Contact Information

Biography

Retta Marie Martin has provided occupational therapy services specializing in pediatric inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation settings and the school setting for 23 years. She is a clinical specialist for a variety of diagnosis including spinal cord injury, brain injury, developmental disabilities, feeding disorders, chronic pain, visual deficits and ASD. She is a Clinical Assistant Professor and Academic Fieldwork Coordinator for the Rangos Health Sciences Occupational Therapy Department. Her research interest center around scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL). Her focus includes enhancing leadership and social entrepreneurship skills to increase occupational therapy's impact in emerging practice setting, experiential learning, and the impact of growth mindset and mindfulness in reducing student stress/anxiety and improving student performance.

Education

  • EdD. Duquesne University 2022
  • M.S., Health and Rehabilitation Science with a concentration in Occupational Therapy, University of Pittsburgh, 2009
  • B.S., Occupational Therapy, University of Pittsburgh, 1993

Areas of Expertise

Medical and school-based models, pediatric rehabilitation, assistive technology, management and professional development.

About

Teaching Philosophy:
My teaching philosophy evolved from my clinical background. I believe in the pragmatic approach to the teaching/learning process - students learn best through experience and education is about life and growth. Therefore, I focus on a student-centered approach that attends to the physical, mental and social aspects of learning through doing with a focus on experiential learning.
Through occupation or "doing" one impacts "being" and through doing and being, one becomes and develops a sense of belonging. (Wilcock, 1999)

Current Teaching:
OCCT 511W: Clinical Reasoning I & Fieldwork I & II
OCCT 512W: Clinical Reasoning II & Fieldwork III
OCCT 555: Fieldwork IV
OCCT 556: Fieldwork V
OCCT-561: Occupational Therapy Leadership & Administration

Research: Dr. Martin's research interests centers on the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL). Her focus includes enhancing leadership and social entrepreneurship skills to increase occupational therapy's impact in emerging practice setting, experiential learning, and the impact of growth mindset and mindfulness in reducing student stress/anxiety and improving student performance. Dr. Martin strives to bridge the connection between classroom theory and clinical practice through her role as the Academic Fieldwork Coordinator.

Current Work: My recent research is focused on infusing social entrepreneurship competencies into the occupational therapy curriculum to enhance occupational therapy's role in emerging practice settings.

National

2020 Peer Reviewed Accepted
Mattila, A., DeIuliis, E., & Martin, R. G3OT: Infusing Grit, Gratitude, and Growth
Mindset Curriculum into Occupational Therapy Fieldwork Education, Poster Presentation,
American Occupational Therapy Association Conference, Boston, MA, March, 2020
(Conference cancelled due to COVID-19)

2019 Peer Reviewed Accepted
Martin, R. & DeSalle, Megan. Improving Participation through Self-Management Techniques for Chronic Pain, Poster Presentation, American Occupational Therapy Association Conference, New Orleans, LA, April 5, 2019.

State/Regional

2017 Peer Reviewed Accepted
Martin, R. & DeSalle, Megan. A Multi-Dimensional Approach to Pediatric Pain Management, Presentation, Pennsylvania Occupational Therapy Association Conference, State College, PA, October, 2017.

2003 Peer Reviewed Accepted
Martin, R. & Eber, Stacy. Returning to School After a Spinal Cord Injury, Workshop, Pennsylvania Occupational Therapy Association Conference, Pittsburgh, PA, October, 2003.

Martin, R. M. (2022). Social Entrepreneurial Skills and Practices of Occupational Therapists Engaging in Emerging Community Practice Roles: A Working Theory of Practice Improvement. [Doctoral dissertation, Duquesne University]. ProQuest Dissertations Publishing.

DeIuliis, E.D., Mattila, A., & Martin, R.M. (2021). Level I FW in a simulated environment: A blueprint on how to use Simucase. Journal of Occupational Therapy Education, 5(2). https://encompass.eku.edu/jote

Mattila, A., DeIuliis, E.D., Martin, R.M., Grogan, J. (2020). Mindfulness in the
occupational therapy classroom: Infusing grit, gratitude practice, and a growth mindset
into OT education. Journal of Occupational Therapy Education, 4(4)
https://encompass.eku.edu/jote/vol4/iss4/10

Mattila, A., Martin, R.M., DeIuliis, E.D., (2020). Simulated fieldwork: A virtual approach
to clinical education. Education Science, 10(10), 272.
https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci10100272

Martin, R.M., Grogan, J., Mattila, A. & DeIuliis, E.D. (2020). G3OT: Infusing grit,
gratitude, and growth mindset curriculum into OT fieldwork education. American
Journal of Occupational Therapy, 74. (Conference Paper)
DOI: 10.5014/ajot.2020.74S1- PO5030