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Bridgett Piernik-Yoder, Ph.D., OTR, FAOTA

Professor & Chair

Department of Occupational Therapy

For Bridgett Piernik-Yoder, Ph.D., there is no greater professional privilege than being an educator in the field of occupational therapy and assisting others to become occupational therapists. Although she and the students have different roles in the process, they are together for a common purpose: to ensure that they become qualified occupational therapists. Therefore, she feels as though it is she responsibility to bring to them the content in a way that they will learn, interpret and apply it in their clinical careers.

In order to support students learning, she feels very strongly that a clear conceptual foundation be articulated for each course and shared with the students. With regard to learning activities, it is important to incorporate a variety of type of learning activities. This not only reinforces learning by engaging the students in different types of activities, but challenges students to learn and apply the content using different approaches.

There are several questions she consistently asks herself with regard to student learning when developing courses and preparing learning activities. These questions are: What should students be learning? What will best support their learning in this area? How will she know they have learned what was intended? What is her role and responsibility in this process?

Occupational therapists work with patients and families after injury or illness has impacted their lives. Because occupational therapists are involved in their care and rehabilitation at a very stressful and often difficult time, it is her dream for students to not only leave their courses with the clinical knowledge and skills they need, but to also be sensitive to the psychosocial issues patients and families may experience. In this way, students have the opportunity to become skilled and compassionate practitioners.