Taff, Steve, PhD, OTR/L, FNAP, FAOTA

Clinical Interests

Cognitive rehabilitation, visual perception, school-based pediatrics

Research Interests

Dr. Taff’s research interests include the role of occupation as a core concept in OT curricula, graduate student mental health and support, faculty development and teaching excellence, higher education outcomes and evaluation, qualitative investigation of the OT student experience, comparison and efficacy of instructional and assessment methods, and continuous improvement practices in higher education.

Teaching Roles

In the MSOT program, Dr. Taff teaches the qualitative research section of Fundamentals of Evidence-Based Practice. In the OTD program, he teaches OT Practice Model I and II and the Doctoral Seminar in Education Strategies. In the PhD program, Dr. Taff guides the Teaching Practicum.

Education

2005: PhD in Education and Educational Psychology, University of Missouri-St. Louis
1997: MS in occupational therapy, Washington University School of Medicine, Program in Occupational Therapy
1989: BS in microbiology, Missouri State University

Background

Dr. Taff earned his BS in microbiology from Missouri State University in 1989, his MSOT from the Program in Occupational Therapy at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis in 1997, and his PhD in Education and Educational Psychology from the University of Missouri-St. Louis in 2005. After graduating from the Program in 1997, Dr. Taff worked as a pediatric occupational therapist at Special School District (SSD) in St. Louis County for more than six years before accepting a management position as the director for the OT, PT, and APE (adaptive physical education) department at SSD, where he served from December 2003 until June 2010. Dr. Taff has also served as adjunct professor in St. Louis University’s School for Professional Studies, teaching courses in special education, human growth and development, classroom management, and teaching methods. Dr. Taff has continued interests in curriculum development; program evaluation and continuous improvement models; educational research and the scholarship of teaching and learning; alternative learning theories; and the historical, philosophical, and sociocultural aspects of education and occupational therapy. He also is heavily involved in School of Medicine diversity & inclusion, inter-professional education, and leadership initiatives.

Peer-Reviewed Publications

• Gupta, J. & Taff, S.D. (2015).  The illusion of client-centered practice.  Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 22 (4), 244-251.

• Hooper, B., Krishnagiri, S., Price, P., Bilics, A., Taff, S.D., & Mitcham, M.D. (2014). Value and Challenges of Conceptualizing Health Professions’ Core Subjects Related to Education and Educational Research.  Journal of Allied Health, 43 (4), 187-193.

• Marczuk, O., Taff, S.D., & Berg, C. (2014).  Occupational justice, school connectedness and high school dropout: The role of occupational therapy in meeting the needs of an underserved population. Journal of Occupational Therapy, Schools, & Early Intervention, 7 (3-4), 235-245.

• Taff, S.D., Babulal, G.M., & Bakhshi, P. (2014). The accountability-wellbeing-ethics framework: A new philosophical foundation for occupational therapy. Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 81, 320-329. 

• Hooper, B., Mitcham, M.D., Taff, S.D., M. Krishnagiri, S., Price, P., & Bilics, A. (in press). Re-energizing occupation as the center of teaching and learning.  American Journal of Occupational Therapy.

• Gronski, M.P., Johnson, K.E., Kloeckner, J., Russell-Thomas, D., Taff, S.D., Walker, K.A., & Berg, C. (2013). Childhood toxic stress: A community role in health promotion for occupational therapists. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 67, 1-6.

• Lieser, H. & Taff, S.D. (2013). Empowering students in blended learning.  Journal of Applied Learning Technology, 3 (3), 6-12.

Book Chapters and Other

• Taff, S., & Hoyt, C. (2012). Going global in Guatemala: Supporting emerging occupational therapy practice in developing nations. OT Practice, 17 (21), 14-19.
• Danforth, S., Taff, S., & Ferguson, P. (2006). Place, profession, and program in the history of special education curriculum. In E. Brantlinger (Ed.) Who benefits from special education? Remediating (fixing) other people’s children. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
• Danforth, S., & Taff, S.D. (Eds.) (2004). Crucial Readings in Special Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.

Awards/Honors

2012: Graduated in inaugural class of the Academic Medical Leadership Program for Physicians and Scientists (WU School of Medicine, Olin Business School, and BJC Healthcare)

2008: Excellence in Teaching Award, St. Louis University, School for Professional Studies