Hi Cornerstone students!
My name is Rochele Medrozo, and this week we will be discussing how we can apply interdisciplinarity in our lives. Merely defining Interdisciplinarity is a task in itself. Simplistically speaking, it is defined as,
“…The essence of interdisciplinary studies, which is manifested through research involving two or more knowledge domains,” (Repko, 2008).
Interdisciplinarity is used to describe a research process (Repko 2008). This process is a simple three-step model:
Step 1: Formulating insights into the problem or question
Step 2: Integrating these insights
Step 3: Reaching Interdisciplinary understanding
As a Studio Art minor, I can’t help but use art as a daily exercise for interdisciplinarity. For instance, if I wanted to create an artwork that needed to communicate a message, I needed to:
1.) Formulate insights or ideas (example: different media, tools and types of art) into the subject matter of my art piece,
2.) Integrate all of these insights (example: creatively blending the use of the different media),
3). Create an artwork that could have only been produced by the integration of different modes of art materials and genres.
Click here to read an article about Sung Rok Choi, an artist who is known for applying the interdisciplinary process into his art. Here is a link to Sung Rok Choi's work.
To increase your interdisciplinarity, consider your major areas and minor, and research volunteer opportunities in each area. You will find that many organizations need volunteers that are willing to be as creative and integrative as possible while volunteering. Volunteering allows you to help others, and allows you to integrate your disciplines into a new, meaningful cause.
I had the opportunity to volunteer with Arnold Palmer Hospital for about seven months now, and it culminated to a job offer! Every time I volunteered, I consciously tried to find ways to apply my knowledge of Education, Health Sciences, and my creativity through studio art. I suppose I did something right!
This Week’s Assignment:
1. How do you apply your interdisciplinarity in daily situations? Answer in at least two to three sentences.
2. What is interdisciplinarity not? Refer to your book, if needed. Answer in at least two sentences or more.
Option A:
-List at least 3 reasons why an Interdisciplinary Studies degree will help you get this job
-List at least 2 reasons why an interdisciplinary Studies degree will help you throughout your career.
Option B:
-Go onto YouTube.com and post a link of a video that displays how your future career uses an interdisciplinary approach. (YouTube is merely an example, feel free to use other resources)
-Be sure to identify what the career is in sentence form.
I apply interdisiplinarity in my daily situations by formulating insights into the problem or question, Integrating these insights and Reaching Interdisciplinary understanding. Originally the term interdisciplinary is applied within education and training techniques to describe studies that use methods and insights of several established disciplines or traditional fields of study. For example when I write a research paper or take my daily quizzes for my other online classes, I am applying interdisciplinarity.
ReplyDeleteWhat is interdisciplinarity not?
Interdisciplinarity involves the combining of two or more academic fields into one single discipline, so I guess anything but that would be not interdisciplinarity. I couldn’t find it in the book, so I am guessing on this one.
Physical Therapy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r35FQT3u0J4
The profession of Physical Therapy is very rewarding. It involves caring, educating, learning, communicating and motivating. You heal people and help people change their lives. You problem solve and use your analytical skills to do so much for so many people. It is a very rewarding career.
Tanveer Mia
Tanveer,
DeleteI can definitely agree that interdisciplinarity can be applied to our everyday life. Whether at school, work, home, in the community, etc. I do believe that the principle of interdisciplinarity is relevant. I feel that I use interdisciplinarity frequently during my work day. I formulate my response to a problem using various perspectives and ideas. Depending on the type of client, or type of person on the phone, I may respond in different ways. I think implementing this principle can help us think critically and become more creative in our problem solving skills.
Amanda Hofer
Interdisciplinarity is used in every day life in many ways. I did not realize it before but now I can see that I have used it in many ways without knowing it. I used it to problem solve with my children for example when there was a conflict of schedule or they needed to attend an activity after school or something, I would check various solutions if I wasn't available to just go myself due to work. Sometimes the best solution was a blending of more than one option such as going to a friend's house where I could pick her up later or meeting me at my work and we would go home together from there.
