Learning Together, Working Together?

Charlene Tait charlene.tait@strath.ac.uk

Background

• Multi-professional Postgraduate Study in autism (ASD)

• Established 1998

• Campus and outreach delivery

• 500 + participants to date

Why autism? Why Multi-professional(Jelly Babies by Brian James @ Meikeljohn illustration)

Student Composition Campus Cohorts2003-2004 to 2007 - 2008

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

2003-2004

2004-2005

2006-2007

2007-2008

Education

Health Sector

S.Work

Others

Parents/Individuals

Context

• Shift towards multi-professional working and training

• Development of National Training Framework for Autistic Spectrum Disorders (Mackay & Dunlop 2004)

• Policy flow & legislative drivers• The broader issue of inclusion

( Florian 1998)

Challenges

• Diverse needs of student body

• Range of experience of working with individuals with ASD

• Addressing needs of practitioners working with people across the lifespan

• Previous experience (or lack of experience ) of Multi-professional working

Opportunities

• Collaborative learning (Gokhale 1995)

• Development of common knowledge & common professional goals (Hutchings & Feaver 2002)

• Overcoming professional misconceptions

• Development of individual professional role

• Peers living with ASD

Approaches to Teaching & Learning in a Multi-professional Context - Concepts

• Ethos – Surrender the “expert” label but own your expertise

• Commit to knowledge exchange

• Reflect on roles – Teacher? Learner?

• Acknowledge the need for professional socialization (Wood 2000)

• Cultivate collaboration - core

• Social Constructivist “leanings”

Approaches to Teaching & Learning in a Multi-professional Context - Practice

• Action Learning Sets– case based collaborative tasks

• Peer Critique• Workshop approaches – task based work• Student directed work – learners as

teachers – “Co-educators”• Time to talk• Supported by a multi-professional

teaching team

Student Perceptions – Learning into Practice

I am confident in discussions with colleagues from various disciplines with regard to my knowledge about ASD and in suggesting various strategies”

Learning Disabilities Nurse

“Multi- Professional opportunities enhance greater understanding of support in different contexts”

Speech & Language Therapist

“... People come to me, even psychiatrists will come because they don’t know. I have referred people on for diagnosis, I recognise people coming in who have ASD”

Learning Disabilities Nurse

“… I needed general knowledge of ASD. The course helped me keep up with current research, I gained from the multi-professional dimension. It has changed aspects of my practice, I have developed as a professional… I have realised what kind of professional I want to be, there is not just one methodology, you need

to look at the bigger picture”

“All aspects (of knowledge and practice) needed developed. I had a little knowledge of Asperger’s syndrome from reading. It was vital that I did the course; I needed an understanding of ASD. It has all had an impact…the biggest thing is working with parents, listening to their point of view. It made me review the way I dealt with parents.”

Teacher

Student Perceptions – Learning and the lived experience of families

“I have increased my understanding of professional perspectives. The idea of a multi-professional, multi-agency team; you don’t really feel part of that as a parent. Now I feel I could be, I am more confident. I didn’t think I lacked confidence but now that it has increased I see that I did”

“I am not taking it personally anymore…I can see where he is coming from. I understand the psychology of it more”

“…I feel what I have to say is said with emotion, I am not just saying something that happens, there is a lot of feeling…there is a family, it is quite involved, there is pain, there is hurt…”

“…I see other parents fighting professionals all the time and I want to say, don’t do that. I know this is part of the guilt, I can see that process. Because I have been in the team with all the professionals I feel I can see the bigger picture. I can see it from both sides not just as a parent.”

Learning – Impact on strategic planning

Aberdeenshire Model:

• Course embedded in education authority ASD strategy

• Strong commitment to parental participation

• Development of local networks – Paired graduates supporting local initiatives

• E.g. support groups, training

Reflections & Conclusions

• Reflect on terminology? Shift from multi-professional to inter professional- emphasis on participation rather than presence

• Facilitation of “corporate” shift in thinking – individual construction of knowledge can lead to shared

• Process is crucial – content is the vehicle• Timing of exposure – professional

socialization, collaborative practice

• Value of “stakeholder” involvement

• Need for more detailed “Impact” research – perceptions of the consumers of services

• Transfer of principles into CPD, staff development and pre-service training

References

Florian, L. (1998) Inclusive Practice What, why, and how? In C Tilstone, L Florian & R Rose (Eds) Promoting Inclusive Practice. London: Routledge Falmer

Gokhale, A. (1995) Collaborative learning enhances critical thinking. Journal of Technology Education.7: 22 – 30.

Hutching, S. Feaver, S (2002) “Wedded”, “Bedded”, or “Simply Flirting” Teaching Forum.50:9 – 11

Mackay, T. & Dunlop, A W (2004) The Development of a National Training Framework For Autistic Spectrum Disorders. Glasgow: National Autistic Society

Wood, D F (2000) Inter –professional Education – Still More Questions than Answers? Medical Education 2001:35: 816