[INTERDISCIPLINARY AND

Transcription

1 2010 Interdisciplinary/Interprofessional Task Force Academic Innovation Strategy [INTERDISCIPLINARY AND INTERPROFESSIONAL: WHITE PAPER] This report seeks to explore the current and future state of Interdisciplinary and Interprofessional (ID/IP) practice at Sheridan through an exploration of best practices, both internal and external, across the educational and corporate sectors. The recommendations made herein are intended to provide a road map for how ID/IP practice can become a differentiator of Sheridan. ID/IP education has the ability to better prepare graduates for success by enriching learning experiences throughout the curriculum and within the broader College community. 1 ID/IP White Paper Interdisciplinary/Interprofessional Task Force

2 Table of Contents 1.0. ID/IP Task Force Overview and Objectives Methodology Definitions to Guide Inquiry Summary of Internal Research Applied Computing and Engineering Sciences (ACES) School of Business (SB) School of Animation, Arts and Design (SAAD) School of Community and Liberal Studies (SCLS) Visual Design Institute Summary of External Research Ontario College System Green College, University of British Columbia, Vancouver Griffith University, Queensland, Australia Carnegie-Mellon, Pittsburg, Pensylviania Private Organizations and Corporate Industry Conclusion Vision Strategic Recommendations... 9 Appendix B Interactive Map ID/IP Journey ID/IP White Paper Interdisciplinary/Interprofessional Task Force

3 1.0. ID/IP Task Force Overview and Objectives The ID/IP Task Force formed with the objective of outlining the parameters of interdisciplinary and interprofessional education in order to identify, create and support a diverse range of opportunities for ID/IP education at Sheridan. The mandate of the task force has been to uncover, discover and encourage ID/IP practice amongst students, faculty, community and industry. In summary, the Task Force sought to explore how ID/IP education could become a true differentiator of Sheridan thereby setting us apart from other post-secondary educational institutions. The institutional goals of enhancing student success and extending community partnerships naturally lend themselves to moving the curriculum and institutional culture of Sheridan in a direction that fully engages the theory and practice of ID/IP Methodology Following an internal review of best practices, including a wide range of initiatives spanning across all four academic schools, an external scan of best practices in post-secondary institutions across Canada and North America was conducted. Information on industry and community stakeholders was also collected, in addition to insight gained from a sample of students participating in research related to the AIS initiative. Focus groups conducted by the Creative Campus task force have contributed to internal research conducted by the ID/IP task force, and a number of workshops conducted by the Academic Leadership Team at Sheridan have contributed valuable insight toward the compilation of the strategic and operational recommendations included herein. The strategic recommendations support the need to build capacity and leadership to further an integrated ID/IP mandate. Secondly, the operational recommendations include varied initiatives that will be imbedded within the curriculum and more broadly Sheridan community and partnerships. The recommendations are included, in full, in Appendix A. Furthermore, an interactive map (Appendix B) was developed which provides a visual representation of the research process, findings, conclusions and potential pathways to realize the ID/IP vision herein Definitions to Guide Inquiry A review of current literature on interprofessional and interdisciplinary studies has revealed a diverse range of interpretations and varying modes of usage of the terms interdisciplinary and interprofessional across post-secondary institutions, industry and community. In addition, variations 3 ID/IP White Paper Interdisciplinary/Interprofessional Task Force

