The university/community partnership: Transdisciplinary course development

Abstract

This paper describes the process of expanding the knowledge base and clinical practice for students in professional preparation programs in social work, nursing and education. Through a partnership of university faculty and administrators of a private school for students with learning and behavior problems, a transdisciplinary course was designed to address the need for providing future professionals an opportunity to understand multiple perspectives in the design of clinical interventions. The process of defining the course content, identifying appropriate required reading, and building connections to field work was a collaborative effort and less problematic than the logistics of implementation. Negotiating the administrative barriers to interprofessional collaboration involving curriculum innovation was more challenging. Discussion also includes the need for a shared vision and responsibility for improving practice, the practical implications of university funding and the benefits and challenges of transforming current treatment paradigms into one focused on interprofessional care.