Photo of Jane Davis

Jane A. DavisLecturer

Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy
(416) 978-4262
ja.davis@utoronto.ca

 

 

 

 

 

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Biosketch

Jane received a BSc (Psych) from McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and her BScOT and MSc from The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada. She is a registered occupational therapist in Ontario and with the NBCOT (U.S.A.). Jane has worked as an occupational therapist with individuals of all ages with diverse occupational performance and engagement issues, within various settings, including inpatient general medicine, rehab, skilled nursing, mental health and addictions; outpatient paediatrics, and adult orthopaedics and neurology; and homecare – adult neurology and orthopaedics.

Jane's current research is focused on examining the causal mechanisms that have lead to the production and re-production of the current work-life balance discourse. She has presented her work at various conferences, including CAOT, CSOS, OSOT, AOTA, and WFOT, and published in occupation-based journals. Jane is a co-author of numerous book chapters, including five in Enabling Occupation II, three on occupational development, and one on methods of inquiry. Jane is an associate editor of the text, Lifestyle balance: Multidisciplinary research and theories, along with Kathleen Matuska, Charles Christiansen (editors) and Helene Polatajko (associate editor). She has been a co-editor, of the 'Sense of Doing' column in OT Now since 2003, and will be the Assistant Editor for qualitative review for the Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy beginning Feb 2011.

Selected Recent  Publications

  1. Mullen, R., Davis, J. A., & Polatajko, H. J. (in press - 2011). Passion in the performing arts: Clarifying active occupational development. Work (Special Edition).
  2. Njelesani, J., Sedgwick, A. R. W., Davis, J. A., & Polatajko, H. J. (2010 – advanced online). The influence of context: A naturalistic study of Ugandan children’s doings in outdoor spaces. Occupational Therapy International. Advance Online Edition - Dec 1, 2010. doi: 10.1002/oti.310
  3. Davis, J. A., & Polatajko, H. J. (2010). Don’t forget the repertoire: The meta-occupational issue. OT Now, 12(3), 20-22.
  4. Matuska, K., & Christiansen, C. (Eds.), with Polatajko, H., & Davis, J. (Assoc. Eds.). (2009). Life balance: Multidisciplinary research and theories. Bethesda, MD: AOTA Press and Slack, Inc.
  5. Davis, J. A., & Polatajko, H. J. (2010). Occupational development. In C. Christiansen & E. Townsend (Eds.), Introduction to occupation: The art and science of living (2nd ed.; pp. 135-174). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.

Recent Theses/Graduate Projects Supervised

  1. “Towards a measure of occupational development: Part 2” Erin Patton & Jeff Moolasseril (MScOT Candidates), in prog – 2012. (Co-supervised with H. Polatajko)
  2. “Pediatric Activity Card Sort (PACS): Understanding children's occupational repertoires” Julia Pangborn & Katelyn Jutzi (MScOT Candidates), in prog – 2012. (Co-supervised with H. Polatajko)
  3.  “Clarifying occupational engagement: Development of a measure” Shannon Xavier & Jason Ferreira (MScOT Candidate), in prog - 2012. (Co-supervised with H. Polatajko)
  4. “Occupational roles of women experiencing primary infertility” Ilana Rubenstein & Kristin Popowich (MScOT Candidate), in prog – 2012.
  5. “Occupational history and community group engagement” Jackie Leung & Piraveena Pirapakaran (MScOT Candidates), 2011. (Co-supervised with J. Stier & B. Trentham)

Research Interests

Jane's substantive area of interest is in occupational development across the life course, with her current focus in three areas:

  1. occupational development in children
  2. work-life balance discourses
  3. construct of occupational engagement

Current Courses

OCT 1111Y:  Foundations for Occupational Therapy

Special Lectures / Keynote Speeches

  1. Continuing professional development workshop: Infusing OCCUPATION into occupational therapy practice: Concepts and models for an evolving profession. University of Toronto – Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy.
  • January 14, 28, Feb 11, 25, Mar 25, 2009.
  • January 18, Feb 1, & Feb 15, 2007.
  1. Invited presentation: Pushing the boundaries of practice: The evolving Canadian occupational therapy perspective. Bloorview Kids Rehab, Toronto, ON. Nov 4, 2008. (with co-presenter Helene Polatajko).
  2. Invited presentation: Occupational science and its relationship to occupational therapy. Providence Healthcare Centre, Toronto, ON. May 1, 2008.
  3. Invited presentation: Life balance discourses – Why here? Why now? The responsibilities and privileges. Paper presented at the International Life Balance Conference, Kingston, ON., April 14th, 2007.

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