Abstract:

Introduction & Background:
Interprofessional learning helps prepare healthcare students for safer patient care through collaborative practice. Since 2008, an interprofessional workplace-based initiative has included ward- and classroom-based activities for final year pharmacy and medical student teams, culminating in the generation of collaborative medication safety reports. Prior to 2016, paper-based team reports were uploaded electronically to academic staff. However, it was difficult to assess individual contributions to each report. Use of an electronic shared document (Google Docs), that could be accessed via mobile devices within and outside the classroom, was implemented.
Google Docs is a web 2.0 application underpinned by collaborative concepts ‘very similar to the notion of web-based, shareable and distributed electronic health/patient records’ (Boulos & Wheeler, 2007, p. 4). In educational settings, pedagogy guiding use of such applications has been called ‘Pedagogy 2.0’ (McLoughlin & Lee, 2011, p.54). However, potential problems and pitfalls when it comes to using web 2.0 technologies include i) students’ lack of digital literacy and information fluency skills, as well as, ii) fairness around equity of access (McLoughlin & Lee, 2011).

Aim:
While Google Docs is a favoured collaborative learning tool by higher education students, few studies have looked at a blended approach to use of technology-enabled learning on hospital sites in healthcare undergraduate curricula. In particular, use of this application via mobile technology at hospital sites for collaborative interprofessional learning has not yet been evaluated.
Our aim in this pilot study was to investigate student perspectives about use of Google Docs for interprofessional student team reporting.

Methods:
A 47 item questionnaire was designed by the project team, based on a literature review of theoretical frameworks and recommendations. At the end of the academic year in 2017, all final year medical (211) and pharmacy students (46) were invited by email to complete this questionnaire (taking 10-15 minutes). Responses were analysed via statistical software (SPSS v.24).

Results:
The response rate was 14% (n=36), age range 22-32 (mean 25.7), and gender distribution 24F:12M. Appropriateness of mobile device for the task was rated 70% (smartphone used by 62%; laptop by 35%; tablet 4%). Preferred mobile device was laptop 50%; smartphone 27%; tablet 23%. Limiting features of smartphone use were screen size and battery life. Despite 81% reporting confidence in ICT use, 61% had never or rarely used Google Docs before, with 32% requesting the possibility of pre-training. However, Google Docs was rated highly in terms of suitability (86%), flexibility (82%), timing (71%) and ease of collaboration (83%). It rated poorly in terms of communication function (Facebook messenger preferred) for this activity.

Conclusions:
Despite the low response rate, we have initial information about use of Google Docs for interprofessional team reporting. The main take home messages are that despite ICT confidence felt by this group of respondents, Google Docs has never or rarely been used by the majority, with need for pre-training voiced by one third of students. Alternative forms of electronic communication outside of class were preferred. Screen size is a limiting feature of mobile phones for this activity.

Keywords:

Interprofessional, collaborative learning, blended learning, Web 2.0 technology, workplace learning, mobile learning.