Online role-plays: An asynchronous pedagogy for introducing tenets of interprofessional education and practice among Indian healthcare professionals

ABSTRACT

Educators worldwide are seeking innovative teaching strategies for engaging remote learners. This study explores the impact of an online role-play on students’ perceptions regarding Interprofessional education (IPE) and the usage of online role-play as a pedagogic approach. An online role-play for introducing fundamentals of IPE was organised as an activity during the monthly discussion forum of Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research (FAIMER) fellowship at one of the regional centres in India. After the role-play, the six role-players provided a written semi-structured reflective feedback while 22 observers responded to an open-ended questionnaire. The obtained data were qualitatively analysed using an inductive approach. The role-player’s reflections highlighted pre-requisites, strengths and challenges of an online role-play, whereas the observers reported an appreciation of the value of online role-play in learning interprofessional competencies. This study highlights online role-play as an innovative approach to remotely introduce the tenets of IPE.

KEYWORDS:

• Online learning
• interprofessional relations
• Role-playing
• pedagogy
• pandemic

Acknowledgments

Authors acknowledge the contribution of fellows and faculty of the FAIMER Regional Institute, India.

Disclosure statement

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

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Gagan Bajaj

Gagan Bajaj is an Associate professor of Speech Language Pathology at Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore with .Ph.D. in Cognitive Sciences from Manipal Academy of Higher Education. Dr. Gagan Bajaj is also a faculty at MAHE-FAIMER Institute and Department of Medical Education.

Ciraj Ali Mohammed

Ciraj Ali Mohammed is a Professor of Microbiology and the Director of the MAHE-FAIMER international fellowship programme that focuses on leadership in interprofessional education and practice. He has been faculty at International FAIMER Institute, Philadelphia and FAIMER regional centres across India and Egypt. He is currently the head of Medical Education at College of Medicine and Health Sciences, National University of Science and Technology, Oman

Soumendra Sahoo

Soumendra Sahoo is a Professor of Ophthalmology, Manipal University College Malaysia and FAIMER fellow from CMC Ludhiana. He is currently the Director for Centre for Transformative learning, Malaysia

Abhijit Datta

Abhijit Datta is as Professor and Head of Pathology at Agartala Government Medical College, India.

Dinesh Badyal

Dinesh Badyal is Professor of Pathology and Vice Principal of Medical Education, at Christian Medical College, Ludhiana (CMCL). He is also the National Convener of Advance Course in Medical Education and Course Director of CMCL FAIMER Regional Institute, Ludhiana

Tejinder Singh

Tejinder Singh is Professor of Pediatrics and National Academy of Medical Sciences Emeritus Professor in Medical Education. He is the Founder Director CMCL-FAIMER Regional Institute and Chair, Centre for Health Professions Education, Adesh University, India