What is the purpose of this initiative?
This initiative is designed to inspire and support the development of cross-professional learning teams and research networks in health professions education. It aims to enhance our collective capacity to advance research, scholarship and practice in health professions education, and to foster a culture of collaboration across the health disciplines at UBC.
How does the initiative work?
The initiative is offered in partnership through the Centre for Health Education Scholarship, the Faculty of Education, and the College of Health Disciplines, and is overseen by a leadership team with representation from across the health professions. This leadership team works to cultivate the development of cross-professions “project teams” in the formative stages: Learning Teams include scholars who wish to advance knowledge together about a common theme, to build or enrich a collaboration; Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Teams (SoTL) include scholars in early stages of shaping a collaborative project. As they develop, emerging teams are linked with existing supports at UBC.
Launching events are planned for June 2014. Building from these events, participants will be invited to submit proposals to receive support. During this first, pilot year, supports will advance project teams’ collaborative learning and planning by: (a) facilitating team meetings, and (b) enabling access to resources (e.g., related scholarly expertise; literature; support to apply for funding). At the end of the pilot year, project teams will report back to colleagues and the leadership team.
What are the advantages for…
UBC?
The initiative has the potential to enhance teaching and learning in the health professions, mobilize knowledge across disciplines, and advance UBC’s reputation as a leader in health professions education scholarship.
Departments/schools?
The initiative will help educators construct their identity as scholars; nurture mentorship; build inter-disciplinary research capacity; develop expertise and synergies across professions; foster teaching and learning innovation; and cultivate complex cross-disciplinary understandings of issues in health professions education. It also provides a mechanism to support, recognize, enhance and make visible innovative scholarship for those whose career paths and academic interests include educational leadership.
Individual practitioners/learners/researchers?
The initiative will help individuals develop as scholars; network around common issues; expand their perspectives on health professions education; seize opportunities to lead and mentor; strengthen or clarify a program of research/learning; gain access to resources; and improve research grant competitiveness.
What support is needed for this initiative to be effective and sustainable?
- Formal recognition of the work of leadership team members by their home units and UBC
- Formal recognition of the value of the work of project teams by scholars’ home units and UBC review structures
- Investment in the necessary human and financial resources from UBC, through sponsoring partners, for this innovative, cross-campus initiative
- Outstanding communication and interconnections with existing support structures within and across UBC units so as to create synergies, enable collaboration and avoid duplication