4 of these terms have been considered and reviewed by the task force (e.g. the terms transdisciplinary, multidisciplinary, crossdisiplinary and extradisciplinary are used in a variety of academic contexts). While the phrase interdisciplinary studies is widely used in the academic and professional spheres, the phrase interprofessional studies is used more predominantly in the healthcare sector in both academic and non-academic contexts. Based on research findings, the task force has agreed upon the following definitions to distinguish interdisciplinary from interprofessional studies: Interdisciplinary Education Interdisciplinary programs seek to create new connections between areas of study, rearranging knowledge, thought and methodology into new configurations (Canadian-Universities.Net). This type of education encourages the production of knowledge through multiple disciplinary lenses, thus altering the type of knowledge produced in ways that enhance the use of such knowledge and texture disciplinary practice itself. Interprofessional Education Interprofessional education occurs when two or more professions learn with, from and about each other to improve collaboration (adapted from CAIPE, Centre for the Advancement of Interprofessional Education). Extending beyond its original sphere of the healthcare profession, this type of education entails the advancement of a fundamentally collaborative practice, where individuals and teams with multiple professional backgrounds join forces in order to improve a service or a product, to share knowledge, and to learn from one another. After great debate around language, the Task Force concluded that combining both interdisciplinary and interprofessional education would provide the scope and breadth necessary to review current practices and make recommendations for moving forward Summary of Internal Research Informal consultations were conducted by the ID/IP Task Force with selected Associate Deans, Program Coordinators and faculty across Sheridan s four academic schools. The preliminary findings are documented below and attest to the fact that interdisciplinary and interprofessional approaches are already imbedded within Sheridan s curriculum. Some of the existing ID/IP initiatives are also leveraging the strengths of external community partners (i.e. other academic institutions, corporate entities or the non-for profit sector) to enhance curriculum and thereby better student success and learning. However, it is important to note that many of the ID/IP initiatives at Sheridan occur somewhat in isolation of one another with no unified strategic direction. Improved communication and sharing of best practices, both across the broader College community and externally with corporate and community partners, is required. This outcome may be achieved, for example, through the creation of an internal database to document strategies, risks, resources and outcomes related to ID/IP initiatives. 4 ID/IP White Paper Interdisciplinary/Interprofessional Task Force

5 Such a database could be housed and maintained in the proposed Centre of Interdisciplinary and Interprofessional Excellence Applied Computing and Engineering Sciences (ACES) ACES, in collaboration with SAAD, is currently developing a degree in Human-Computer Interaction, a BAA in Interaction Design. With the School of Business, ACES is engaged in creating analytical and other applications for mobile and hand-held electronic devices. Projects being considered are those that couple the skills of business students in customer relationship management (CRM) and Marketing with ACES programming/development skills. Degrees linking Business and ACES currently under discussion include Supply Chain Management, Security and IT Management, Business and. ACES is also looking into a mobile hub, creating a virtual interdisciplinary space for share resources and cross pollinating ideas. Looking to the future, the school is engaging the Arts to develop a cross over capstone project to emulate the gaming industry work environment. For successful gaming applications, it will be necessary to include courses from other disciplines. For example, an understanding of physics is required for programming the animation of falling objects School of Business (SB) ID/IP principles are embedded in a number of specific business courses. Business students across disciplines work together in a third year capstone business management course. Advertising and Media Arts (SAAD) students collaborate to produce a print advertising campaign. Marketing Research students work with a wide range of non-profit organizations to assist in developing marketing strategies. In the near future, SB and ACES are launching a Business and Information Degree Program. The School of Business is also looking to share its expertise with other schools which require enterprise management courses and to gain a broader offering from courses offered by other programs School of Animation, Arts and Design (SAAD) Many programs are already interdisciplinary in SAAD. Communication, Culture and Information (CCIT), a joint program with University of Toronto, combines academic courses in arts and science with applied courses in computing, visualization, digital media and design. Other active initiatives include: The Creative Pre-visualization Unit and The Centre for Real-Time Production Research & Education Centre/Pinewood Studios and Sheridan TV. Students from SAAD and ACES developed the Archive for Canadian Design and Advertising at the Royal Ontario Museum. Fourth year SAAD students collaborated with the University of Toronto music school to create original sound tracts for their animated films. In the near future, new inter-school programs include a BAA in Game Design (with ACES 5 ID/IP White Paper Interdisciplinary/Interprofessional Task Force

