Retracing my steps:Taking an autoethnographic journey down the online interprofessional learning pathway

This work builds on a sustained and coherent research corpus which has been developed over the last twenty years, commencing in 2002. During this period, the focus of my research has been interprofessional learning (IPL) characterised by the interactions that occur between students of different professional groups (Barr, et al. 2005). This has been explored both in university and practice settings, and has included substantial team awards of £1,000,000 (2002-2005) and £5,000,000 (2005-2010). In the first decade (2002 onwards), I undertook extensive primary research thoroughly immersed in the field (Bluteau & Jackson, 2005; Jackson & Bluteau, 2007; Bluteau & Krumins, 2008; Bluteau & Jackson, 2009a; Jackson & Bluteau, 2009a; 2009b). The second decade (2012-present) has enriched, deepened and consolidated my role as a leader within this arena, and has produced a second wave of publications which form the basis of this critical overview and portfolio. My portfolio of research is highly original, with models and theory drawn from outside the studied domain (Bronfenbrenner (1979; 1986; 1995); Garrison & Archer (2000); Garrison, Anderson & Archer (2000); Mausse, 1954; Rogers (1951; 1957; 1974; 1980; 1983; Winnicott, 1971). These innovative articles have brought fresh insights into the studied context, redefining the concerns and challenges regarding the creation and implementation of sustainable online IPL. The portfolio has been explored by employing an autoethnographic approach, characterised by self–reflecting upon my personal journey and critically analysing how this experience has led me to understand the culture and influence of online IPL. This has illustrated the coherence of my work by retracing my steps through my journey as a leader in the field, and as a research apprentice, to re-examine the ‘golden thread’ of online IPL

Interprofessional Working in Practice – Avoiding a Theory-Practice Gap

This paper aims to encourage and promote further discussion around the theme of the theory and practice gap in the teaching and practice of interprofessional education (IPE) in pre-registration health and social care. Following a brief history of IPE, we consider the importance of providing students with supported opportunities to observe, learn and put into practice IPE. We also highlight the necessity of involving practitioners in creating health professionals who are ‘fit for purpose’ at qualification

Developing interprofessional education online:An ecological systems theory analysis

This article relates the findings of a discourse analysis of an online asynchronous interprofessional learning initiative involving two UK universities. The impact of the initiative is traced over three intensive periods of online interaction, each of several-weeks duration occurring over a three-year period, through an analysis of a random sample of discussion forum threads. The corpus of rich data drawn from the forums is interpreted using ecological systems theory, which highlights the complexity of interaction of individual, social and cultural elements. Ecological systems theory adopts a life course approach to understand how development occurs through processes of progressively more complex reciprocal interaction between people and their environment. This lens provides a novel approach for analysis and interpretation of findings with respect to the impact of pre-registration interprofessional education and the interaction between the individual and their social and cultural contexts as they progress through 3/4 years of their programmes. Development is mapped over time (the chronosystem) to highlight the complexity of interaction across microsystems (individual), mesosystems (curriculum and institutional/care settings), exosystems (community/wider local context), and macrosystems (national context and culture). This article illustrates the intricacies of students’ interprofessional development over time and the interactive effects of social ecological components in terms of professional knowledge and understanding, wider appreciation of health and social care culture and identity work. The implications for contemporary pre-registration interprofessional education and the usefulness and applicability of ecological systems theory for future research and development are considered