We hope that everyone is enjoying the blog so far. This week we will be discussing interdisciplinarity.
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines the word interdisciplinary as "involving two or more academic, scientific, or artistic disciplines." Our major is a great example of this. It requires us to use multiple disciplines in order to create a unique program of study. Some of us are already moving a step further and integrating those disciplines, while others are not yet ready. You have likely given thought to what interdisciplinarity is. This week, we would like you to try something a little different.
What do you think interdisciplinarity is not?
Are you currently integrating your disciplines? If so, how do you do this?
Outside of the major, there are other places where we may apply our interdisciplinarity. It can be applied in number of places, including the workplace, a volunteer opportunity, or even your kitchen. Something as simple as baking a cake can be interdisciplinary, as you may use math and science during the baking process, and art while decorating.
How do you apply your interdisciplinarity in daily situations?
Do you know anyone who has an interdisciplinary profession?
What are some opportunities (personal, professional, or academic) that can increase our interdisciplinarity?
Finally, we would like to share two opportunities with you.
The Interdisciplinary Studies Student Association is a club specifically for IS majors. It allows students to "meet and network, share diverse experiences, talents, resources, and skills." More information can be found athttps://www.facebook.com/ISSA.
Volunteer opportunities often provide a setting that can increase our interdisciplinarity. Volunteer UCF "links interested students with community organizations that best fit their interests, talents, and majors." More information and upcoming volunteer opportunities can be found at http://vucf.getinvolveducf.
We're looking forward to hearing your thoughts! Happy blogging! :)
What do you think interdisciplinarity is not? Having spent the past 7 weeks thinking about integrating my disciplines, I think this is an interesting question. I think it is tackling something from only one side or perspective. But I really can’t think of too many examples that would fit into this definition. It seems almost as if everything somehow would use the help of something else. When I was thinking of my future career path, another option I seriously considered was working in a hospice setting as a counselor. At first, I thought this would mean dealing with the families on a psychological level, but upon further research, I realized that even this entailed more than one discipline: that it would include social workers, psychologists, therapists, plus dealing with the families, just to mention a few.
ReplyDeleteSo do you have any good examples of what would really stand alone in terms of what is not interdisciplinarity?
I do know of a career that uses interdisciplinarity on a regular basis, and that would be the job of a city or town manager. In order to be successful in their position and make informed decisions, they need to have a huge wealth of knowledge regarding (just to name a few) law, financing, ethics, public policy, and administration. They also need to be able to take this knowledge from the various areas and integrate it to solve problems or answer questions that might arise within their area. Of course, they do have access to staff members to offer them guidance, but without the know-how to process what is going around them in their city or town, their job would be almost impossible.
I also think volunteering is so important, so thanks for sharing the link.
Stacey Feldman.
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DeleteI agree with you Stacey, after really thinking about it I can't say many examples that fit into that definition either. It's quite impressive how many disciplines can be connected and how many more disciplines are involved in one particular job/area than initially thought.
DeleteSokhara Goodall
Stacey, I couldn't agree more, there are very few things that you can successfully approach with a one dimensional frame of mind, or from just one perspective or discipline. A good example is your consideration of pursuing a career as a hospice counselor and realizing how many disciplines that are involved in caring for a family. With that said, I think it's a great time to have an Interdisciplinary major and have an integrated thought process.
DeleteHow have your thoughts about integrating your disciplines changed over the last 7 weeks?
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DeleteActually for the for time since I selected IDS as my major, I am certain that I made the right decision. I do believe that my disciplines go hand-in-hand. I just finished my first proposal and I feel I now have a better understanding of what it means to look at a phenomenon from the perspectives of different disciplines to try and solve an issue.
DeleteStacey H. Feldman
Stacey,
DeleteI also agree that it can be difficult to define something that is not interdisciplinary. When you really give it thought, there are just so many things that require an interdisciplinary approach, or will at least work better with one.
In my opinion, an example of what interdisciplinarity is not would be something that uses multiple disciplines but does not integrate them. The hospice setting that you mentioned could be an example. It is interdisciplinary because all of the different components work together. If everything was separate and a family, for instance, had to deal with each aspect separately or individually, then I think that it would lose its interdisciplinarity. Multiple disciplines would be used in the process, but they would work side by side and not together.
Danielle
That's awesome, Stacey. It's good to feel confident about your degree and what you can now bring to an organization. I was also a bit shaky about it in the beginning, but that was primarily because I found that I had to explain what Interdisciplinary Studies was everytime someone asked me about my major. And since I wasn't confident, my answer wasn't confident. Understanding your choice and embracing it is powerful.
