Team reflexivity and the shared mind in interprofessional learning

Abstract

In interprofessional (IP) workplace education, course and project leaders need a deeper understanding of how students learn. Basically, in IP workplace learning students learn from each other, from the affected agents (patients, clients, children, youth, or elderly), from the staff, and from using multitudes of artifacts. Most of these interpersonal processes are largely tacit, and we therefor decided on elucidating their possible parts in IP learning theoretically, focusing on central interpersonal aspects of team learning processes; team reflexivity and intersubjectivity. Consequently, our study aim was to elucidate possible associations between team reflexivity and the shared mind when students in the IP team interact within each other, with the people and with the artifacts around them. In this article we investigate, elaborate, and conceptualize relevant social theories which address aspects of team reflexivity and intersubjective activities. We will then elaborate and conceptualize consequences for increased understanding IP team learning. Based on our mutual libraries, we have searched in PubMed and Google Scholar for team reflexivity, intersubjectivity, shared mind and their combinations. We came to understand reflexivity and team reflexivity as mostly tacit activities which may be regarded as being interpersonal and self-pacing. Intersubjectivity is however based on the free interaction between minds, orchestrating each other with common ideas, thoughts, attitudes, and bodily actions. Intersubjectivity is created when team members’ verbal and non-verbal activities resonate, giving a shared feeling of developing mutual and common ideas, concepts, and understanding. Team reflexivity, and intersubjectivity are necessary aspects in understanding the learning processes in IP student teams, and we have sketched some consequences for IP course design.