Research suggests that learning gained through training is infrequently implemented in the workplace. A short-term postcourse comentoring program was developed with the aim of facilitating workplace implementation of learning after a 3-day course for occupational therapists. The program was evaluated for usefulness, successes, challenges, recommended improvements, and associations with changes in self-rated knowledge and confidence. METHOD: Two months after the course, 42 participants completed an evaluation of the comentoring program with closed- and open-ended questions addressing usefulness, successes, challenges, pairing preferences, and recommendations. They also completed a record on whether or not they had worked on goals nominated in their comentoring contract. Before and 2 months after the course, they completed a self-rated questionnaire on knowledge and confidence. RESULTS: The comentoring program was recommended by 80% of participants. Benefits included opportunities for information and resource sharing, debriefing, problem solving, reassurance, and implementation of ideas. Ninety-five percent of participants worked on some or all their comentoring goals. Although there were significant improvements in knowledge (P < 0.001) and confidence (P < 0.001), the total comentoring evaluation score was not significantly associated with these changes. It is therefore possible that these improvements related to the course itself rather than the comentoring program. Challenges related to time, scheduling, distance, and pairing of comentors. CONCLUSION: Reported benefits of the program included enhanced psychosocial support and prompting to trial newly learned strategies. Effectiveness may be improved by setting aside time for comentoring in the workplace and better matching of comentors.