DeleteStacey,
DeleteI came to the same conclusion when I started considering the first question. I found myself having a difficult time picking out something specific that was not interdisciplinary after spending so much time over the past several weeks thinking about what is interdisciplinary. I am glad to see that I wasn't the only one.
- Micah O'Steen
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ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWith alot of my general choices in life like what to eat, I apply my Interdiciplinarity into that. Weighing up the calories, what I need from the food and considering time how I will feel eating it. That alone involves maths, nutrition, science and psychology.
ReplyDeleteSokhara Goodall
Nice example, Sokara! Were you surprised to realize how much we use integrated disciplines throughout our lives? Has this affected how you view your degree?
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteYes I really was Tai. It definately has becasue I used to view my IDS degree as just an outlet for not knowing what I want to do as a career, but now I see it gives me a greater advantage to go into more career paths whilst not compromising my knowledge on the multiple subjects I'm learning.
DeleteSokhara Goodall
I can relate, Sokhara. I used to feel the same way. I didn't feel confident about my degree because I thought it was a display of my indecisiveness, but I now embrace it as a demonstration of my strengths. You're right, it does give you a greater advantage in choosing your career and it also shows future employers that you are well-rounded and can approach a problem or idea from various perspectives.
DeleteAre you currently integrating your disciplines? If so, how do you do this?
ReplyDeleteAs being part of a soccer team, I feel I am constantly integrating my disciplines. In the psychological aspects, I know how my encouragement can affect a team-mate and must know how to approach particular individuals to others. In addition, the education aspects is always present being in my soccer team becasue I am always learning, practising and devloping skills.
Sokhara Goodall
Soxiee,
DeleteI am integrating my disciplines. I am currently in Health Science and Psychology. Knowing the background of human psychology helps me better understand how health care consumers react to certain health care reforms. This is most helpful when we are asked to write papers.
Catherine Aboyme
What do you think Interdisciplinarity is not? The only example I can even consider with this question is a personal matter where only your own opinion and perspective matter, such as writing in your diary. No other factors beside you come into play therefore I think the asnwer to this question could be the saying "tunnel-vision"
ReplyDeleteSokhara Goodall
Sokahara,
DeleteWriting in a diary is a good example. While other subjects could come into play through things like content or decoration, simply writing in a personal diary does not seem interdisciplinary at its core. I do agree that it is difficult to find examples of what is not interdisciplinary. As you stated in your example above, even deciding what to eat can require interdisciplinarity.
I like your use of the term "tunnel-vision" . Only focusing on a single discipline or perspective eliminates the opportunity to integrate other knowledge, which I think is very important for interdisciplinarity.
Danielle
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DeleteSokhara,
DeleteI must concur with you. Mere writing in a personal diary when your own thoughts are your own and you are drawing from your own emotions and daily occurrences, is not particularly interdisciplinary. But, say, when you write a paper for whatever class, you bring what you've learnt in concepts from that particular discipline and your own thoughts/ideas you may have picked up, which contribute in shaping a more cohesive, powerful argument to back up your position. That would be better.
Camilo Echeverri Bernal.
I think I am getting closer to integrating my disciplines but definitely not all the way there yet. In, for example, psychology class we will go over a subject and I will realize that we discussed something similar in my communication class. So far this is the only way I think I am integrating my disciplines.
ReplyDeleteKayla Lee
It's just beginning, Kayla. You'll start to see it more and more as you continue and become more aware of how Interdisciplinary concepts are all around us. Speaking of classes, another example can be integrating writing concepts that are learned in English classes when writing reports in others.
DeleteCan you think of something that you do that involves multiple disciplines or that is Interdisciplinarity?
Kayla,
DeleteIt's pretty interesting to see the way different disciplines work together, even though we may not be aware of it initially. I think you'll find an increasing number of occasions where concepts from one discipline appear in another as you progress with your major. As Tai said, it's just beginning. As time goes on, it becomes easier to see the ways that your disciplines relate and can be integrated.
Danielle
That also happens to me. If I am going or have gone over a concept in a Humanities class and my philosophy class, I can address it and discuss it in class with much more confidence. That's what is nice about being in classes that bring more than one discipline together. It makes learning much more enjoyable and fulfilling. Even more so when you are writing a paper or doing a project.
DeleteCamilo Echeverri Bernal.
Hi, Tai, I was thinking about your question of multidisciplinary. I just came from blowing bubbles in front of the local store and as I was there, I was watching families of all sizes with many different numbers of purchases coming out. This got me to thinking. Raising a family is multidisciplinary because your need to understand so many different concepts in order to make a household run smoothly: Finances, cleaning, cooking, laundry, teamwork, ethics, and many others. These all go hand-in-hand, yet the end result is a smooth running (hopefully) happy home. What's your thought?
