Virtual Situated Learning Environments - Information Communication Technologies for Human Services Education and Delivery - page 74

the learning approach required to develop these
skills is less clear.
One field of thinking is that while these skills
are generic, the context in which they are learnt is
different. Becher (1994) uses the term “academic
tribes” to describe disciplinary differences that,
he claims, result in four intellectual cultures each
with its own approach to learning and teaching.
Using the work of writers, Biglan (1973) and
Kolb (1981), he links disciplinary perspectives to
subject matter research that he argues will affect
both teaching and learning. He identifies, first, the
natural sciences as underpinned by an emphasis
on hard, pure subject matter and requiring abstract
reflective enquiry. Second, humanities and social
sciences relating more to soft pure subject matter
and concrete reflective enquiry. Third, science-
based professions as using hard, applied subject
matter and abstract active enquiry and social
professions as soft applied subject matter and
concrete active enquiry.
Others, notably Trigwell et al (1999), Meyer
and Vermunt (2000) and Prosser et al (2003) argue
that these disciplinary differences, if not factored
into educational design, can create dissonance in
student learning.
While recognising the potential differences
between disciplines in attempting to graduate
students with appropriate employability skills, the
task is complicated further in areas where there
is need for professions to work at the intersection
of a number of disciplines to present a holistic
solution to complex problems. This creates the
need to design learning environments that cater
to a variety of learning styles associated with a
broad range of disciplines.
Arising from the Report of the World Health Or-
ganisation (1998) that advocated teamwork across
disciplines through inter-professional learning,
there has been a growth in government pressure
on universities to deliver learning opportunities
that are designed to develop inter-professional
skills. Starting in the United Kingdom health care
industry, the spread of interest in inter-professional

learning approaches in Australia is evidenced by
the establishment of a Discipline-Based Initia-
tives grant scheme by the then Carrick Institute
(now Australian Learning and Teaching Council)
in 2007. This DBI aimed to 'encourage greater
sharing of quality practice and learning within
and across disciplinary communities' with one
of the principles adopted being to 'foster creative
interdisciplinary engagement' (Carrick Institute
2007). Examples of learning initiatives for inter-
professional education presented at the first DBI
forum on trans, multi and inter-disciplinary
learning and teaching curriculum design covered
a broad spectrum of disciplines with the Health
and related Sciences (Biotechnology, Community)
prominent.
In a recent publication devoted to the implica-
tions of the increasing focus on inter-disciplinarity
for higher education teaching and learning, Davies
and Devlin (2007, p.3) identify three main types
of learning. The first is multi-disciplinarity, which
they define as the co-existence of a number of
disciplines. The second is cross-disciplinarity,
described as the investigation of a topic from
outside a particular field of study with no co-
operation from within the field of study concerned.
The third is inter-disciplinarity in which the
subtleties of the nature of academic disciplines
is recognised. The latter, in turn, can occur by
students undertaking an elective subject on gen-
eral topic eg women's studies from a variety of
disciplines, or pluri-disciplinarity, where two or
more disciplines combine their expertise to jointly
address an area of common concern. For example
a complex issue, such as obesity management,
requires an integrated approach from behavioural
scientists, molecular biologists and mathemati-
cians (Aboelela et al 2007).
The implications of the move to inter-profes-
sional education, and the underlying complexities
involved in identifying what is actually meant by
the term inter-professional, results in significant
pedagogical issues for universities about methods
of education delivery and the learning environment