COLLABORATIVE LEARNING

Collaborative Learning

[Dalia Haider]

(Please highlight the points that you are not satisfied with so I can make amendments in these parts)

A reflective essay on the skills acquired from collaborative learning and how they may be applied in practice

Introduction

An essential role is played by collaboration in the healthcare department for fabricating an ample level of professionalism (Chism, 2010). Inter professional collaboration has turned to a significant concept in health care leading to an improved and enhanced quality of medical care (Easen et al., 2000). Reeves et al. (2008) has considered collaborative working as a vital component of a functioning health care system. Through collaborative learning, patient care can be positively affected and staff satisfaction also increases, given these principles can be applied to practice.

The aspiration of this reflective essay is to evaluate my experiences in collaborative learning to analyse that on the grounds of three step reflective model of Rolfe et al. (2001), how the skills attained from collaboration can be applied in practice. Reflection stimulated by the questions 'what?, so what? and now what? from novice to advanced levels.

Discussion

What Happened?

I got an opportunity to be a part of the collaborative learning fell out in workshops for three weeks with team discussions of the Inter Professional Education module.

Good Judgment Comes with Experience, but Experience Comes from Bad Judgment

The experience was overall very good as this collaborative exercise gave me the opportunity to express myself, to listen in the viewpoints of other people; however, the thing that did not give a good feeling was endeavor by some people to dominate the group or efforts to put their words in other people mouth.

Involvement of Professionals

Seasoned professionals from the disciplines of medicine, public health, nursing, health services and administration, and other relevant clinical areas are drawn together through collaboration across the disciplines in healthcare, who present their diverse perspectives.

Role

I participated in discussions to communicate my standpoint and people from other professions did the same and that was the mantra of this IP learning how different professionals would approach problems, as each discipline has its own focus and outcomes.

Outcome

The skills attained from collaboration exercise include interpersonal communication, comprehension of professional and cultural diversity, ethical understanding and professionalism.

So what?

Diversity

The most noteworthy in our group was diversity with respect to professions, backgrounds and cultural. One of our group members was from Cyprus, while all remaining of us were locals. It was good to have conversation with the girl from another country to get an insight of the healthcare condition in other parts of World.

Varied Age Cohort

There were people of different age cohorts in the group, generally within a range of 18 to 38 years. The old mature students or the post graduates confidently dominated the group and participated in discussions more robustly. The younger members were a little bit shy to express their opinions and viewpoints.

According to Kakabadse et al., (2004), not only in cultural aspects diversity in clinical practice exist but in age, disparities can also be envisioned. The young pharmacist was de-motivated ...