Educational Scholarship: Tips for the Novice and Seasoned Scholar

While there is no dearth of literature on interprofessional education (IPE), there is a need for rigorous IPE studies that: (1) measure effects on behaviors, organizational change, and delivery of care, (2) develop a firmer understanding of the teaching and learning processes, (3) measure the processes and products of IPE and (4) develop IPE tools to measure individual and organizational behavior (Reeves, et al., 2016). An urgent need is to guide novice IPE researchers in developing competence as well as reinforcing the skills of seasoned scholars to address the gaps in the literature. Education research needs to move beyond the descriptive phase of one program or classroom to research that is grounded in meaningful questions linked with appropriate research designs and conceptual framing/educational theories that can inform and advance interprofessional education and demonstrate the role of evidence in collaborative practice that conveys the true value of education research.Session outline with active learning strategies: The purpose of this session is to bring educational researchers to the next level based on individualized goals. Participants will build on their IPE research question of interest and engage in a participatory workshop with research mentors that leads to a plan of action for each participant. Prior to the session, registrants must submit a 1-page statement that includes 1) the area of educational research or research questions they wish to focus on, 2) the stage of development of any current project(s), and 3) the outcomes they hope for relative to their project. The workshop will include brief inspirational talks by experienced educational researchers followed by active engagement in small group coaching, feedback and advice. Participants will develop their research plan through the session including discussing problems in IPE, discussing gaps in the IPE literature, identifying appropriate conceptual frameworks, determining significance of their research question, editing research questions, and discussing methodological approaches.