DeleteInterdisciplinarity is not just a single way of doing things. It is a combination of views or answers combined to create a better solution to a problem. This can rarely be done by just implementing one method or view. It gives a more rounded view of things.
I think I would like being a scientist because the interdisciplinary approach would allow me to study or research issues or problems from more than one view point for a better understanding of the problem. It would allow me to apply those viewpoints to the types of research that could be applied to the problem. I think that it will make me a more rounded employee and individual and the ability to apply both of these aspects to my career can help me through out my career and not just at one point like say the beginning of my career or employment. I think it will also be an asset on my resume showing my capabilities are not limited.
Lorri Cowart
I feel the same way, I never realized I did interdisciplinary things in my daily life as well. Actually, come to think of it, I didn't even know it existed! I thought about being a scientists when I was in medical school in the Caribbeans, but now I am just so fed up with the "system", I am going to let my wife continue with Medical School. Lets see how things work out.
DeleteTanveer Mia
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteLorri,
DeleteI've never been a scientist but I have been in many labs here at UCF and your right! They definitely require interdisciplinary approaches. Chemistry 2 lab requires you to identify and solve problems and requires you to have the ability to decide on a course of action that will make products properly react and form a complete reaction. You have to take your knowledge of the sciences and combine yours with other members of your group, so team work also plays a big role. A lot of students have a hard time participating in the labs because they can't integrate all of these things together at once, they simply just have their smart brains! I know that being an interdisciplinary major has helped me a ton within the labs especially.
-Charlotte Haught
That's an interesting perspective on interdisciplinarity and chemistry. I have never thought of that field in that way. I love the way thinking in an interdisciplinary way makes you realize there are many different ways to approach a subject.
DeleteHeather Coleman
Where are all the people this week? lol
ReplyDeleteI would like to comment on another persons post so I could get the grade for this week. I wonder if this one will count!! Here's to crossing my fingers!! Hope Half the people didn't drop the class lol
Tanveer Mia
I dont know about that but i usually post early in the week and hardly ever see anyone else posting until close to Thursday. I like the extra points earned myself. I think it will be helpful. Anyway I am still here and I know that Charlotte is and Mary as well. You just have to wait until they post. :) Good luck.
DeleteLorri Cowart
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI feel day to day interdisciplinary decisions are used any many instances such as while I am at work, I own a landscaping business and do tree jobs I use many various in techniques when I am taking down a large tree, I must formulate how to tie off to the tree to make it fall just where I want it to, what type of cuts are going to be made, also I must be ready to formulate another plan if the tie off gives in another direction, due to a bad cut, or weather along with a number of other variable’s.
ReplyDeletePsychology is one of my majors I hope to own my own office one day. I am lucky enough that I have known my psychologist my whole life and his wife whom also teaches at B.C.C. and U.C.F.. So since I’ve had this great opportunity I get to go in and talk and kind of job shadow him while he works, it is very strict though due to confidentiality but only the patients that agree to letting me in do I get to hear how he works and the things I have to look forward to. So I get to see his techniques and then use what I will learn and already have with previous classes to intergrade them into my own disciplinary.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NrNOEX-6GE
This is a different view on ways some psychologist work but I found it interesting because they used a type of meditation to help with their problems. This is where this psychologist used critical thinking to come up with a way to intergrade how he helped people cope.
Adam Kelley
Sorry about the deletes on the 1st and 2nd one I forgot to add my name at bottom even tho my google name is my initials.
Thta's really cool that you get to shadow a psychologist! I wondered if students pursuing a career in that field were able to sit in on sessions. I do a lot of shadowing as well, however I shadow dentists and the dental specialties. We also have to ask permission to the patient first before we can come view the doctor do their work. I find it really interesting to watch how everything is done and it is neat when I go to my actual dental appointments now because I know the steps and what is what when they are working on me! I'm sure you feel this same way, shadowing is a great opportunity!
Delete-Charlotte Haught
Psychology is one of my fields of study as well. I have always been interested in it. If so much education wasn't required for just an entry level position I would definitely want to pursue it as a career. That is really awesome that you have the opportunity to shadow a psychologist. Do you feel that this makes you have a clear understanding of what you hope to achieve as well as what to expect?
