Effect of interdisciplinary teaching on collaborative interactions among nursing student teams in Taiwan: A quasi-experimental study. (November 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Liu, Hsing-Yuan
• Is Part Of: Nurse education today. Volume 106(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-11
• Subjects: Team interaction behavior -- Team swift trust -- Team conflict -- Interdisciplinary teaching -- Nursing student teams; Nursing -- Study and teaching -- Periodicals; Education, Nursing -- Periodicals; Soins infirmiers -- Étude et enseignement -- Périodiques; Nursing -- Study and teaching; Periodicals; 610.7307
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nedt.2021.105083
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0260-6917

Abstract

Abstract: Background: Empirical research has demonstrated the academic, collaborative, and organizational benefits of Interdisciplinary Teaching. However, few studies have examined the effectiveness of Interdisciplinary Teaching in higher education, particular in healthcare education in Taiwan. In addition, there is no consensus on how the effectiveness of this form of teaching should be evaluated. Objective: To evaluate the effect of Interdisciplinary Teaching on collaborative interactions for teams of nursing students. Design: A quasi-experimental study design employed pretest-posttest scores on measures of team collaboration to compare an Interdisciplinary Teaching intervention with a control group. Setting: Capstone courses at two universities of science and technology in Taiwan, which focused on creating patentable healthcare-related products. Participants: Nursing students (N = 145) enrolled in capstone courses between September 2019 and January 2020 participated in this study. The intervention group (n = 61) received creativity training from interdisciplinary faculty from departments of nursing and design. The control group (n = 84) received traditional teaching from nursing faculty. Methods: Data were collected using self-report instruments for team interaction behaviors, swift trust, and conflict at the beginning and end of the 18-week course. Differences between groups were examined with analysis of covariance. Results: Compared with controls, nursing students in teams that received the teaching intervention had significantly better mean post-test scores for team interaction behaviors and the subscale for communication (both p < .05); team swift trust and affective-based trust (p < .001); and lower scores for the team conflict subscale of relationships (p = .01). Conclusions: These findings suggest creativity training using Interdisciplinary Teaching benefited collaborative interactions for interactive behaviors and swift trust, and decreased relationship conflict for teams of nursing students. Interdisciplinary Teaching should be integrated into nursing students' curriculum, which could enhance collaborative interactions and improve the ability of student teams to create novel, patentable healthcare products. Highlights: The effect of Interdisciplinary Teaching (IDT) module for a nursing course on collaborations has not been explored. Students taught with the IDT module had increased interaction behaviors and affective swift trust compared with controls. Students taught with the IDT module had decreased relationship conflict compared with controls. Incorporating the IDT module into nursing student curricula could enhance student collaborations.