Teamwork Models

Concept Components of Teamwork Models

(Sell et al., 2022)

Involves disciplines/professions

The number or type of disciplines involved.
For each of the teamwork models described below, multiple (at least two) disciplines needed to be involved.

Mode of collaboration

The processes, working modes, and methods of teamwork.

Aims/purposes

The aims, objectives and general purpose of the teamwork.
Put simply, for each of the models described below there was a common aim: to solve a problem that one discipline could not solve independently.

Role of participants

The role that participants from different disciplines have in the teamwork.

Disciplinary boundaries

The maintenance, blurring, or dissolution of disciplinary boundaries during teamwork.

Teamwork Models

Interdisciplinary vs Multidisciplinary vs Transdiscipinary

Interdisciplinary

Mode of collaboration: co-responsibility; collective ownership; integrative, synergistic, harmonising effects; coherent whole.
Role of participants: professionals are aware of the specifics of their own discipline but are willing to accept co-responsibility across other disciplines; this ultimately leads to more coordination and communication resulting in increased valuing of the skills and expertise of each team member.
Disciplinary boundaries: collaboration that may involve going beyond one's own disciplinary boundaries.

Multidiscipinary

Mode of collaboration: different disciplines contribute knowledge and skills to work towards a common goal; professions are "aligned."
Role of participants: despite collaboration, each discipline maintains their own levels of specialisation.
Disciplinary boundaries: collaboration across disciplines with maintenance of boundaries.

Transdisciplinary

Mode of collaboration: integration of skills, perspectives, and expertise from different disciplines; coherent whole; knowledge co-production; knowledge translation.
Role of participants: to be attuned to the nuances and cultures of different disciplines; roles within the team may not be discipline-specific but rather, specific to the needs of the situation; thus, team members may transcend their individual discipline and perspective.
Disciplinary boundaries: fully dissolved disciplinary boundaries.
Other: requires increased time and energy; more complex issues and dimensions to grasp.

(Sell et al., 2022)

How does this relate to Learn.On?

Why is Learn.On considered interdisciplinary teamwork?

Physiotherapy and speech pathology students work collaboratively to create a product.
The responsibility of this project falls evenly between each member of the group.
The expertise of each student is drawn upon, however, there are moments where you will need to research and learn skills relevant to other disciplines to assist in app design (e.g., as a physiotherapy student, I was required to research existing voice interventions for people with Parkinson's disease and assist in designing a biofeedback metre that would be used for decibel reading).