An interprofessional core elective module on the scholarly presentation of projects: implementation in an online format

Abstract

Background: In the bachelor degree program Interprofessional Health Care that combines professional training and study, students work part-time in their chosen professions after completing training. The increase in students' working hours due to COVID-19 and the switch to a digital teaching format raised the question as to how a successful and flexible educational concept can be created online in this context. A blended-learning strategy in combination with a competency model for interprofessional learning was chosen as theoretical reference point for implementation. Based on a module for academic poster presentation in front of an interprofessional plenum, the sequence of the learning process organization in the phases "kick-off", "self-directed learning" and "online seminar" is exemplified and discussed with regard to its suitability for digital interprofessional teaching. Implementation: During implementation it was important to clearly define the module's scope and sequence at the very beginning. The use of screencasts enabled students to individually pace their learning during the preparatory self-directed learning phase. Embedding assignments in the screencasts served to aid students in their learning. The synchronous exchange in interprofessional small groups was experienced as profitable for the own poster production. Several students perceive their own poster presentation in digital format as an increase in competence and a basis for future academic presentations. Summary: In summary, the entire interprofessional module was successfully implemented digitally in the phases "kick-off", "self-directed learning" and "online seminar". For synchronous learning, virtual small group workspaces seem particularly suitable for learner activation. The practical implementation of the acquired competencies in the form of the poster presentation is crucial for ensuring the learning success.

Keywords: academic competencies; asynchronous teaching formats; blended learning; interprofessional education; synchronous teaching formats.

Figure 1. Organization of the learning process for a virtual blended-learning concept (based on Erpenbeck et al. [3] and Charles et al. [5])