DeleteStacey Feldman
Stacey, I think that may be the most important job that integrates disciplines! We can add biology and science (sick babies), psychology, sociology...law, etc :)! What a fantastic observation!!
DeleteHey Kayla. It is hard for me to tell if I am integrating my disciplines as well. I think about my daily tasks and assignments and how I use my areas of study in everyday life. I write blogs for my cheerleading coach and I use mass communication and modern language to entertain my audience effectively. Modern language taught me the technical aspects of writing like grammar and punctuation, while communication has taught me how to properly engage my audience in my writing. I hope this helps!
Delete-Morgan Ferrell
Kayla,
DeleteI found it difficult at first myself but as I come to better understand what interdisciplinarity is, I am finding that I integrate my disciplines of study as well as many others on a daily basis. It has become pretty eye-opening.
-Micah O'Steen
I am trying to think of something I do that involves multiple disciplines but it is challenging for me. Things I enjoy doing are surfing, fishing, and gardening. Does anyone know if these are considered interdisciplinary?
ReplyDeleteKayla Lee
Hey Kayla.
DeleteSurfing is definately Interdisciplinary, think of all the things you have to take into consideration. The weather being a scientific factor (knowing if there will be high winds)which then relays into your knowledge as a surfer (educational aspect). Surfing is Interdisciplinary because you have to take into account different perspectives/facts from other sources besides yourself.
Sokhara Goodall
Thanks Sokhara, that was very helpful for me. Its hard for me to break things down, like the different disciplines that are involved in activities. Im not sure if that is because I am just now learning about interdisciplinary.
DeleteKayla Lee
Great point, Sokhara! Surfing is a great example of Interdisciplinarity. So is gardening. That integrates science, art, and more than likely, psychology. Science relates to planting and taking care of the plants, art comes into play when deciding what to plant and the designs, and if it relaxes you or makes you feel good, psychology is then integrated :)
DeleteHey Kayla,
DeleteI don't know much about fishing but it seems interning, so I went ahead and did a little research on it. I found that an interdisciplinary approach is being developed in regards to fish farming. Here's the link: http://www.lafayette.edu/about/news/2012/01/06/technology-clinic-brings-interdisciplinary-approach-to-local-fish-farming/.
The site take about taking different disciplines, from psychology, chemical engendering, anthropology, and so on. The interdisciplinary approach is being done to increase productivity and create new jobs. This project is a great way to show fishing, a traditional way of living can be improved by integrating different disciples.
--Catherine Aboyme
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ReplyDeleteInterdisciplinarity, in my opinion, is not a straightforward, solid and myopic fashion of learning or addressing real-world issues. In politics or science, even in art, no one discipline can satisfy or fully address the requirements to properly learn the concepts and techniques. Without mathematics, some forms of art would not be possible-- just like forms of science, would be blind without the humanities, reason why we have the social sciences, which address psychology and anthropology from two complimentary perspectives.
ReplyDelete-Camilo Echeverri Bernal.
Camilo, I was nodding in agreement when I read your previous post about learning one thing in class that was presented in another. There are very few things that are purely one dimensional, and you're right, art...or say architecture even, can't happen without math and sometimes other disciplines. The more we examine even the smallest things in life, the more we realize just how integrated our world really is.
DeleteI agree Camilo. It is difficult to describe what isn't interdisciplinary because "no one discipline can satisfy the requirements to learn the concepts..." That is what I wanted to say, but you explained it in a nut shell! I feel like almost everything we do in life depends on multiple insights. There is not a single source primarily responsible for the creation of a theory or concept. The integration of multiple perspectives and insights is heavily involved in all of the processes that promote imagination and innovation, which lead to new ideas and disciplines....by the way, is this the Camilo on the soccer team?!
Delete-Morgan Ferrell
Camilo,
DeleteI totally agree with you. I feel like being an interdisciplinary student help me see health in a different perspective. It gives me a wider view of the whole picture regarding the health of a person. I mean, we are humans, we are multidimensional, and if we only see one dimension of a person then we will fail to understand and appreciate the complexity of who we are. The same goes to patients in the health care field-- there is more to a chest pain patient than just pain. There could be multiple reason for that pain, which would require multiple remedies.
Catherine Aboyme
I think interdisciplinarity is part of our everyday lives. We constantly integrate multiple elements and disciplines to complete most daily tasks. My life is interdisciplinary because my areas in art and modern langauge are based on my personality traits and what I enjoy doing, which makes it easy for every day use. It is hard to name things that aren't interdisciplinary because almost everything in life depends on its surrounding nature.
