How Can Interprofessional Skills Be Taught during University Studies? Student Teachers, and Social Work and Law Students Solving Complex Student Welfare Cases

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

This study is innovative and novel in that the authors report on  how inter-professional skills can taught through an interdisciplinary course provided to student teachers, social work, and law students. The aim of the study was to raise students' understanding of inter-professional work to a more conscious level. The collaborative framework and the elements in the course that was developed are also clearly described. Data were appropriately analysed and the themes that emerged are well described. The study will appeal to many readers of the journal.

Author Response

We thank Reviewer 1 for their nice feedback.

Reviewer 2 Report

In this situation (2. Author 1; Anonymous 1; Anonymous 2; Anonymous 3; Anonymous 4; Anonymous 5.) it would be recommended to refer to a text, article, magazine, the source used.

The study reflects the situation at a given moment and can be recommended for the mentioned interval as a benchmark, the independent variables change permanently independently of all our pedagogical prognosis.

Author Response

We thank Reviewer 2 for their nice feedback. We have added the journal names to the anonymous references. 

Reviewer 3 Report

Thank you for the opportunity to review this paper exploring an aspect of teaching and learning in Higher Education.  The paper has the potential to contribute to scholarship on pedagogy in the academy on professional practice courses at undergraduate and post-graduate level.   The distinctiveness of the paper relates to the design of curriculum and pedagogy which is interdisciplinary in nature and informs professional formation.  The paper could be strengthened by including a robust rationale for the pedagogy informed by theory.  There are also some points for clarification.  The recommendations are:

a) As it stands the paper is not supported by a robust rationale for the pedagogy.  I suggest the author(s) consider authentic pedagogy (see Kreber) as a starting point for considering principles that guide this approach. Authentic pedagogy includes authentic approaches to assessment; it requires the lecturer to consider the value of the assessment task beyond the assessment itself.  

b) Further definition is required of terminology such as 'interprofessional', 'interdisciplinary' and 'multiprofessional' including a critical consideration of the assumptions within such terminology.

c) Please consider the research design.  I remain to be convinced that this includes elements of 'action research'.  If this is case study then the boundaries of the 'case' need to be defined.  If this is case study - what sort of case study?  See Yin or Stake for guidance.  Is this an evaluative case study?  e.g. an evaluation of an intervention into teaching and learning. 

d) Greater clarification is required in relation to research ethics.  For example, did the authors obtain ethical approval for the research?  How did the researchers maintain ethical relationships with students?  Relationships of power?  How were students invited to participate in the study.

e) Further clarification is needed as to what is meant by 'student cases'.  For example, are these scenarios about children/

f) The paper would benefit from some contextual information about the HE institution, obviously maintaining confidentiality and contextual information about the lecturers roles.

g) Finally, could the conclusion include a reflection by the authors on their learning.  How has the pedagogy changed?  If this is an evaluative case study - has the intervention in teaching and learning met its aims. 

Author Response

We thank Reviewer 3 for their constructive feedback. We have revised the manuscript according to the reviewer's recommendations. The list of the revisions is attached, and the amendments are marked in red colour in the manuscript. 

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf