title: Occupational therapy students' technological skills: Are 'generation Y' ready for 21st century practice?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Technology is becoming increasingly integral to the practice of occupational therapists and part of the everyday lives of clients. 'Generation Y' are purported to be naturally technologically skilled as they have grown up in the digital age. The aim of this study was to explore one cohort of 'Generation Y' occupational therapy students' skills and confidence in the use of technologies relevant to contemporary practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional survey design was used to collect data from a cohort of 274 students enrolled in an Australian undergraduate occupational therapy programme.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 173 (63%) students returned the survey. Those born prior to 1982 were removed from the data. This left 155 (56%) 'Generation Y' participants. Not all participants reported to be skilled in everyday technologies although most reported to be skilled in word, Internet and mobile technologies. Many reported a lack of skills in Web 2.0 (collaboration and sharing) technologies, creating and using media and gaming, as well as a lack of confidence in technologies relevant to practice, including assistive technology, specialist devices, specialist software and gaming.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overall, the results suggested that this group of 'Generation Y' students were not universally skilled in all areas of technology relevant to practice but appear to be skilled in technologies they use regularly. Recommendations are therefore made with view to integrating social networking, gaming, media sharing and assistive technology into undergraduate programmes to ensure that graduates have the requisite skills and confidence required for current and future practice.
authors.affiliation: School of Health Sciences, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland.|School of Health Sciences, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hills
authors.affiliation: School of Health Sciences, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ryan
authors.affiliation: School of Health Sciences, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Derek R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: School of Health Sciences, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Warren-Forward
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing and Midwifery, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Tracy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Levett-Jones
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Samuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lapkin
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D003205:Computing Methodologies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007256:Information Systems / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D020407:Internet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D009788:Occupational Therapy / Q000193:education*; D009983:Orthopedic Equipment; D012656:Self-Help Devices; D060756:Social Networking; D013334:Students; D018910:Video Games
keywords: assistive technology; education; millennial; student; teaching and learning; technology