Exploring students' experiences of interprofessional education to improve quality learning outcomes

Year 2022, Volume: 10 Issue: 3, 385 - 398, 30.09.2022

Roy VENKETSAMY Zijing HU Radmila RAZLOG

https://doi.org/10.17478/jegys.1126020

Cited By: 2

Abstract

Interprofessional education (IPE) is a practical pedagogical approach to strengthening teaching and learning in higher education to improve students' competencies. These competencies include an enhanced understanding of content knowledge and skills from different professions. To ensure quality teaching and learning, it is envisaged that IPE will strengthen and advance the knowledge and skills of students. The COVID-19 pandemic offered the opportunity to adopt multiple approaches to support students in acquiring the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes towards the programme through the support of interprofessional educators and resources. However, there is a lack of research to explore students' experiences and views on IPE in an acupuncture programme within the South African context, particularly with technologies. This study was anchored in the Technological, Pedagogical, Content Knowledge model as a theoretical lens to explore students' experiences of the IPE using technologies. The authors employed an interpretivist paradigm within a qualitative case study design. They used purposive sampling as a technique since the participants in this study were acupuncture students at a South African university. The researchers interviewed six (6)undergraduate students for this study. The findings revealed that students showed positive attitudes towards IPE. They believed the IPE would improve their competencies in clinical practice. Results also suggested that specific programmes should allocate sufficient time for IPE. Institutions should provide professional training to academics since IPE require more comprehensive content knowledge and pedagogical approaches. To promote effective teaching and learning, IPE should be the norm at universities. Universities should provide relevant support for the appropriate implementation of IPE from policy and resource perspectives.

Keywords

Interprofessional education, higher education, acupuncture, health sciences technologies