ReplyDeleteIntegration is necessary for growth and survival. For example, college cheerleading is an interdisciplinary sport because it combines acrobatics, gymnastics, strength conditioning and cardio. It also combines both male and female genres. It is interdisciplinary because there is a competition season and a game season. You must integrate both to be a college cheerleader, which is a struggle for some. Most jobs are part interdisciplinary because they combine the use of technical, organizational, observational and communicational skills. Teachers, lawyers, and doctors are the first interdisciplinary professions that come to my mind because they use certain disciplines as their basis of knowledge, but communicate their knowledge with their subjects by using communication-focused disciplines. The more we integrate disciplines, the more we advance as a society. That's why top employers search for candidates who combine different perspectives, disciplines and concepts as a means of problem solving.
-Morgan Ferrell
Morgan, I like your insight into Interdisciplinarity being necessary for advancing and evolving as a society. I honestly can't imagine there being just a one dimensional approach to professions, and definitely not to life. You're right, we wouldn't survive.
DeleteAnother good point about our degrees is that we are able to personalize our areas of study to suit who we are and what we like. For you, it's art and modern language.
And speaking of advancing...I was a cheerleader, too, for many years and it is certainly more interdisciplinary today, and I'll bet it will continue to advance. How long have you been a cheerleader?
Great example wit cheerleading. I believe sports are more interdisciplinary than people can imagine. Take golf for example, sure its an individual sport, but it requires a caddy and coach. You have to work with a coach for countless hours perfecting your swing. You have to make sure you keep in the best physical shape you can and you have to find a caddy that works well with you in order to achieve success.
DeleteAllen Haley
Allen, this is another great example of Interdisciplinarity in an activity that doesn't initially appear to integrate disciplines. Science also comes into play when you think of how understanding how wind conditions affect the ball.
DeleteAfter spending nearly half a semester contemplating what interdisciplinarity is and discovering the term, I find that discussing what it is not is a little more difficult than one might think. I think that virtually anything out there can be viewed as interdisciplinary in the right light. However, considering the specific defintiion given above, I would have to say that simple tasks, such as playing a sport, or completing a mathmatical problem could be considered monodisciplinary or the opposite of interdisciplinarity.
ReplyDeleteAfter considering what Interdisciplinarity is, I have found that I integrate many different disciplines in my professional life, on a daily basis. I am a business manager by day and I use knowledge of accounting, skills in sales and marketing and employ human resource techniques just to name a few.
I know many others that work in a field where different disciplines are used but thinking about this brings me back to the original point of what interdisciplinarity is not. I think that if you look close enough, nearly all professions are interdisciplinary in some way shape or form. Doctors use math and science hand in hand, managers such as myself work using many different disciplines, and even the bluest of blue collar jobs could involve more than one.
I feel that anything an individual can do to diversify their lives could increase their own interdisciplinarity.
Micah O'Steen
Micah, I agree, it is very difficult to try to think of what indisciplinarity is not or to list activities that are not interdisciplinary. I thought it was very interesting that you pointed out that almost anything can be viewed as interdisciplinary in the right light. I've been thinking the same and have been trying to think of an activity that I do that involves only one discipline.
DeleteWhen you think of playing a sport as monodisciplinary, which sport comes to mind? And if you really think about it, does your perception change?
Could not agree more, I cant think of many things that are not interdisciplinary. Everything involves more than one discipline in some aspect.
DeleteI think sports are completely interdisciplinary though. Many of them involve intense competition with other competitors or teammates with different attitudes and views. It takes much practice and team building to learn to work together.
- Allen Haley
DeleteI agree that almost anything you do today could be deemed interdisciplinary. It is largely a matter of perspective. The key will be explaining it to employers so they see the unique training you have had and concinving them that you can create synergy. I'm still not sure how I do that.
DeleteWhat do you think interdisciplinary is not?
ReplyDeleteBefore I began this course I would not have been able to answer this question. Now that I am almost 2 months in I feel confident in my ability to seek out what is interdisciplinary and what is not. Solving problems with only one method or train of thought is not multidisciplinary. Not willing to adapt to new techniques or ways of achieving goals will often hamper your ability to succeed. I have always attempted to adapt to new ways of achieving success and always tried to keep an open mind when it comes to my future. I am attempting to integrate my disciplines and research potential careers that will allow me to do so.
One profession that I believe is an excellent example of multidisciplinary is an Athletic Director. Not only are they in charge of seeing success on the playing fields by hiring the right coaches and making sure they are following the rules. They also are in charge of the business side of an athletic department. This is no easy task, each sport has a budget in order to keep the department in the black. How they determine the balance between results and fiscal responsibility is a difficult task.
Allen Haley
Allen, I agree whole-heartedly, we have to adapt to new ways of thinking to not only achieve success, but to evolve as a society. The good thing about an Interdisciplinary degree is that you are laying the foundation for several doors to be open to you, career wise. What is one example of how you have adapting to a new way of thinking to achieve success?
Delete