Preliminary evidence for a Tool to Observe the Construction of Knowledge in Interprofessional teams (TOCK–IP)

ABSTRACT

Collaborative knowledge construction (KC) is an important process in interprofessional learning and a logical assessment target. A tool supporting the formative evaluation of KC behaviors ideally would be: 1) applicable to interprofessional teams of learners in clinical contexts; 2) informed by contemporary learning frameworks; 3) feasible and useful. No existing assessment tool meets these criteria. This paper describes the development and preliminary validity evidence for a Tool for Observing Construction of Knowledge in Interprofessional teams (TOCK-IP). Following literature review and needs assessment, the TOCK-IP was drafted based upon Gunawardena’s five-phase KC model. Educational expert review established content validity. Response process and internal structure validity, feasibility, and utility were assessed through step-wise evaluation. Faculty raters applied the tool to four videos of simulated interactions between health professions learners. Faculty ratings were compared to expert consensus ratings. Thematic analysis of post-rating survey and debrief allowed assessment of feasibility and utility. Across videos, faculty raters’ agreement was fair (n = 25; Fleiss’ kappa = 0.40, <0.001). Excellent agreement (95%) was found for raters’ scores compared to consensus rating. Faculty supported tool feasibility and utility. The TOCK-IP meets the three criteria for evaluating team-level KC and offers a progression roadmap to help learners move toward collaborative learning.

KEYWORDS:

• Observational assessment
• knowledge construction
• interprofessional education
• interactions
• collaborative learning

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Drs. Christy Boscardin, Charlotte Gunawardena, Jennifer Mandal, Bridget O’Brien, and Pat O’Sullivan for their review of the tool, development assistance, and scholarly critiques. We would also like to express our sincere gratitude to the faculty members from the University of California, San Francisco, University of Minnesota, and Oregon Health & Science University who participated in this study.

Disclosure statement

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

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/13561820.2022.2070143

Additional information

Funding

Funding was provided, in part, by the UCSF School of Pharmacy, 2020 Mary Anne Koda-Kimble Seed Award for Innovation.

Notes on contributors

Leslie Carstensen Floren

Leslie Carstensen Floren, PharmD, MAEd is an associate professor of bioengineering and therapeutic sciences and clinical pharmacy at the University of California San Francisco, School of Pharmacy, San Francisco, California.

Amy Louise Pittenger

Amy Louise Pittenger, PharmD, PhD is a professor and department head of pharmaceutical care and health systems at the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Olle ten Cate

Olle ten Cate, PhD, is a professor of medical education and senior scientist at the Center for Research and Development of Education at University Medical Center Utrecht, the Netherlands.

David M. Irby

David M. Irby, PhD, is a professor emeritus of medicine and education scientist in the Center for faculty educators at the University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California.