Supporting Institution

University of Johannesburg

References

• Allied Health Professions Council of South Africa (AHPCSA). (2020). Practitioners. Available from: https://ahpcsa.co.za/practitioners/
• Anderson, E., Thorpe, L., Heney, D. & Petersen, S. (2009). Medical students benefit from learning about patient safety in an interprofessional team. Medical Education, 43(6):542-552.
• Angelini, D.J. (2011). Interdisciplinary and interprofessional education. Journal of Perinatal and Neonatal Nursing, 25(2):175-179.
• Barr, H. & Lowe, H. (2013). Introducing Interprofessional Education. Fareham: Centre for the Advancement of Interprofessional Education.
• Budhwar, K. (2017). The role of technology in education. International Journal of Engineering Applied Sciences and Technology, 2(8):55-57.
• Chau, P. (2010). Online higher education commodity. Journal for Computer and Higher Education, 22(3):177-191.
• Cloete, A.L. (2017). Technology and education: Challenges and opportunities. HTS Theological Studies, 73(4): a4589.
• Creswell, J.W. (2014). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approach, 4th Ed. California: Sage Publications Inc.
• Forte, A. & Fowler, P. (2009). Participation in interprofessional education: An evaluation of student and staff experiences. Journal of Interprofessional Care, 23(1):55-66.
• Frenk, J., Chen, L., Bhutta, Z.A., Cohen, J., Crisp, N. & Evans, T., Fineberg, H., Garcia, P., Ke, Y., Kelly, P., Kistnasamy, B., Meleis, A., Naylor, D., Pablos-Mendez, A., Reddy, S., Scrimshaw, S., Sepulveda, J., Serwadda, D. & Zurayk, H. (2010). Health professionals for a new century: Transforming education to strengthen health systems in an interdependent world. The Lancet, 376(9756):1923-1958.
• Girard, MA. (2021). Interprofessional education and collaborative practice policies and law: an international review and reflective questions. Human Resources for Health 19, 9. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12960-020-00549-w
• Hodges, C., Moore, S., Lockee, B., Trust, T. & Bond, A. (2020). The difference between emergency remote teaching and online learning. Education Review, 27:1–12.
• Hu, Z. (2022). COVID-19 patients' views and experiences of Traditional Chinese Medicine treatment in South Africa. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine (ahead of print 31 May).
• Johnson, A. (2016). Interprofessional Education and Interprofessional Practice in Communication Sciences and Disorders: An Introduction and Case-Based Examples of Implementation in Education and Health Care Settings. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
• Kitto, S., Nordquist, J., Peller, J., Grant, R. & Reeves, S. (2013). The disconnections between space, place and learning in interprofessional education: an overview of key issues. Journal of Interprofessional Care, 27(S2):5-8.
• Koehler, M.J., Mishra, P. & Cain, W. (2013). What is Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK)? Journal of Education, 193(3): 13-19.
• Kultsum, U. (2017). The concept of pedagogical content knowledge (PCK): Recognizing the English teachers' competencies in Indonesia. Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, 134: 55-59.
• Kwon, Y. (2014). Chinese medicine education and its challenges in the United States. Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine, 20(4): 256–262. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11655-014-1781-3
• Li, M.L., Chen, S.F. & Zhao, Y.Q. (2019). Non-pharmacological therapy of TCM for the treatment of essential hypertension. TMR Integrative Medicine. 3:e19010.
• Mellor, J.W. (2014). High rural population density Africa- What are the growth requirements and who participates. Food Policy, 48, 66-75. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodpol.2014.03.002
• Mishra, P. & Koehler, M.J. (2006). Technological pedagogical content knowledge: A framework for teacher knowledge. Teacher College Record, 108(6):1017-1054.
• Müller, J & Couper, I. (2021) Preparing Graduates for Interprofessional Practice in South Africa: The Dissonance Between Learning and Practice. Front. Public Health, 9(12):1-11.
• Olenick, M., Allen, L.R. & Smego, R.A. (2010). Interprofessional education: a concept analysis. Advances in Medical Education and Practice. 1: 75-84. DOI: 10.2147/AMEP.S13207
• Oner, D. (2020). A virtual internship for developing technological pedagogical content knowledge. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 36(2): 27-42. doi: 10.14742/ajet.5192.
• Presidential Advisory Council on Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria. (2021). Advancing Interprofessional Education and Practice to Combat Antimicrobial resistance. Washington DC.: Presidential Advisory Council.
• Ratka, A., Zorek, J.A. & Meyer, S.M. (2017). Overview of faculty development programmes for interprofessional education. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 81(5): 1-10.
• Reeves, S., Tassone, M., Parker, K., Wagner, S.J. & Simmons, B. (2012). Interprofessional education: An overview of key developments in the past three decades. Work, 41(3): 233-245.
• Shulman, L. S. (1986). Those who understand: Knowledge growth in teaching. Educational Researcher, 15(2): 4-14. https://depts.washington.edu/comgrnd/ccli/papers/shulman_ThoseWhoUnderstandKnowledgeGrowthTeaching_1986-jy.pdf
• Skjeie, H. & Gardasevic, B. (2013). Medical acupuncture modality: Principles, Explanatory model, and scientific developments during 2005-2012. Journal of Acupuncture and Tuina, 11(4): 204-207.
• Tejedor, S., Cervi, L., Perez-Escoda, A., Tusa, F. & Parola, A. (2021). Higher education response in the time of coronavirus: Perceptions of teachers and students, and open innovation, Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity, 7(1): 43.
• Treadwell, I., van Rooyen, M., Havenga, H. & Theron, M. (2014). The effect of an interprofessional clinical simulation on medical students. African Journal of Health Professions Education, 6(1): 3-5.
• Traditional & Natural Health Alliance (TNHA). (2018). UWC's school of natural medicine closes its doors to new students. Available from: https://www.tnha.co.za/uwcs-school-of-natural-medicine-has-closed-its-doors-new-students/
• The University of Johannesburg. (2021). Faculty of Health Sciences Department of Complementary Medicine. Johannesburg: University of Johannesburg.
• Venketsamy, R. & Hu, Z. (2022). Exploring challenges experienced by foundation phase teachers in using technology for teaching and learning: a South African case study. Journal for the Education of Gifted Young Scientists, 10(1):221-237.
• Venketsamy, R., Smart, L. & Hu, Z. (2021). Creating and leading a learning environment in diverse Foundation Phase classrooms in a South African school. Journal for the Education Gifted Young Scientists, 9(4): 359-375.
• Venketsamy, R. & Wilson, C. (2020). Voices from the classrooms: Early grade teachers' experience in the use of digital technology in mathematics teaching. In P. Vale, L. Westaway, Z. Nhase & I. Schudel (Eds.). Book of Proceedings of the 28th Annual Conference of the Southern African Association for Research in Mathematics, Science and Technology Education (pp. 169-181). Eastern Cape: SAARMSTE.
• World Health Organization. (2010). Framework for action on interprofessional education & collaborative practice. Geneva: World Health Organization.
• World Health Organization. (‎2013). Transforming and Scaling up Health Professionals' Education and Training. Switzerland: World Health Organization.
• World Health Organization. (2019). WHO global report on traditional and complementary medicine 2019. Geneva: World Health Organization. Available from: https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/312342
• Yan J, Gilbert JHV, Hoffman SJ. (2008). WHO Study Group on Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization.
• Yang, J., Li, Q., Li, F. & Fu, Q. (2014). The holistic effects of acupuncture treatment. Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, (12): 1-10.
• Yin, R.K. (2018). Case Study Research and Applications: Design and Methods (6nd). The United States of America: SAGE.