UofT PAIN WEEK DESIGN EXPERIMENT: Interprofessional Knowledge
Building for Knowledge Translation
Web Knowledge Forum
Web Knowledge Forum
2002
Undergrad
2003
CE/KTP
WebCT
Students
Experts
PAIN WEEK 2002
WEBSITE PORTAL
Online
Forms
My.library & PPT
Repository
Prof. Leila Lax
Iterative Design Experiment
Pain Week 2002 (KF2 & WebCT)
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Interprofessional student E-Learning model
Pain Week 2003 (Blackboard & KF4)
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Scaled-up (70 to 560 students) & fully integrated
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Development of KB/KF model for Continuing
Education/Knowledge Translation (experts)
Pain Week KB Goals
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To engage learners in discourse about the most
cutting edge knowledge of pain mechanisms,
assessment & management.
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To create opportunities to connect discourses
within and between communities opening new
possibilities for barrier-crossing in
interprofessional education & collaborative KB.
Knowledge Building
Theoretical Framework
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“Learning is an internal, unobservable process that
results in changes of belief, attitude or skill.
Knowledge building by contrast, results in the
creation or modification of public knowledge...The
goal is to advance the frontiers of knowledge (as
they are currently perceived).”
(Scardamalia, M. & Bereiter, C. (2002). Knowledge Building. In Encyclopedia of
Education, Second Edition. New York: Macmillan Reference, USA.)
Redefining Expertise
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Staged model (“end-state”)
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Dreyfus & Dreyfus, 5 Steps from Novice to Expert &
Schmidt, Norman & Boshuizen “illness to instance
scripts”
Process model (“cognitive reinvestment”)

Bereiter & Scardamalia, progressive problem solving at
increasing levels of complexity
(Bereiter, C. & Scardamalia, M. (1993). Surpassing Ourselves: An Inquiry
into the Nature and Implications of Expertise. Peru, Il: Open Court, USA)
IPE Expert KB/KT Database
Multimedia
& Virtual Patient
Unfolding Clinical Case Scenarios
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Standardized Patients
Real Patients
Future: Expert Demos
Future: Participant Video
Building-on Diverse Ideas
INTU & A Better Theory
Optimizing & Improving Ideas
Providing Authoritative Resources
Creating High Level Summaries
Linking & Multi-Referencing
Reflecting
Integrating Learning & Knowledge Building
Supporting Evidence-based KB
Using Visuals for Deep Understanding
Working with Real Ideas, Real Problems
KF Database = Knowledge Objects Repository
Knowledge Building Challenge
Advance beyond knowledge telling
2002: student database
 Shallow KB = knowledge sharing & idea
exchange
2003: expert database aiming for
 Deep KB = knowledge transformation &
innovation
Methods

Design Experiment Methodology (Brown, 1992; Collins,
1992; The Design-Based Research Collective, 2002)
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Ethical approval of research protocol
Self-selected volunteers (enthusiasts)
n=16
Analyses
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Attitudes & Opinions Survey
ATK KB Measures
KB Qualitative Indicators
Pain Conceptions/Misconceptions
Pre- & Post-test on Pain Beliefs
Reflective Feedback Survey (4 months later)
Experts Attitudes &
Opinions KT Survey
RESULTS
Response rate = 12/14 (86%)
Demographics

The program or faculty I am currently
registered/associated with is: Nursing=7, Medicine=1,
Pharmacy=2, Social Work=1, Physical Therapy=1,
Occupational Therapy=0, Dentistry=0
I am: Female=11
Male=1
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My age group is: 30-39=5
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40-49=7
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Did you find this interprofessional continuing education
experience useful?
Yes=11/12

Was there purposeful discourse online between
participants?
Yes=11/12

Did you acquire new knowledge?
Yes=11/12
Do you think as a result of this
course you will change your approach
to interprofessional practice?
Yes=7/12

Example:
“I have been fortunate to work with some great teams but
this did help in allowing me to see each individuals focus
and not expecting any one individual to carry all the
knowledge.”
Do you think as a result of this
course you will change your
approach to pain assessment &
management?
Yes=9/12
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Example:
“I thoroughly enjoyed reading the comments made by the other
participants, and realize how narrow focused I am and how much of
a broader perspective the other members bring to the table. They
truly have expertise that I never fully appreciated. I have learned that
management of pain encompasses much more than merely drug
therapy - but should focus on the whole person. We need to look at
emotional, financial, personal and other supports.”

Would you like to see more E-Learning CE/KTP courses
made available?
Yes=11/12
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Based on my experience of E-learning, I would recommend
it to a colleague.
10/12 strongly agree/agree

Overall I would rate my E-learning experience as: 83.3%
excellent/very good/good
KB Idea Diversity

“Socio-cognitive dynamics: Ideas diversity is
essential to development of knowledge... To
understand an idea is to understand the ideas that
surround it, including those that stand in contrast
to it. Idea diversity creates a rich environment of
ideas to evolve into new and more refined forms.”

Technological supports: link & reference
KB
Community Knowledge,
Collective Responsibility

“Socio-cognitive dynamics: Contributions to shared,
top-level goals…are prized…as much as individual
achievements. Team members produce ideas of
value to others and share responsibility for the
overall advancement of knowledge in the
community.”

Technological supports: build-on, link, summarizing
Future Directions

KB/KF progressive iterative design experiment,
addressing the continuum of health professional
education from undergraduate to knowledge
translation in practice, to advance pain education
& interprofessional outcomes.
Acknowledgements
Research Support:
 Numerous UofT Faculty & Dept. in-kind contributions;
 UofT Academic Priorities Fund, Council of Health Sciences and
Social Work Deans, Interprofessional Education Implementation
Committee, Dr. C. Whiteside, Chair, Associate Dean, Faculty of
Medicine;
 University of Toronto Centre for the Study of Pain, Dr. M. Salter,
Director; and
 Institute for Knowledge Innovation and Technology, Dr. M.
Scardamalia, Director, OISE/UT
Collaborators (research, case writing & facilitation):
Dr. J. Watt-Watson (Nursing), Dr. P. Pennefather (Pharmacy),
Prof. J. Hunter (PT), Dr. M. Scardamalia (IKIT) and Dr. A.
Gordon (Mt. Sinai Hospital)