DeleteMary Cooley
I do different activities daily to the point where my only activities that stay the same day to day are things like showering, going to the gym, eating meals,studying and going to class. However on Wednesday's I have my pre-dental club meetings and I apply leadership, communication, and my knowledge of dental medicine. On Mondays I volunteer at Florida Hospital where I use communicaton, pathology, and oragnization. In general however I think day to day I use interdisciplinarity in problem solving.
ReplyDeleteInterdisciplinarity is not the methods, tools, and concepts that account for a particular subject. It is not additive, in that disciplinarians still have different perspectives even in a common environment. Furthermore, it is especially not a field where there are limits on procedures, ideas, and concepts.
Option A.
Career: Dentist
Getting the job
1. There is more to being a dentist than just working with your hands. You have to have the right personality that allows you to work well in an environment that deals with differing people all day. I think being an interdisciplinary major allows me to gain ethical sensitivity and a constructive response to criticism.
2. A dentist office is like family because usually there is just the dentist, and a couple hygienists and assistants. You must be able to interact and work well with these people. An interdisciplinary degree provides for effective group participation and team work.
3. A dentist must not be set in their ways and be open to new ideas because you don’t have an already made up plan when a new patient walks in your door with a mouthful of problems. Interdisciplinary studies gives one the ability to change their opinion in light of the facts and the ability to understand other value systems.
Throughout your career
4. As a doctor in the dental field you interact closely with patients all throughout your day. You need both good communication skills and proper knowledge of what your talking about to your patients. I believe interdisciplinary studies majors have effective oral communication and the ability to think conceptually.
5. When diagnosing patients, dentists need to think of the most beneficial plan for their patients. An interdisciplinary degree allows one to have the ability to decide on a course of action and evaluate alternatives.
-Charlotte Haught
I know I have told you before how much of a blessing it is that you realize how important it is to listen as much as it is to talk. Working well with others will serve you well. As a dentist, one of your biggest expenses will be turnover. Empowering your staff and having great people skills will keep this expense in check! Your interdisciplinarity will train you well for this!
DeleteHeather Coleman
Charlotte,
DeleteYu have great examples of how you use interdisciplinary in your everyday life and also with your career. Communication is key in any job and even relationships and friendships. You have to be exceptional at communicating as a doctor to get the main points across and encourage patients to listen and do the right things to get better and be able to fully understand their needs. You had great answers to all the questions being asked. Good Job!!
Cory Stoekel
I agree Charlotte, you have some great examples of interdisciplinarity in your daily life. I am with Cory in that I think that communication is key in just about anything we do. Your children will not know what to do if you don't let them know and the same is true of communication in the workplace, if you don't communicate nothing ever seems to get done. When I worked at Hollywood Video, my manager and I worked closely together and had a great communication between us. Because of that communication factor we were better able to get to know each other and we are now lifelong friends and family. Communication is definitely a great tool!!!
DeleteLorri Cowart
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete1. How do you apply your interdisciplinarity in daily situations?
ReplyDeleteIn my life I apply interdisciplinarity almost every day. At the grocery store when buying food, I use other disciplines (such as math) to formulate and discover good deals that might not have been readily apparent otherwise. When doing homework or studying, I'll use other disciplines to formulate a strategy to conserve time while still being able to get everything I need to get done. With the homework itself, I'll try to use other disciplines to think of novel solutions to problems that might not have otherwise been seen. In this way, I feel interdisciplinarity is something that a lot of us use without even knowing it.
-Matthew Vickers
I agree that interdisciplinarity is something that is all around us just not realized. It's a valuable skill to be able to see things in a multi-dimensional way. I like to save time as well and am always looking for ways to be more efficient!
DeleteHeather Coleman
It is amazing how we use interdisciplinary thought processes almost subconsciously. It is hard to believe that many fields of study do not allow for acknowledging that there are other thought processes. It would be appropriate to say that those not living interdisciplinarily are prejudice.
DeleteMary Cooley
Time crunch....man that's what I do with this class. I always forget to do something or another because this is my 5th class. I thought it would be easy and that's what my counselor told me, but I end up putting more time in this class than my other harder classes. I guess i'm learning to be Interdisciplinary!!! Woohoo!!
