Interprofessional unit on evidence-based practice with blended learning using online case studies

Innovation

An interprofessional professorially led unit on evidence based practice with blended learning using online case studies

What prompted innovation?

This major innovation was pivotal for achieving the School’s strategic priorities of enhancing the student learning experience through developing innovatory practice, supporting research-based learning through engagement in case studies developed by academic and professoriate staff, enhancing student achievement and preparedness for professional practice, engaging service users and carers, and realising potential efficiencies for academic staff in teaching and assessment. Our major focus was on pedagogy, curriculum design and the development and embedding of learning resources and environments.

What makes innovation different?

We have developed a collaborative lifeworld-led transprofessional curriculum for health and social work disciplines harnessing technology to connect learners to evidence based practice underpinned by the School’s expertise and research scholarship in lifeworld-led philosophy for humanising care (Todres et al 2006, Todres 2008, Galvin & Todres 2012). Students are introduced to evidence in a situated way, embedded in practice. Service user and carer stories in the form of media clips from television, radio and films, podcasts, poetry, drama, and narrative case studies, and associated evidence from journal articles and policy documents are used to immerse learners in the lifeworld of the people they will encounter for developing empathic understanding, critical judgement and ethical sensitivity as a touchstone for guiding their practice in their future professional roles.

References

• Galvin, K. and Todres, T. 2012. Caring and well-being: a lifeworld approach. Abingdon: Routledge.
• Todres, L., Galvin, K., & Dahlberg, 2006. Lifeworld-led healthcare: revisiting a humanising philosophy that integrates emerging trends. Medicine, Health Care and Philosophy 10 (1) 53-63.
• Todres, L. 2008. Being with that; the relevance of embodied understanding for practice. Qualitative Health Research 18 (11) 1566-1573.

Changes in practice

The scale of transformational change was considerable. This innovation involved all the professional groups in the School, including 30-40 staff adopting roles as academic developers, champions and facilitators and is delivered to approximately 600 undergraduate Level I (Intermediate Year 2) students working with different professional groups each year. There were significant technical infrastructure and space issues to be addressed as part of institutional processes and we have worked closely with professional services to achieve year on year improvements. Key priorities achieved were to (1) further embed learning technology within the curriculum, (2) develop innovative forms of assessment, and (3) provide opportunities for academic staff to engage more fully in education enhancement through championing, developing and facilitating these curriculum initiatives.

Impact

The project was supported by the UK Higher Education Academy Discipline-focused Learning Technology Enhancement Academy (Hutchings et al 2011) and by the JISC/SEDA Embedding Work-with-IT project, working with the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education (Hutchings et al 2010).

Evidence drawn from student evaluations has demonstrated deeper understanding of the different kinds of evidence presented and valuing how it can guide their practice:

‘I was surprised at how important this topic was for working within my practice role and also as part of my university coursework. I have heard colleagues talk about evidence to guide practice and never thoroughly knew what they meant’.

‘The qualitative evidence stood out for me as I began to empathise with the patients.   I was able to understand their thoughts and feelings, and began thinking of how this can be applied to practice’.

‘It made me realise that not all evidence is reliable and encouraged me to make my own decision about what evidence to take into account and how to apply it into practice’.

The positive impact of this innovation has been recognised in the University with the Vice Chancellor’s Award for An excellent student experience underpinned by research in 2011 and nationally by the SWAP Learning and Teaching Award for Innovative Assessment in 2011.

Dissemination

The innovation has been widely disseminated internally and externally through reports, conference proceedings and publications:

• Hutchings, M., Galvin, K., Todres, L., Quinney, A., Pulman, A., Atkins, P. & Gentle, P. 2010. Transformational Change through Lifeworld-led Multimedia VLE engagement, Embedding Work-with-IT Final Report. Bournemouth University and the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education for JISC/SEDA.
• Hutchings, M., Galvin, K., Pulman, A., Todres, L., Quinney, A., Clark, V. & Atkins, P. 2011. Framing lifeworld-led evidence to shape practice: facilitating a collaborative transprofessional curriculum for health and social work disciplines. Final Report for HEA Discipline-focused Learning Technology Enhancement Academy.
• Hutchings, M., Galvin, K., Todres, L., Pulman, A., Quinney, A., Clark, V. & Atkins, P. 2011. Transforming the student learning experience through aligning theory, technology and practice: the journey so far. Education Enhancement Conference, Bournemouth University, Bournemouth, 4^th May 2011.
• Hutchings, M., Galvin, K., Todres, L., Quinney, A., Pulman, A., & Ellis-Hill, C. 2011. Making connections: using technology to enhance learning about the head, heart and hand. Second International Conference on Compassionate Care, Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh, 23-24 June 2011.
• Hutchings, M., Galvin, K., Todres, L., Pulman, A., & Quinney, A. 2011. Transforming practices through developing a transprofessional curriculum: a multi-faceted model of change. Higher Education Academy Annual Conference, East Midlands Conference Centre, Nottingham, 5-6^th July 2011.
• Hutchings, M., Galvin, K., Todres. L. Quinney, A. and Ellis-Hill, C. 2012. From interprofessional to transprofessional learning through humanising care: perspectives, transformations, and futures. All Together Better Health 6 International Interprofessional Conference, Kobe, Japan, 5-8 Oct 2012.
• Hutchings, M, Quinney A, Galvin K and Clark V. 2012. The Yin/Yang of innovative technology enhanced assessment for promoting student learning. 11th European Conference on Elearning. Groningen, Netherlands.
• Hutchings, M and Loftus, S. 2012. Practice based education outside the workplace: simulations, role plays and problem-based learning. In Higgs, J., Barnett, R., Billett, S., Hutchings, M. and Trede, F. (eds). Practice-Based Education: Perspectives and Strategies. Netherlands, Sense Publishers.
• Pulman, A.J., Galvin, K., Hutchings, M., Todres, L., Quinney, A., Ellis-Hill, C. and Atkins, P. 2012. Empathy and dignity through technology: using lifeworld-led multimedia to enhance learning about the head, heart and hand. Electronic Journal of e-Learning. 10 (3) 320-330.