6 and CCIT), a BAA in Interaction Design (curriculum development is shared with ACES), and the BAA in Craft and Product Design is a collaboration with the SB and ACES School of Community and Liberal Studies (SCLS) SCLS has engaged in diverse ID/IP activities. The Community Policing Project brings together students from the Community Worker and Police Foundations programs to develop solutions to a real crime problem in our surrounding GTA communities. The student projects are then judged by active police officers and community partners. Students from SAAD and the Cosmetics/Esthetics program team up in a capstone project. Those from the Health Cluster (Practical Nursing, Athletic Therapy etc.) work in interprofessional teams on various health related contexts (learning labs, curriculum etc.) Initiatives-inprogress includes an application submitted for an Elderly Independent Living Grant which will bring together the Health Custer to provide service and conduct applied research on support of the elderly living on their own in the community. In the degree programs an interdisciplinary breadth program will fulfill the PEQAB requirement for upper level breath components while enriching the experience of students drawn from across a number of programs Visual Design Institute The Visual Design Institute (VDI) is involved in sectors including learning, health, bio-tech, municipal infrastructure and all genres of gaming. The Institute's professional team integrates 3D scanned objects and cultural artifacts to enable movement in and out of 3D environments. VDI brings together individuals from various backgrounds including: Designers, Programmers, Animation, and elearning. VDI works on community and social based projects such as the police training modules, extending e- learning, and most recently, partnering with RIM, a stereo-scopic project for Ontario tourism unveiled at the Vancouver Olympics. Everyone who works on VDI projects is connected to Sheridan, with over 10,000 co-op hours. One operational problem is that contracts do not coincide with student schedules or academic terms Summary of External Research In order to better understand the varied applications and outcomes of interdisciplinary and interprofessional approaches, the Task Force conducted a review of ID/IP best practices in the educational and corporate sectors. Included in this research was a comprehensive scan of the Ontario College System, selected Universities and corporate entities. This review is not intended to be exhaustive, but rather, to highlight some of the best practices in the area of ID/IP. 6 ID/IP White Paper Interdisciplinary/Interprofessional Task Force

7 3.1. Ontario College System Interdisciplinary and interprofessional practices were prominent to varying degrees across the Ontario College systems. From a curriculum perspective most Colleges engaged the language and orientation of multi-disciplinary practice with the goal of preparing students for working in the real world. The most common college ID/IP initiatives were in the health care clusters. Colleges with programs such as nursing, recreational therapy, paramedic, emergency services, personal support worker have integrated IP projects. For example Durham College s Interprofessional Centre of Excellence in Simulation provides an 11-bed unit for health care students to work together in multi-disciplinary teams. Conestoga bases it Interprofessional Education Repository on CAIPE (see below under Institutions). Centennial has integrated technology with health responsiveness through their Applied Research Centre and Telehome Care. Cambrian sends student teams into the community to support services and have sent teams on international trips to Africa. In other disciplines, liberal arts and science is also a common interdisciplinary blend. Lambton College in collaboration with the University of Windsor has an interdisciplinary Arts Degree. Humber links studies in sustainability to various fine arts, science and social science programs. Canadore combines sustainability with leadership and corporate responsibility. Loyalist integrates technology with studies in education in the Virtual World Design Centre. Many colleges have a capstone ID/IP course, simulation or project based learning. Both Algonquin and Humber have indicated that ID/IP is a core strategic principle Green College, University of British Columbia, Vancouver Green College is a graduate residential college at the University of British Columbia, with a mandate to promote advanced interdisciplinary inquiry. It is also, by virtue of its continuing relationships with those who have lived at the College and participated in its activities, a society of scholars reaching around the world. The College offers resident membership to graduate students, postdoctoral scholars and visiting scholars at UBC, and (non-resident) faculty membership to UBC and other faculty. In keeping with its original mandate, the College is committed to the cultivation of intellectual and creative connections at the edge of the main disciplinary and academic space of the university. To that end, it offers public lectures, events and performances to the UBC and wider local community, without charge. The College has accommodation for University visitors, bookable rooms for meetings and events, and its own catering service. Administratively, the College is a unit within UBC s Faculty of Graduate Studies. The Principal of the College reports to the Dean of Graduate Studies, who reports to the Vice-President Academic. The 7 ID/IP White Paper Interdisciplinary/Interprofessional Task Force

8 College is home to UBC s Interdisciplinary Studies Graduate Program (ISGP) and maintains close links with such neighbouring interdisciplinary and extracurricular institutions as the Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies, the Liu Centre for Global Issues, and the Museum of Anthropology. It also has close social and academic ties to its sibling foundation at UBC, St John s College. Through the Green Visiting Professorship program it contributes regularly to talks at the Vancouver Institute Griffith University, Queensland, Australia Established in 1971, Griffiths University, in Queensland Australia is centered on theme-oriented schools. Schools are multi-disciplinary with groups of divergent scholars which focus on integrating research and teaching problem-solving. Griffiths School of Science, Environment, Engineering and has more than 4,000 students enrolled in multi-disciplinary programs Carnegie-Mellon, Pittsburg, Pennsylvania Carnegie Mellon is an innovative leader whose mandate is to help shape the world through education, research and outreach. Carnegie Mellon is recognized as a unique interdisciplinary environment which encourages collaboration across departmental line with the view of preparing graduates to enter the world with the ability to solve complex problems through leadership and collaboration. Carnegie Mellon's BXA Interdisciplinary Degree Program cluster offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate degrees. The unique culture at Carnegie Mellon allows students and faculty members to work with scholars outside of their schools and colleges. The letter X, the 24th letter of the alphabet, has always played an important part in mathematics and science. It is used as the symbol for an unknown or variable quantity. Similarly, in the bourgeoning field of interdisciplinary studies, the letter X symbolizes the quest for new forms of knowledge resulting from the mastery and fusion of multiple fields of inquiry. Carnegie Mellon's BXA Interdisciplinary Degree Programs have been conceived and developed on such premises Private Organizations and Corporate Industry A scan of best practices has revealed a trend among industry partners to utilize a team-based approach to problem solving and innovation, and a preference for interprofessional collaboration among members with a diverse range of disciplinary and professional expertise. 8 ID/IP White Paper Interdisciplinary/Interprofessional Task Force

9 The process of design thinking is predominant among industry partners where a wider, linear matrix approach to process is favoured in place of a hierarchical approach to structural organization. The corporate culture of companies such as IDEO, General Electric, Proctor and Gamble, 3M and Price Waterhouse models the principles of a multi-disciplinary team-based approach to the production of knowledge and the implementation of business goals. In the healthcare sector CAIPE (Centre for the Advancement of Interprofessional Education) is a leading not-for-profit organization based in the UK and dedicated to the promotion and development of interprofessional education. Through its individual and corporate members, and in close association with the Journal of Interprofessional Care, this organization partners with like minded organizations world-wide to facilitate the development of interprofessional education and provide support to an international community of scholars and professionals. Other institutions seeking to foster ID/IP education, research and innovation include MaRS, Michener Institute for Applied Health Science, The Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, ORION (Ontario Research and Innovation Optical Network) and The Mobile Experience Innovation Centre and Strategic Innovation Lab (OCAD) Conclusion Based on a final review of research findings and relevant literature the task force has arrived at a set of seventeen preliminary recommendations (Appendix A) including operational and strategic recommendations, as well as individual pilot projects spanning across the four academic schools at Sheridan. Following a review of these recommendations by the AIS cochairs and the senior leadership team, a list of five strategic recommendations and a vision statement were developed to outline Sheridan s commitment to future initiatives in the area of ID/IP education. Each strategic recommendation references the number/s associated with the relevant preliminary recommendation/s in Appendix A Vision To identify, create and systematically support diverse opportunities for ID/IP practice among students, faculty, community and industry Strategic Recommendations 1. Find and systematically support opportunities for faculty to engage in ID/IP work (curriculum development, research, etc.) with faculty from other disciplines. 9 ID/IP White Paper Interdisciplinary/Interprofessional Task Force

