Fit4Work online course starts next month...and I could not be more excited. Because what I care the most about with regard to Fit4Work, is changing practice. And changing practice is hard. You have heard the addage...it takes 17 years to change practice. But its not just urban fiction, it is true. Here the authors describe the challenges of translational research and these delays "effectively ‘blindfolds’ investment decisions and risks wasting effort." And time, it wastes precious time. Because while we might know what works or what may work, its easy to get caught up in.. I will do this later, that school staff is too busy to entertain new ideas, I am too tired to entertain new ideas...and while we are waiting, and contemplating and trying to do all the things required of us, the kids on our caseloads grow up and graduate, and did we really make an impact on their quality of life and attainment of work after graduation? These are questions I ask myself often.
So what is the metric I care about? How you use Fit4Work in your practice. How you take this information and put it to work for your students, within your school programs, in a way that benefits your students and helps them reach that goal of Competitive, Integrated Employment.
So, with regard to Fit4Work, and using work capacity evaluation concepts for youth with disabilities, what level are you in your practice? You can find out by answering the following question.
With regard to using work capacity evaluation concepts, programming and innovation, please rate your Level.
Scale:
1. Level 0: None use: I have no knowledge of this information
2. Level 1: Orientation: I am acquiring information and have explored work capacity evaluation and programming concepts for youth with disabilities
3. Level 2: Preparation: I am getting ready to use work capacity evaluation and programming concepts for youth with disabilities
4. Level 3: Mechanical Use: I use work capacity evaluation and programming daily, but I do not reflect, change or work to meet different student needs
5. Level 4: Routine: I routinely use work capacity evaluation and programming concepts for youth with disabilities but do not refine or measure outcomes
6. Level 5: Integration: I use work capacity evaluation and programming concepts for youth with disabilities; I work on related activities of colleagues to achieve a collective effect on students within a common sphere of influence
7. Level 6: Renewal: I re evaluate the quality of use, modifications programming, increase innovation to increase impact as I use work capacity evaluation and programming concepts
When you take a continuing education course, or attend a 2 hour session at a conference, what is your level of use of that information? If you know nothing about it, you may move Level 1 to Level 2. For most, people might move one or 2 levels, and its the dedicated soul who can make it to Level 3 when they go back to work on Monday. The problem is translating that which you have learned into your practice. The benefit of taking a course designed like Fit4Work is that I have translated much of this information for you. You will apply it to your practice, and you will skillfully apply it in the way that is best for your students and your setting, which you know better than I do.
The metric I care about, is moving you beyond level 4. In the Fit4Work course you are guaranteed to move to a Level 3, because you will be practicing activities with your student, and reflecting on them during the context of the course.
The course is now VPTA and VOTA approved, which I am told transfers per the guidelines of your state, and you will receive 15 contact hours for completing all activities. All the information is here, its up to you to take that step to ensure all your students are Fit4Work. As always, email me with questions!
Hall, G. E., Loucks, S. F., Rutherford, W. L., & Newlove, B. W. (1975). Levels of use of the innovation: A framework for analyzing innovation adoption. Journal of teacher education, 26(1), 52-56.
Morris, Z. S., Wooding, S., & Grant, J. (2011). The answer is 17 years, what is the question: understanding time lags in translational research. Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, 104(12), 510-520.