Comparison of three online modalities of an interprofessional education case study activity

Interprofessional education (IPE) is integral to training the new population of health practitioners who will provide care for the aging population in the United States. The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of an IPE activity focused on care of older adults for Nursing, Audiology, Communication Sciences, Gerontology, and Health Science students using three online modalities (synchronous, asynchronous, and bichronous). A quasi-experimental design was used to compare the three groups of online modalities. Health professions faculty and programs within a large public university in the Western United States. 177 students in combined classes (nursing, audiology, gerontology, health science, and speech language pathology) over three terms. Students participated in an IPE activity in one of three online modalities and completed pretest and posttest measures on knowledge of care of older adults and attitude toward IPE. Knowledge quiz scores significantly improved in all three groups (synchronous: t = -2.586, 2-sided p = 0.013; asynchronous: t = -4.129, 2-sided p < 0.001; bichronous: t = -3.748, 2-sided p < 0.001). Students also demonstrated increased attitudes toward working in teams in the IPAS subscale in the posttest in all three groups. ANOVA and Kruskal Wallis tests demonstrated no statistically significant differences in the knowledge quiz or IPAS subscale between the three modality groups. The qualitative analysis of the open-ended evaluation question supported the quantitative findings that all three modalities effectively improved attitudes toward IPE. The findings indicate that healthcare students can effectively learn to collaborate within an interprofessional team on a case study for older adults. Similar benefits across modalities suggest that diverse online formats can equally facilitate effective learning among healthcare students. Nursing and health professions faculty can provide effective interprofessional education activities in a variety of online modalities. • An online interprofessional education activity with Nursing, Audiology, Communication Sciences, Gerontology, and Health Science students can effectively increase knowledge about care of older adults and improve attitudes toward interprofessional collaboration. • The online interprofessional education activity can be effective when provided synchronously, asynchronously, or bichronously (a combination of synchronous and asynchronous instruction) with no significant differences between modalities.