Community of practice: a methodology to improve occupational therapy practice?

Resumo

The conceptual and methodological work in reflexive practice developed by Dr. Kinsella in Canada was a key element for the development of the ongoing research in Sao Paulo, Brazil, named Communities of Practice in Occupational Therapy and the Production of Child & Adolescent Comprehensive and Humanized Health Care. The participants are ten occupational therapists who work in pediatric wards or hospitals in the city of Sao Paulo. They were invited to join a community of practice, created by Dr. Galheigo's research team, with face-to-face and virtual meetings, for a period of ten months. The research has two main expected results: (i) to implement a community of practice and evaluate its feasibility as a means of knowledge production and exchange amongst practicing occupational therapists and, (ii) to produce knowledge and debate on the characteristics and quality of approaches to occupational therapy practice for hospitalized children and adolescents. The focus of this international collaboration is to exchange knowledge in order to advance work in the use of communities of practice for the development of reflexive practices and epistemic reflexivity in occupational therapy. The collaboration has the potential to open up avenues for larger scale research studies with therapists working in diverse contexts, as well as to advance theoretical knowledge. (AU)