Interprofessional E-Learning and Collaborative Work: Practices and Technologies

Interprofessionalism, an emerging model and philosophy of multi-disciplinary and multi-agency working, has in increasingly become an important means of cultivating joint endeavors across varied and diverse disciplinary and institutional settings. Interprofessional E-Learning and Collaborative Work: Practices and Technologies is therefore, an important source for understanding how interprofessionalism can be promoted and enhanced at various levels in learners' educational experiences, particularly with regard to e-learning and reusable learning objects, given the potential to cross boundaries of time, location and academic disciplines. This book provides relevant theoretical frameworks and the latest case driven research findings to improve understanding of interprofessional possibilities through e-learning at the level of universities, networks and organizations, teams and work groups, information systems and at the level of individuals as actors in the networked environments.

Dr. Adrian Bromages academic background is in Psychology and Cognitive Science. Between 2002-2007 he worked at Coventry Universitys education development unit, then between 2007-2009 at the Centre for Interprofessional eLearning (CIPeL). At CIPeL, Adrian was involved in evaluating Reusable Interprofessional learning Objects and interprofessional learning in general. His most recent research is an unfunded private action research study, the College Of Online Liberal Arts (COOLA), which explores the intersection of free and open-source software and academics professional autonomy. In 2010 his work at The University of Birmingham Learning Development Unit drew in part on the latter project.

Dr. Lynn Clouder is Director of the Centre for Interprofessional eLearning (CIPeL). Lynns professional background is in physiotherapy and she has worked in higher education since joining Coventry University in 1991. The focus of her PhD was on identity development and professional socialization. A secondment to the Centre for the Study of Higher Education, as a pedagogical research fellow, allowed Lynn to further develop her interests in pedagogical research. She was awarded a National Teaching Fellowship in 2007.

Professor Jill Thistlethwaite is Director of the Institute of Clinical Education at Warwick Medical School and a practising GP. She has been involved with interprofessional education since working at Leeds University from 1996-2003. From 2003 to 2008 she was a medical educator in Australia, first at James Cook University in North Queensland where she developed and ran a Graduate Certificate in Health Professional Education, and then at the University of Sydney. In Sydney she received an Australian Learning and Teaching Council grant with colleagues for a project relating to interprofessional education and practice within higher education. At Warwick she continues as associate editor of the Journal of Interprofessional Care. She is president of InterEd, a board member of CAIPE and was a contributor to the World Health Organisation's 'Framework for Action on IPE and Collaborative Practice (2009).

Professor Frances Gordon joined Sheffield Hallam University in 2002 and is a nurse by professional background. She completed her master of Education degree in 1990 at the University of Aberdeen and was awarded a research fellowship by the National Board for Scotland for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting to undertake doctoral studies, completing her PhD, again from the University of Aberdeen, in 2000. She was awarded a personal chair in Interprofessional Education by Sheffield Hallam University in 2007 in recognition of her national and international reputation in the field of interprofessional education in health and social care. Presently, at Sheffield Hallam University she is Head of Interprofessional and Multidisciplinary Learning and Co-Director of the Centre for Interprofessional eLearning (CIPeL).