DeleteTanveer Mia
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete2. What is interdisciplinarity not?
ReplyDeleteInterdisciplinarity isn't simply looking at two different disciplines and coming to some sort of conclusion. It is integrating those disciplines to get a cumulative effect that is greater than each of the disciplines alone. In this way, the effect of interdisciplinarity is synergistic and not additive.
-Matthew Vickers (sorry for the deleted comments...I keep forgetting my name)
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A40mu2Kmlzg
ReplyDeleteThis video describes what day to day life is like for a pharmacist. Pharmacists use multiple disciplines in order to do their job. In the video you can see disciplines such as chemistry, education, communication, and biomedical science. These disciplines are all needed and integrated in order to carry out the necessary tasks of being a pharmacist.
-Matthew Vickers (AHHHH...forgot my name yet again...)
Don't feel to bad Matthew, I deleted a post or two for the same reason, I keep forgetting my name. lol.
DeleteI think Pharmacy is a very interesting career. You have the ability to impact lives daily and for the better most of the time. It is definitely an interdisciplinary career combining many disciplines to achieve a common goal. I like the way you laid out your view of how interdisciplinarity plays out in everyday life for you. Being able to manage time wisely to perform everything we need to do in a day is something I can relate to. I wish you all the best in your future and hope you do well in your classes!
Lorri Cowart
Hey yea I did the same thing with forgetting to put my name. Its aggravating. but you have a good example on how interdisciplinary is needed in Pharmacy. You definitely have to have an open mind and be able to perform many different tasks to be successful in Pharmacy. Best of luck in your future.
DeleteCory Stoekel
I apply interdisciplinarity in daily situations through a variety of ways. I use time management, analytical skills and knowledge to assess what a tooth needs to move the desired way, and people skills to anticipate the needs of the doctor I work for and the patient I am working on. A bit of psychology is also thrown in for good measure to keep harmony among those I work with.
ReplyDeleteInterdisciplinary studies is not multidisciplinary studies. There has to be integration. A fruit salad will not do when a smoothie is desired.
Desired job:
Instructional Coordinator
My degree will help me get this job because I will graduate with a good understanding of how people learn. Another factor that will make me a great candidate for a job in this field is that I will understand how to approach different personality types. This degree will always be great for teaching me to better help those with learning disabilities.
Overall, throughout my lifetime, I will benefit from learning to think in an Interdisciplinary way to approach problem solving and critical thinking tasks. It will also make me a more empathetic person to know that there is more than one way to approach situations.
Heather Coleman
I think your career path is a great example of how an interdisciplinary studies major would be at an advantage. Because you already have different perspectives to draw from, dealing with so many different personalities will probably come much easier to you. If you go to school and your professors tell you this is how you deal with this situation, or a boss tells you this is how we do it, and that's all you know; how do we know it can't be improved upon? Hopefully your different perspective will help you to help others.
DeleteSteven Bloom
I am constantly applying different areas of study throughout my daily life. I try to incorporate it in everything I do so I do not tunnel my thoughts. Especially shadowing a Physical Therapist I use Psychology to talk to the patients and understand them and Physical Science to accurately stretch, work out the areas that are causing pain. I am constantly asking questions to learn everything I can to be better prepared for when I become a Doctor of Physical Therapy.
ReplyDeleteInterdisciplinary is not a oneway street. It is a bunch of different highways all going to the same place. You have to take all the different routes to get to your destination.
1)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Xiker3SmEw
This is a great example of the pros and cons of Physical Therapy and the different interdisciplinaries being used throughout the career.
Cory Stoekel
Cory,
DeleteIt's funny you chose that video because I have watched it a couple times. So I was familiar with its content as soon as it started. I think he shows the economic and psychological side of being a PT. The collection of videos that this interview is broken down into is very informative and helpful. Nice choice.
