Human ; Humans ; Humanities ; Health ; Forecasting ; Algorithms

BACKGROUND

Blended teaching and learning (BTL) integrates face-to-face and online learning environments to enhance flexibility and engagement for students and teachers. In recent years, BTL has been progressively adopted globally, with the Philippines aligning its implementation with the Commission on Higher Education guidelines. However, data regarding its utilization and effectiveness in the Philippine context, especially in health-allied education, remains limited. This study will provide valuable insights and aid future curriculum development and the improvement of BTL practices.

This study will evaluate the quality of BTL implementation in the Interprofessional Education course (IPE) at the University of Santo Tomas College of Rehabilitation Sciences (UST-CRS) during Academic Year 2025-2026 by assessing student satisfaction.

The study will utilize an observational cross-sectional design to assess the satisfaction of third-year UST-CRS students enrolled in the IPE course during Academic Year 2025-2026. Total enumeration sampling will be used, with data being collected using the Blended Learning Delivery Assessment Tool (BLDAT). The recruitment and data gathering processes will be conducted online, with measures in place to ensure data privacy. Data gathered will be analyzed using descriptive statistics to examine satisfaction levels across the five dimensions of BTL as mentioned in the BLDAT.

This study will yield results regarding satisfaction with BTL implementation in the IPE course during Academic Year 2025-2026 among third-year UST-CRS students gathered using the BLDAT.

Artificial intelligence (AI) and generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) have gained increasing relevance in occupational therapy (OT) due to their potential to enhance clinical practice, optimize client care, and shape the future of OT education. Despite growing international evidence, literature addressing AI use in OT remains limited in the Philippine context. This Special Collection on AI in Occupational Therapy seeks to address this gap by examining the perspectives and experiences of key stakeholders across OT education and practice through a stakeholder-informed qualitative approach. Using interviews and focus group discussions, insights from school administrators, OT educators, interns, students, and clinicians are gathered to explore their attitudes, concerns, and lived experiences related to AI use in occupational therapy. These multi-perspective findings aim to inform the development of contextually grounded frameworks, institutional policies, and evidence-based programs that support ethical, sustainable, and meaningful integration of AI in OT education and practice within the local setting.

BACKGROUND

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly transforming various fields, including healthcare. In occupational therapy (OT), Generative AI (GenAI) holds promise for enhancing clinical practice and patient outcomes. However, its successful integration depends not only on technological advancements but also on the perceptions, acceptance, and experiences of clinicians. Despite global interest, limited research exists on the perspectives of OT practitioners in the Philippines.

A qualitative study will be conducted with a theoretical sample of 15 OT clinicians actively working across Metro Manila who are familiar with AI, excluding those in academic roles. The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) will be used as a guiding framework to understand OT clinicians' attitudes towards the usage of GenAI. After a successful pilot test, one-on-one semi-structured interviews will be
conducted online. Data will be thematically analyzed using NVivo 15, following a coding framework

A qualitative study will be conducted with a theoretical sample of 15 OT clinicians actively working across Metro Manila who are familiar with AI, excluding those in academic roles. The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) will be used as a guiding framework to understand OT clinicians' attitudes towards the usage of GenAI. After a successful pilot test, one-on-one semi-structured interviews will be
conducted online. Data will be thematically analyzed using NVivo 15, following a coding framework

The study is expected to provide insights into the familiarity, experiences, attitudes, and intentions of OT clinicians in Metro Manila regarding AI use in clinical practice. Findings may identify perceived benefits, concerns, ethical and practical considerations, and factors influencing the adoption of AI, highlighting opportunities and barriers for its responsible integration into OT practice.

OBJECTIVES

This study protocol aims to explore the perceptions of OT educators in the Philippines regarding the use of AI in OT education and to identify perceived facilitators and barriers to its implementation in OT educational settings.

A qualitative descriptive design will be employed using purposive sampling. Approximately 10–12 OT educators from a higher education institution in Metro Manila, Philippines, will be recruited. Data will be collected through a focus group discussion to elicit in-depth perspectives on AI use in OT education. Thematic analysis will be conducted to identify recurring patterns and overarching themes related to AI integration.

The study protocol includes its expected results, which are to provide context-specific insights into the opportunities and challenges associated with integrating AI in OT education in the Philippines. Findings may inform instructional strategies, curriculum development, institutional policies, investment in technological infrastructure, and faculty development initiatives related to AI adoption

OBJECTIVES

This study aims to explore the perceptions of UST Occupational Therapy students regarding AI chatbots in the context of school-related activities. It will further focus on their concerns, utility, and perceived effects of AI on learning related to school activities

A qualitative descriptive design will be used and will utilize three focus group discussions, one for each year level (first, second, and third-year students), to gather extensive and accurate accounts of students’ perceptions. Thematic analysis, using manual coding and following Braun and Clarke’s six-phase analytic framework, will be employed for data analysis.

The study is expected to generate themes describing students’ perceived usefulness, concerns, and learning-related impacts of AI, providing insights that may support the responsible and informed integration of AI in occupational therapy education.

OBJECTIVES

This study aims to create a study protocol that will explore UST administrators’ perceptions of the benefits and risks of AI use in higher education learning environments.

A qualitative descriptive design will be employed, using semi-structured interviews with at least fifteen administrators selected through purposive sampling. Audio-recorded interviews will be transcribed verbatim and subjected to thematic analysis using NVivo software

Administrators from different college-level fields perceive and engage with AI across various academic contexts. Exploring these perceptions will allow guidance in the development of coherent, contextually grounded institutional policies that promote responsible GenAI use and support digital leadership in Philippine higher education.

BACKGROUND

Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is increasingly integrated into healthcare, including occupational therapy (OT), with potential applications in its service delivery and clinical decision-making. While GenAI offers promising educational and clinical support, its generative nature introduces risks related to contextual accuracy, transparency, and ethical use, particularly within supervised clinical training settings where professional judgment is still developing. Empirical research examining GenAI integration in OT clinical training remains limited, especially within the Philippine context.

This is a protocol for a study which aims to explore the perceptions of OT interns in Manila, Philippines, regarding GenAI integration in clinical training, including perceived benefits, challenges, and ethical considerations, guided by Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovations Theory

This qualitative study protocol describes an exploratory design that will be used to gather rich and contextualized insights from 24 to 32 OT interns enrolled in universities in Manila with established institutional AI-use policies. Data will be collected through semi-structured online focus group discussions (FGD). Thematic analysis will be used with assistance from atlas.ti. 

The study is expected to generate meaningful themes that describe the perceptions of OT interns regarding the integration of GenAI within supervised clinical training contexts. Results are expected to reflect how interns perceive the role of GenAI in supporting clinical decision-making, as well as its perceived challenges and ethical concerns related to institutional policies, data privacy, reliability, and variability in AI-generated outputs.