Overcoming Silos: A Sustainable and Innovative Approach to Curriculum Development

ABSTRACT

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of being adaptable and flexible in our teaching practices in higher education. Traditionally, a siloed approach to curriculum development has dominated in higher education institutions. These silos are known to create inefficiencies and, in the context of developing teaching resources, often result in the duplication of curricula, resulting in wasted effort and time, and inconsistent teaching practices. In this short communication, we put forward a sustainable and innovative approach to cross-disciplinary curriculum development, known as the Connected Curriculum for Professionals in Health initiative. This ongoing initiative was launched in 2018 and brought together teaching academics and students to co-design a centralized online repository of high-quality, evidence-based online educational modules that support student learning across disciplines. A mixed-methods evaluation of this initiative found that this is a well-utilized repository of engaging modules (n = 46) that have enhanced learning outcomes for both undergraduate and postgraduate health professional students. The Connected Curriculum for Professionals in Health initiative has wide-ranging applicability, beyond disciplines, and is a sustainable, efficient, and strategic approach to enhance pedagogy and the student experience.