Steven Bloom
1. I utilize interdisciplinary thought when I combine the areas of knowledge to solve a problem in the best way. At work I am often tasked with purchasing design software and I have to understand the perspective of the designers and what is easy for them to work with, what is within budgetary constraints, what applications are required to complete the job tasks assigned, and if it is supported. I have to consider the following perspectives: artist, finance, business, IT department, just to choose a piece of software.
ReplyDelete2. Interdisciplinarity is not solving a problem using one perspective. It is not thinking that there is only one answer. It is not seeing the world with tunnel vision and seeing things as only black and white.
3. Journalism http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nf-6HV0nRXA
Journalism is the practice of reporting events and issues through writing and multimedia sources.
Mary Cooley
I can see that you would make a great Journalist. I can see why you would need to know that information when purchasing software because if it is not simple enough for people to understand it, then what good is it. It is nice to see that you did not try to find a solution in a discipline that is the same, like software buyer for software to buy software. i am trying to look at situations like this everyday, but I sometime forget to look at different parts of the solution. Then also forget to look at the other ideas other disciplines might have to the solution.
DeleteMahindra Donald Rajkumar
Being interdisciplinary is a newer concept for me, but in retrospect has been a core part of my life. My wife says I can not even brush my teeth without analysing the outcome. She's over-exaggerating of course, but I do think about every possible angle of a decision before making it. Especially at work where every decision I make I look at from the patients perspective. What is best for the patient's health? How will they perceive my actions? I have also learned to integrate business perspectives into my work. I take all three perspectives into consideration to make the best decision.
ReplyDeleteInterdisciplinarity is the "mixing" of disciplines. It is not just having different perspectives from different disciplines. It is the integration that makes it interdisciplinary.
I want to work in the health care field either as a nurse, physical therapist or physician assistant. That being said, this video is how the health care field is trying to integrate interdisciplinary care teams.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JT5YsKNOKM
Steven Bloom
Hi Steven,
DeleteI really wish you were the one taking care of my grandma right now, she had a stroke on 2/15 and was placed in Sea Pines she is now back at Holmes and is not doing too well. The nurses at Sea Pines were giving her aspirin and she was not supposed to be getting aspirin because she had a hemorrhagic stroke as well as an upper GI bleed. We just left her at Holmes to came home a get some food and get some work done, I will be going back up to make sure she is being taken care of. Her left leg is the size of a giant log, and they have no idea why. They also left her with her pants down around her knees the other day, I have not been too happy. When I worked at the hospital I treated every person as if they were my own family, I can not understand the lack of care and the lack of human decency.
Sorry about the venting,
You will do great at what ever field you choose,
Katina Bolton
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWhen I try to use an interdisciplinary approach in everyday situations, I look at it in a Humanities persepective, because I am human. My minor is in education and my other subject area is Physical science. I first come up with a solution then I try to look at the parts of the solution, and then at each part, think about why I first chose that solution and then look at what my other solutions to the part of the problem could be.
ReplyDeleteInterdisciplinary is not combining two or more areas into one. It is not using different parts of a discipline to the solution.
Mahindra Donald Rajkumar
It sounds like you have a great and efficient way of applying interdisciplinarity to everyday situations. I think we do implement this when solving problems, but may not even realize it. I think using the method that you mentioned is better than just looking at a problem from one perspective. The world is full of variety, and the problems we encounter will probably not be as straight forward as we'd like. So approach a problem from different perspectives is key in finding a solution.
DeleteAmanda Hofer
I really don’t know how my subject area can be used to my advantage in a hospital. I know, I will know what they are talking about. That is because of my background in Physical Science. Another reason is my skills that I think that will help me with the Job, is my bedside manner and Computer Skills. I also think that these skills will be useful into starting a unique career in Education! A third reason that will allow me to get this Job is my ability to find solutions to a problem rather quickly because I have the ability to adapt to the environment. The two reasons that will help me get a teaching Job with an interdisciplinary studies degree is my education minor and my Physical science subject area.
ReplyDeleteMahindra Donald Rajkumar
Donald,
DeleteIt sounds like you have a real grasp of interdisciplinary and the real world. I too am involved in the health field and in education. I want to educate young children on how to eat right and exercise and hopefully win the battle on childhood obesity.
Good post, keep up the good work,
Katina Bolton