A Johannsen K Bolander-Laksov N Bjurshammar B Nordgren C Fride ´n M Hagstro ¨mer Authors’ affiliations: A Johannsen, Division of Periodontology and Dental Hygiene, Department of Dental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden K Bolander-Laksov, Centre for Medical Education, Learning, Informatics, Management & Ethics, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden N Bjurshammar, Division of Periodontology and Dental Hygiene, Department of Dental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden B Nordgren, C Fride ´n, M Hagstro ¨mer, Division of Physiotherapy, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden Correspondence to: Dr A. Johannsen Division of Periodontology and Dental Hygiene Karolinska Institutet Alfred Nobels Alle ´8 SE-141 04 Huddinge Sweden Tel.: +46 8 524 88265 Fax: +46 8 524 88275 E-mail: annsofi.johannsen@ki.se Dates: Accepted 29 November 2011 To cite this article: Int J Dent Hygiene DOI: 10.1111/j.1601-5037.2011.00539.x Johannsen A, Bolander-Laksov K, Bjurshammar N, Nordgren B, Fride ´n C, Hagstro ¨ mer M. Enhancing meaningful learning and self-efficacy through collaboration between dental hygienist and physiotherapist students – a scholarship project. Ó 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S Enhancing meaningful learning and self-efficacy through collaboration between dental hygienist and physiotherapist students – a scholarship project Abstract: Introduction: Within the field of Dental Hygiene (DH) and Physiotherapy (PT), students are taught to use an evidence-based approach. Educators need to consider the nature of evidence-based practice from the perspective of content knowledge and learning strategies. Such effort to seek best available evidence and to apply a systematic and scholarly approach to teaching and learning is called scholarship of teaching and learning. Objective: To evaluate the application of the scholarship model including an evidence-based approach to enhance meaningful learning and self-efficacy among DH and PT students. Methods: Based on the research on student learning, three central theories were identified (constructivism, meaningful learning and self-efficacy). These were applied in our context to support learner engagement and the application of prior knowledge in a new situation. The DH students performed an oral health examination on the PT students, and the PT students performed an individual health test on the DH students; both groups used motivational interviewing. Documentation of student’s learning experience was carried out through seminars and questionnaires. Results: The students were overall satisfied with the learning experience. Most appreciated are that it reflected a ‘real’ professional situation and that it also reinforced important learning from their seminars. Conclusion: The scholarship model made the teachers aware of the importance of evidence-based teaching. Furthermore, the indicators for meaningful learning and increased self-efficacy were high, and the students became more engaged by practising in a real situation, more aware of other health professions and reflected about tacit knowledge. Key words: academic teaching; life-long learning; medical disciplines; practical skills Introduction Integrating theoretical knowledge in a practical context is often a tough task for students. Our experience as teachers in dental hygiene and phys- iotherapy is that clinical teachers in both programmes report that the stu- dents have forgotten knowledge that has been taught at an earlier stage in the educational programme. This seems to be the case also for other students in the medical field (1). Further, course evaluations from several ORIGINAL ARTICLE Int J Dent Hygiene 1