Complexity, collective learning and the education of interprofessional health teams: Insights from a university-level course

Abstract

This paper describes a collaborative action research project carried out by the author and the instructors of a large university-level interprofessional health team course. The research focused on introducing new complexity science-based ideas about collective learning to the course's pedagogy and curriculum, and tracking resultant changes in both thinking and practice. A number of insights emerged from the research, including a deeper understanding of collective learning in interprofessional contexts, a questioning of the meaning of consensus within teams, and the identification of a special role for trust in interprofessional relationships. One significant practical change in the course curriculum, which related to these insights, is also described.