Taking the classroom to camp: The facilitators’ role in creating an impactful interprofessional experiential learning opportunity

ABSTRACT

A case study approach was used to describe faculty facilitators’ perspectives on the creation and implementation of an interprofessional experiential learning opportunity for students at an aphasia camp. The facilitators serendipitously created an interprofessional experiential learning opportunity for speech-language pathology, occupational therapy, and physical therapy students volunteering at the aphasia camp. During focus groups several weeks after the camp, students discussed the interprofessional nature of their camp experiences and stated they had learned more about collaborative practice while volunteering at the aphasia camp than they had in any interprofessional course work, simulation experience, or clinically based fieldwork they had previously engaged in. The students spoke very highly of the facilitators’ creation of the interprofessional experience. The interviewer, an interprofessional educator, wanted to know what the ‘magic’ was from the facilitators. Facilitators were asked to document their teaching philosophies and reflections and participate in a group interview. Three key themes emerged: educational philosophy, the environment, and facilitator characteristics. The facilitators created an environment where there was a balance between providing structure and clear expectations, with a flexible learning space where students could make mistakes yet feel supported. It was within this psychologically safe learning space that students had autonomy over many camp activities and opportunities to experiment and problem solve. The results from the study were compared to the characteristics of experiential learning. The article concludes with a summary of facilitators’ characteristics that led to an impactful interprofessional experiential learning experience.

KEYWORDS:

• Case study
• interprofessional learning
• facilitation
• student engagement
• student empowerment
• shared problem solving

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Sharla King

Sharla King, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Educational Psychology and Program Director for the Master of Education in Health Sciences Education program at the University of Alberta. She also serves as the Director of the Health Sciences Education and Research Commons.

Karin Werther

Karin Werther MSc, BScOT(c) is an Assistant Clinical Professor and instructor in the Department of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine at the University of Alberta.

Andrea Ruelling

Andrea Ruelling, MA, R.SLP, CCC-SLP is an Assistant Lecturer in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine at the University of Alberta. She is a co-founder of the Alberta Aphasia Camp.

Esther Kim

Esther Kim, PhD, R.SLP, CCC-SLP is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine at the University of Alberta. She is a co-founder of the Alberta Aphasia Camp.