Methods to Improve Teaching Interdisciplinary Teamwork through Computer Conferencing

This research evaluated how initiatives that oriented pupils to the virtual classroom and faculty feedback that promot increased scholar interaction affected teaching teamwork skills in a 6-week, interdisciplinary health professions module results from a control group were compared with those from an experimental collection that had greater technical support, a print-based investigation guide, enhanced faculty guidance, and weekly grades rewarding scholar interaction. Two researchers independently recorded the number of messages each pupil wrote and coded faculty message easy in mind A t test compared the difference in students' pretest and posttest scores upon the Interdisciplinary Education Perception Scale (IEPS) between clumps Fisher exact test was used to compare the total learner messages, total faculty messages through team, and faculty message contented between modules. The experimental clump had greater IEPS belief changes and more faculty messages for team but no difference in total learner postings. Faculty messages in the experimental cluster contained fewer vague messages and more messages containing introductions, restated assignments, reinforcement, and technical information. Providing scholars with resources to aid their orientation to the virtual classroom and coaching faculty to increase scholar interaction improved learning outcomes. Faculty messages that restated assignments and contained reinforcement, introductions, and technical information impacted scholar participation the most. J Allied Health 2005; 34:169-176

TEACHING INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAMWORK requires that learners from different health care disciplines interact with single another within the context of their professional disciplines. pupils learn about one another's professions and discover that other professionals are real race who are as caring as themselves.1 Despite its substantial benefits, public hurdles to teaching interdisciplinary skills are multitudeed curricula, bringing students from varied disciplines together at the same time and place, faculty support, faculty attitude, financial constraints, and support in clinical settings.1 Weaving an interdisciplinary teamwork module into an existing disciplinary course is individual model that requires no additional credit hours.2 Using asynchronous computer conferencing as a communication medium further minimizes scheduling difficulties.

Computer conferencing allows clump discussion from anywhere Internet access is available. pupils gain flexibility in timing their participation. They also have more time to erect and reflect on their contributions in comparison with traditional classroom discussions,3,4 affording the opportunity to extract deeper meanings.5 Online discussions assist involvement among students and between learners and faculty because every pupil has an opportunity to contribute to the discussion. Thus, discussions are more democratic.4 scholar involvement in online discussions is enhanced when scholars from heterogeneous groups participate.6 The diverse backgrounds of multidisciplinary team members provide a fertile environment for varied perspectives and lively discussions. In a comparison with traditional classroom settings, Swan et al. lay the foundation of that during online instruction, pupils perceived their level of interaction with instructors, compeers and course materials as high or higher.5

Student satisfaction with computer conferencing has been associated with greater horizontals of peer interaction, instructor interaction, feelings of social presence7 percentage of course grade associated with discussions,8,9 and overall activity within the course.5 Greater learning has been associated with increased match interaction, instructor interaction,9,10 and overall activity within the course.5,11 However, learners believed they learned less when instructors based grades upon group work.5 Several investigators have insinuateed grading individual student messages based upon the degree to which the message contributes meaningfully to the team's discussion.12,13 Individual grading rewards and nurses peer interaction.14

The virtual classroom can be disorienting.5 pupils might have difficulty understanding the relationship of course constituents locating course materials, and understanding expectations for assignments. Also, online instruction imposes greater responsibilities upon the student.2,10 Faculty cannot rejoin to a student's confused expression. Rather, scholars need the motivation and confidence to ask and clearly articulate their questions.4 During the early phases of the course, pupils may find it difficult to ask questions in their virtual classrooms. Therefore, faculty ne to establish a safe and inviting environment by means of providing extra doses of support and encouragement.12 Faculty also ne support for computer conferencing to be fortunate In addition to institutional and technical support, faculty ne to learn online pedagogy in the way that that they can effectively engage scholars and direct discussions.12