10 Examples: Center of Excellence (#3), leadership team (#13), team-teaching (#4), new inter-school programs (#8), ID/IP space (#6, #12). 2. Find opportunities for students to practice ID/IP work in order to create and apply knowledge in progressive ways. Examples: Working on open problems in ID/IP teams in order to foster creativity and innovation, as in working on charettes (#9) and capstone projects (#7, #10); finding opportunities in new programs such as Art Therapy (#1), or in program components such as human services labs (#2) and breadth courses (#4). 3. Build flexibility and agility into curriculum and academic/support systems to reflect industry trends and student interests and abilities. Examples: Flexible curriculum model (#5), course-based registration (#16), program-based elective options (#17). 4. Provide opportunities for student engagement in civic and industry work that reflects the ID/IP and global nature of community/industry problem solving. Examples: Civic engagement coordination with external community stakeholders in the development and delivery of interprofessional initiatives (#15), incubator center in GTA (#11). 5. Attract ID/IP students and faculty to Sheridan. Examples: External marketing of ID/IP initiatives to differentiate Sheridan over other colleges (#14). 10 ID/IP White Paper Interdisciplinary/Interprofessional Task Force

11 Appendix A Recommendation Matrix Curricular Recommendation PD Required Timeline 1 Risk Level 2 Resources Required 1. Integrated Art Therapy Collaborative Practice Learning Unit in existing course. 2. Integrated Multi-Disciplinary Unit in Human Services Lab Seminars Learning Unit in existing courses Short Term Low Faculty training/release time Space Materials Medium Term Low Faculty training/release time Curriculum Support (Niles) Inter- professional development Inter- professional development 3. Centre of Excellence in Interdisciplinary/Interprofessional Studies Long Term High Faculty training/release time Materials Space 1 Timelines are defined as: Short term-1 year, Medium term 2-3 years, Long term: 3-5 years 2 In assessing risk the following were considered: Financial, Organizational Buy-in, and External Impact. 11 ID/IP White Paper Interdisciplinary/Interprofessional Task Force

12 Appendix A Recommendation Matrix 4. Degree Breadth Interdisciplinary Model Applied Degree Course Short Term Low Faculty training/release time None 5. Develop and direct an Xperience model (per Carnegie Mellon) Curriculum model 6. New ID/IP Development Space [Green Room Ver2.0] Curriculum support resource Medium Term Medium Faculty training/release time Materials Short Term Low Space None 12 ID/IP White Paper Interdisciplinary/Interprofessional Task Force

13 Appendix A Recommendation Matrix 7. ID/IP Capstone Project(s) Course Short Term Low Space None 8. Craft & Product Design Degree Program (In Progress) Program Short Term Low Faculty training/release time Space None 9. Create an annual, College-wide Interprofessional/interschool problem-based charette Event/Learning Module Short Term Low Faculty training/release time Materials Space 13 ID/IP White Paper Interdisciplinary/Interprofessional Task Force

14 Appendix A Recommendation Matrix 10. Create Interprofessional Learning Modules Learning units 11. Establish an incubator centre in the GTA; engage consortiums in a rotation of I/P initiatives for students for credit Learning Unit/Course/Field Placement Medium Term Medium Faculty training/release time Materials Space Long Term High Faculty training/release time Materials Space 14 ID/IP White Paper Interdisciplinary/Interprofessional Task Force

15 Appendix A Recommendation Matrix 12. Develop a virtual technology playground for faculty interaction Curriculum support resource Short Term Low Faculty training/release time Strategic Recommendations 13. New Strategic Leadership team to oversee ID/IP initiatives Short Term Low Faculty training/release time No 14. External marketing of ID/IP initiatives to differentiate Sheridan over other colleges. Long Term High 15 ID/IP White Paper Interdisciplinary/Interprofessional Task Force

16 Appendix A Recommendation Matrix 15. Civic engagement coordination with external community stakeholders in development and delivery of interprofessional initiatives. 16. Institute course-based registration. 17. Develop program-based elective courses open to all students. Medium Term Medium Faculty training/release time Medium Term Medium Medium Term Low Faculty training/release time 16 ID/IP White Paper Interdisciplinary/Interprofessional Task Force

17 Appendix B Interactive Map ID/IP Journey