Addressing Complex Social Problems Using the Lens of Family Violence: Valuable Learning from the First Year of an Interdisciplinary Community of Practice

Heath Greville, William House, Stella Tarrant and Sandra C. Thompson ()
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Heath Greville: Western Australian Centre for Rural Health, University of Western Australia, Geraldton, WA 6530, Australia
William House: Western Australian Centre for Rural Health, University of Western Australia, Geraldton, WA 6530, Australia
Stella Tarrant: Law School, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
Sandra C. Thompson: Western Australian Centre for Rural Health, University of Western Australia, Geraldton, WA 6530, Australia

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 4, 1-16

Abstract: It is imperative that universities continue to explore innovations that support staff and student learning and pursue their mission to promote social responsibility and community service. Communities of Practice have been used to facilitate innovation and regenerate teaching and learning in tertiary contexts, including interdisciplinary collaborations around complex problems. This study describes the challenges and achievements of the first year of an interdisciplinary Community of Practice which aimed to create innovative approaches to teaching and learning about family and domestic violence, a complex social issue, inherently gendered, which receives little attention across the University discipline areas, despite the centrality of this issue in much of the future work of University graduates within a range of professional areas. We interviewed engaged members to explore the value gained from their first year of involvement in the Community of Practice. This initiative brought members substantial value while recognising the need for long-term engagement and commitment from the senior University leadership to embed innovation. A key lesson was that developing an innovative curriculum to address critical and ongoing social and public health issues requires much more senior leadership, responsibilities shared across faculty, and commitment of dedicated resources and staff time. The findings provide valuable learning for other Communities of Practice attempting to engage with complex problems and create innovative interdisciplinary approaches to teaching, learning, and research.

Keywords: community of practice; value creation; interdisciplinary; complex problems; teaching and learning; violence against women; family and domestic violence (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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