Interdisciplinary interprofessional education using an online learning environment called values exchange: A...

Area of Science:

• Healthcare professions education
• Online learning environments
• Interprofessional education

Background:

• Interprofessional education (IPE) is crucial for improving patient outcomes.
• Various methods exist for IPE delivery, including online and face-to-face approaches.
• Research on using Online Learning Environments (OLEs) for IPE is limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of an Online Learning Environment (OLE) for delivering interprofessional education (IPE).
• To explore student perceptions of using an OLE for IPE activities.

Main Methods:

• A pilot study involved 71 undergraduate radiography and 20 Master of Pharmacy students.
• Students participated in an ethical scenario using the Values Exchange (Vx) OLE.
• Qualitative analysis was conducted on open-ended responses from 14 participating students.

Main Results:

• Thematic analysis revealed key themes: understanding professional roles, developing self-reflection, and clinical preparation.
• Students indicated that more time allocated to the activity would enhance engagement.
• Increased engagement with the Vx task offers both short-term and long-term benefits for IPE.

Conclusions:

• Students are receptive to contemporary methods like OLEs for advancing IPE.
• The Values Exchange (Vx) OLE proved effective as a teaching tool, based on positive student feedback.
• OLEs can surmount barriers present in traditional face-to-face education and should be considered for healthcare curricula after evaluation.