Interprofessional Learning, 7.5 credits

Candidate - or professional degree of at least 180 higher education credits and at least two years of professional or vocational experience within medicine, care or behavioural science and/or at least two years teaching experience (on at least upper-secondary level), care or behavioural science and/or at least two years teaching experience (on lowest upper-secondary level). Furthermore, knowledge in English equivalent to English B (with at least the Pass grade) is required.

The participants should have completed the courses Scholarship of medical education, Learning processes, Integration of theory and practice and Design and assessment of learning.

The aim of the course
The participants should develop their understanding of and ability to design courses/activites to facilitate interprofessional learning for students and/or members of different health care professions.

Intended learning outcomes
At the end of the course, the participants will be able to:
• Problematise and analyse the meaning of interprofessional learning, i. e. a learning with, from and about other professions and relate to underlying relevant theories of learning.

• Analyse collaborative learning and reason about the learning process related to the concepts of peer learning, motivation, pre-understanding, meaningful learning, reflection and professional competence.

• Be able to design an interprofessional education/course/activity considering principles of constructive alignment which facilitates meaningful learning from an interprofessional perspective.

• Reflect on the importance of attitudes, values, perceptions of and approaches to others in collaborative learning interprofessional learning and and how it can affect the learner and the role as a teacher/supervisor/facilitator.

The importance of collaborative learning and good cooperation between different professions to improve human health is the main theme throughout the course. The content concern the perspective of the individual as well as the group, and the teacher/educator/leader with a focus on how interprofessional learning may be developed sustainably within an organisation.

The course comprises three modules:

Module 1 - Perspectives on interprofessional learning
Basic concepts are explored and analysed. Interprofessional learning in different contexts within university and health care is examined through observation and analysis. Theories and research on interprofessional learning as well as communication and teamwork, attitudes, values and perceptions within the cultures of different professions are related to the observation and the analysis.

Module 2 - Collaborative learning
Group-based learning is explored and related to theories of social constructivism, collaborative learning, diversity and group processes. Different forms for collaborative learning are examined e. g. IT-based learning with simulated patients, tutorial groups , seminars, teamwork, peer learning, case methodology, reflection and observation.

Module 3 - Design, organisation and supervision of interprofessional learning
The participants will based on previous knowledge of design and assessment of meaningful and outcome based learning design and organise activities for interprofessional learning for students, teachers, supervisors or professionals in health. The teacher/supervisor's role in interprofessional learning is studied.

The teaching is based on a problem-oriented and collaborative approach to learning in which the tasks provide opportunities for the student to take active responsibility for their learning. The interactions between the course participants, and the course facilitators take place via the learning platform PingPong. Each participant is included in a learning partnership and a smaller group that is supervised by a course facilitator. Literature studies, observation, web-based resources, lectures, learning in pairs (peer learning), group discussions and group assignments will create the basis for each participant to process and present individual assignments. The course participants and/or the course facilitators review and give feedback on the assignments.

Showing activity on the learning platform PingPong and perform the assignments in the different modules is compulsory. The course coordinator decides whether, and if so how, absence from compulsory course elements can be compensated. Study results cannot be reported until the student has participated in compulsory course elements or compensated for any absence in accordance with instructions from the course coordinator. Absence from a compulsory course element could mean that the student can not retake the element until the next time the course is offered.
 

The examination consists of two individual written assignments. One is to individually design an activity for interprofessional learning and create a plan for implementation and evaluation of the activity in one's own work place/organisation. The suggested activity and the plan are to be problematised and analysed based on how a meaningful collaborative learning may be created for a sustainable development. The second assignment is a written individual reflection on how one's own and others' attitudes, values, perceptions and approaches affect the interprofessional learning and the collaboration and how it may be developed. The discussions in both assignments should be related to relevant theories and research on learning, collaboration and interprofessional learning. The final assignment also includes peer assessment.

Students who have not passed the regular examination are entitled to participate in five more examinations Students without approved results after three examinations can be offered to retake the course or parts of it once more; subject to availability. If the student has failed six examinations/tests, no additional examination is given. Each occasion the student participates in the same test counts as an examination. Submission of a blank exam paper is regarded as an examination. In case a student is registered for an examination but does not attend, this is not regarded as an examination.

To pass the course the participant should pass the individual written assignments as well as showing activity on the learning platform PingPong and perform the assignments in the different modules.

The examination will be provided during a period of two years after a close-down of the course.

Course evaluation will be carried out according to the guidelines established by the Board of Education. Language of instruction: English