Strengths and Limitations of the Occupational Therapy Model Curriculum Guide as Illustrated in a Comprehensive Curriculum Revision Process

ABSTRACT The Model Curriculum was developed to guide curriculum design initiatives in occupational therapy. No data exist describing the Model Curriculum guide in an actual curriculum design process. This paper offers initial descriptive data on the strengths and limitations of the Model Curriculum guide as illustrated in a comprehensive curriculum revision process. The strengths of the Model Curriculum guide included: (1) it represented curriculum as a holistic academic plan and curriculum design as a series of decision points around interrelated elements, (2) it provided an orientation to the vocabulary and process of inductive curriculum design, (3) it provided a general process for undertaking curriculum revision work that was data-driven, and (4) the guide helped raise fundamental questions about the nature of curriculum and learning. Yet, each of these functions was also limited. Limitations are described and recommended revisions to the Model Curriculum guide are offered.