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One corner of the room boasts a bed and adjacent table — another, a tub. Along that same wall, there is a full kitchen, complete with a stove, refrigerator, and microwave. And although it may sound like a studio apartment, this space isn’t for living; it’s for learning.

The University of New England’s Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (M.S.O.T.) Lab, located in Blewett Hall on the University’s Portland Campus, opened in May as an all-in-one space for students to engage with the program’s curriculum.

“We teach a very holistic approach to occupation,” said Kris Winston, Ph.D., OTR/L, FAOTA, program director and associate professor of occupational therapy (OT). “The space is really flexible and allows faculty and students to engage in a variety of learning activities at once so we can act in response to what students need at any given moment.”

Occupational therapy classes at �Ӱ���Ƶ are designed for students and faculty to engage in large group lecture; small-group discussion; experiential, practice-based activities; and reflection, all of which may occur within a single three-hour class.

The lab accommodates these dynamic classes, in which the students themselves often act as both patients and practitioners of occupational therapy. 

Students have the capability of participating in a number of occupations, such as meal preparation, sleep and rest, bathing, grooming, and play — all meaningful day-to-day occupations, Winston said.

A dynamic space for learning

In the brightly lit space, students are able to separate and join tables equipped with rolling legs to facilitate group or individual work. A camera can livestream small-group activities onto the large display board, allowing all students (up to 28 at a time) to view the therapeutic practices being conducted by their peers.

Students can even mirror their own computer screens onto a large display to encourage group discussion.

Emily Spencer, B.S., a first-year M.S.O.T. student, was one of the first students to use the new OT Lab when it opened. 

A native of East Longmeadow, Massachusetts, Spencer said the lab allows her to engage in hands-on work that she would not be able to perform in a traditional classroom.

“Listening to a lecture is not the same as getting hands on and having that adaptable space to try new things and practice your clinical skills,” she said. “The lab has been a great home for all of my cohort to come together as a welcoming, inclusive spot for us to work together and collaborate.”

The facility also boasts a large storage area that houses all of the department’s equipment, including simulation dolls, exercise balls, and more. That aspect is important for the OT faculty, who say equipment was scattered across several spaces prior to the lab’s opening.

“The ease of that storage space and having access to our equipment at our fingertips is incredible,” said Caroline Beals, M.S., OTR/L, assistant professor of occupational therapy. “It’s made a huge difference.

The storage space has also made a difference for students, Spencer said, as it has allowed them to be creative in finding solutions to occupational problems.

“We can use any of the supplies and get creative with them for our projects,” she said. “It really marries that creative aspect with the typical cli