Practising, Preaching and Modelling collaboration – staff experiences of learning together as educators in inter-professional education

Abstract

Focusing on the social, political and cultural elements of incorporating inter-professional education (IPE) into the curriculum this paper emphasises the benefits for staff in working together to provide meaningful learning experiences for students. In the UK Higher Education healthcare sector, staff often find themselves working in silos regardless of their own commitment to integrated care (Floyd and Morrison, 2014). An IPE programme provided the opportunity for staff to work in an integrated way and to enhance their own knowledge of the contemporary roles of other professions, understand the learning needs of other cohorts of students and develop confidence in their own learners at articulating subject specific knowledge and skills. Working with other tutors from different backgrounds in small groups led to staff learning from each other not only in relation to context, but also regarding teaching styles and approaches to learning (Howard et al, 2010). Staff reported an increased creativity in relation to designing their own curriculum and a growing awareness of opportunities for enhancing learning via IPE. Student feedback indicated that tutors modelling of collaboration in joint facilitation was a powerful tool in demonstrating actively the benefits of partnership working. Navigating the cultural shifts provided challenges for staff relating to timetable management, curriculum design and managing competing priorities. In addition to modelling IPE staff also demonstrated in practical ways their own approaches to problem solving, managing change, demonstrating core values and communicating across groups as they navigated the complexities of large collaborative sessions; these skills were recognised by students as integral to good practice.