Ontological Limits in the Creation of Knowledge in Health Professions Education: Reflections on Peer Review

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Friday 3:20 pm Four Seasons Ballroom 4
  In Roundtable Session: Methodological and Theoretical Perspectives in Professions Education (Table 13)

Abstract

This paper summarizes the literature regarding ontologies (views of the nature of reality) that most commonly underlie health professions education (HPE) research, then notes a much longer list of ontologies that could also inform HPE research. Despite the broad scope of ontologies with relevance to HPE literature, the scope of ontologies reference in published research in HPE is quite narrow. The authors conclude that more wide-ranging discourse and consideration of modifications to the peer review process to encourage openness to unfamiliar ontologies and methods may create a research space that can better address the complex and far-ranging questions that need attention in HPE.

Authors

• Janice L. Hanson, Washington University in St. Louis

• Heeyoung Han, Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville