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This chapter has rationalised that IPE is, and is likely to remain, a core element of the curricula of contemporary health and social care programmes in Higher Education Institutions. The logistics of this area of the curriculum are challenging, and student feedback can be variable. This thesis suggests that the concept of attitudes in IPE has not been fully explored in the literature, although the concept is acknowledged as being problematic and has not been underestimated. Exploring attitudes to collaboration, with relation to the aspirational characteristic of collaboration will permit an in-depth investigation of the IPE module.

Figure 1.1 Diagrammatic representation of place of research within attitude lens

The problem

Individuals with professional ideologies and practice with potentially differing perspectives

and ‘ways of being in the world’

The research

The research will explore how IPE could influence students’ attitudes towards collaboration

The imperative

IPE should aim to provide repeated, strong, logical arguments that are credible. Messages should be personally relevant and contain an element of affect

The goal

Stronger attitudes towards collaboration so that there is less potential for conflict in an increasingly multifaceted

service that cares for service users with more complex conditions and increased expectations

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My ontological stance starts from a belief that any reality is based on a range of perceptions, and that with specific regard to IPE, consideration of the range of perceptions across the breadth of those involved is fundamental. As a practitioner, experienced in both healthcare and education, I believe taking only my perceptions of IPE into account is insufficient to allow me to conduct credible research, an aim of which is to gain a greater understanding. I recognise that my views are filtered by my own lenses, which are created, developed and maintained by my experiences and my exclusive position within the IPE module. It follows that my epistemology and my own assumptions may, or may not, be the same as others, and importantly may prevent me from seeing, investigating and understanding a breadth of pertinent factors as my observations will be many and varied being socially situated between myself and my participants.

I perceive IPE as a complex phenomenon in which multiple realities exist and the myriad interactions which have the potential to occur may have an influence that is possibly

unquantifiable. The integration of a breadth of perspectives, which initially may appear to be both irreconcilable and incommensurable, will be carefully and diligently woven, using the analogy of a tapestry, to maximise what might be learned. An iterative, interpretivist paradigm will allow explorations of specific events and activities from the participants’ perspectives in conjunction with my own interpretations and observations. The diverse approach adopted will permit multiple claims and assumptions about social realities to be considered. While perhaps more challenging, it is believed that the complexity reflects that of the subject being explored, and will, potentially, allow insight into constructs that might not otherwise have become apparent.

However, it cannot be overlooked that participants may not be in a position, or willing, to give full explanations. Therefore, it is suggested that the multiplicity of methods and lenses will offer insights into subtle variations into individual participant experiences (Denzin and Lincoln, 2011). I recognise that given my role, I am immersed in IPE to a certain extent, and will attempt to embed methodological rigour (Yin, 2009) with my task as an interpreter (Stake, 1995) in a continuum to produce a credible account. This is in the recognition that there may be limited scope for generalisation but considering the previously mentioned multiplicity of methods and environments for teaching IPE, the insights which will be generalisable will vary between institutions and their methods of implementing IPE.

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In order for the research to be cohesive, highlights of multiple sources of evidence will be identified and built into synergies throughout the thesis. A complication, that will be embraced rather than avoided, is that there will be opportunity to exploit and explore ambiguities, rather than succumbing to the temptation of ignoring, or minimising them.

Therefore, it is apposite to outline exactly how the theoretical framework will inform and be used to interrogate the research. Allport’s assertion from 1954, that we have a natural tendency to make generalisations, has significance in IPE when considered in parallel with professional socialisation. Generalisations based on probabilities and previous experiences are likely to be inextricably linked with distinct professional groups selectively acquiring the values, knowledge, skills and attitudes implicit within disparate professional cultures. Because of the definition of IPE (Section 1.2), aspects of intergroup contact (Brown, 2000; Pettigrew, 1998) will necessarily be between individuals whose professional cultures are dissimilar, or perhaps simply just not the same. The impact of social identity theory (Turner, 1982; Tajfel, 1970) on third year students having to work in mixed professional groups while maintaining their self-esteem is particularly pertinent if the module is to influence students’ attitudes towards collaboration.

However, these theories did not appear to offer insights into one of my imperatives for wanting to gain a greater understanding of IPE, which was the dichotomous nature of feedback being received from successive cohorts, i.e. either very positive or very negative. It was thought possible that the theory of cognitive dissonance (Festinger, 1957) might be relevant to explore the negative aspect of the ‘marmite’ phenomenon mentioned previously (Section 1.4). It is thought that cognitive dissonance might offer an explanation for those who provide very negative feedback following IPE. However, the converse and positive opinions might suggest that transformational learning theory (Mezirow and Ass., 2000) has something to offer in explaining the comments of the affirmative aspect of the marmite analogy. This ontological position and the results from the ensuing research will be revisited at the end of the thesis (Section 8.9).

The structure of this thesis is somewhat unconventional but has been deliberately designed with the aim of complementing the methodology and reflecting the complexity of the topic in a way that supports transparency. The second chapter will outline and justify the choice of a case study approach to the research. Subsequent chapters will consider, individually, and in turn, each phase

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of data collection, including exploration of each method utilised, allowing each element of the theoretical framework to become a focus. The final chapter will include a synergistic account of the research findings allowing individual threads to be drawn together to explain how the work may be used as an evidential basis for changes to practice.

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2 Methodology