Focusing on future learning environments: Exploring the role of space and place for interprofessional education

By | 21st November 2011



Great editorial written by Jonas Nordquist, Simon Kitto, Jennifer Peller, Jan Ygge, Scott Reeves.


While space and place have been important units of analysis in studying learning across a number of social science domains (e.g. environmental studies), there has been little research exploring these elements in either the health professions education or the interprofessional education literature (Leander, Phillips & Taylor, 2010). This editorial highlights the importance of acknowledging and beginning to understand the role of space and place in interprofessional education. Specifically, our aim is to initiate a dialogue about how space, place and learning can affect the design and implementation of this type of education. We suggest that understanding the conceptual and practical relationship between space, place and learning is necessary to the construction and reconstruction of learning spaces that aspire to follow interprofessional education principles (e.g. student-centredness, flexibility, interactivity, collaboration and communication).


Many of the points raised in this editorial will be further discussed and debated in an upcoming conference, entitled, Future Learning Environments: How Space Impacts on Learning which will take place the Nobel Forum, KI in Stockholm, Sweden from June 3–5, 2012. This conference aims to gather an interprofessional and interdisciplinary group of academics, designers, architects, clinicians, managers and policymakers to explore key dimensions and issues related conceptualizing, evaluating and theorizing about the use of space, how it impacts on professional and interprofessional learning. Additional information about the conference can be found at: www.ki.se/learningspaces
For more information, please see: Journal of Interprofessional Care, 
November 2011, Vol. 25, No. 6 , Pages 391-393.