Using Appreciative Inquiry to Build Communities of Practice with Health

On 5 February 2015 Dr Patti Silbert facilitated a half day Appreciative Inquiry session with all 20 Health Science students who will be undertaking their field practice in the SII partner schools during the course of the year. Fourth-year Occupational Therapy students and third-year Speech Therapy students together with their university supervisors and Profs Roshan Galvaan and Harsha Kathard participated in the session, the focus of which was building dynamic Communities of Practice. Two follow-up sessions took place at Intshayelelo Primary School, facilitated by Dr Silbert, on the 18 February – half way through the block – and on the 18 March, at the end of their block. Appreciative Inquiry is one of the principles underpinning the three-year NRF collaborative research project between the SII and the Faculty of Health Sciences.