Long-term interdisciplinary therapy reduces endotoxin level and insulin resistance in obese adolescents.

Science.gov (United States)

Lira, Fábio S; Rosa, Jose C; Pimentel, Gustavo D; Santos, Ronaldo V; Carnier, June; Sanches, Priscila L; de Piano, Aline; de Souza, Claudio T; Tock, Lian; Tufik, Sergio; de Mello, Marco T; Seelaender, Marília; Oller do Nascimento, Claudia M; Oyama, Lila M; Dâmaso, Ana R

2012-09-18

The purpose of the present study was to assess the dietary fat intake, glucose, insulin, Homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance HOMA-IR, and endotoxin levels and correlate them with adipokine serum concentrations in obese adolescents who had been admitted to long-term interdisciplinary weight-loss therapy. The present study was a longitudinal clinical intervention of interdisciplinary therapy. Adolescents (n = 18, aged 15-19 y) with a body mass index > 95th percentile were admitted and evaluated at baseline and again after 1 year of interdisciplinary therapy. We collected blood samples, and IL-6, adiponectin, and endotoxin concentrations were measured by ELISA. Food intake was measured using 3-day diet records. In addition, we assessed glucose and insulin levels as well as the homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). The most important finding from the present investigation was that the long-term interdisciplinary lifestyle therapy decreased dietary fat intake and endotoxin levels and improved HOMA-IR. We observed positive correlations between dietary fat intake and endotoxin levels, insulin levels, and the HOMA-IR. In addition, endotoxin levels showed positive correlations with IL-6 levels, insulin levels and the HOMA-IR. Interestingly, we observed a negative correlation between serum adiponectin and both dietary fat intake and endotoxin levels. The present results indicate an association between dietary fat intake and endotoxin level, which was highly correlated with a decreased pro-inflammatory state and an improvement in HOMA-IR. In addition, this benefits effect may be associated with an increased adiponectin level, which suggests that the interdisciplinary therapy was effective in improving inflammatory pathways.

Long-term interdisciplinary therapy reduces endotoxin level and insulin resistance in obese adolescents

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Lira Fábio S

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Aim The purpose of the present study was to assess the dietary fat intake, glucose, insulin, Homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance HOMA-IR, and endotoxin levels and correlate them with adipokine serum concentrations in obese adolescents who had been admitted to long-term interdisciplinary weight-loss therapy. Design The present study was a longitudinal clinical intervention of interdisciplinary therapy. Adolescents (n = 18, aged 15–19 y with a body mass index > 95th percentile were admitted and evaluated at baseline and again after 1 year of interdisciplinary therapy. We collected blood samples, and IL-6, adiponectin, and endotoxin concentrations were measured by ELISA. Food intake was measured using 3-day diet records. In addition, we assessed glucose and insulin levels as well as the homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR. Results The most important finding from the present investigation was that the long-term interdisciplinary lifestyle therapy decreased dietary fat intake and endotoxin levels and improved HOMA-IR. We observed positive correlations between dietary fat intake and endotoxin levels, insulin levels, and the HOMA-IR. In addition, endotoxin levels showed positive correlations with IL-6 levels, insulin levels and the HOMA-IR. Interestingly, we observed a negative correlation between serum adiponectin and both dietary fat intake and endotoxin levels. Conclusions The present results indicate an association between dietary fat intake and endotoxin level, which was highly correlated with a decreased pro-inflammatory state and an improvement in HOMA-IR. In addition, this benefits effect may be associated with an increased adiponectin level, which suggests that the interdisciplinary therapy was effective in improving inflammatory pathways.

A systematic review of sub-national food insecurity research in South Africa: Missed opportunities for policy insights

Science.gov (United States)

Misselhorn, Alison

2017-01-01

Food insecurity is an intractable problem in South Africa. The country has a tradition of evidence-based decision making, grounded in the findings of national surveys. However, the rich insights from sub-national surveys remain a largely untapped resource for understandings of the contextual experience of food insecurity. A web-based search identified 169 sub-national food insecurity studies conducted in the post-apartheid period between 1994 and 2014. The systematic review found that the studies used 27 different measures of food insecurity, confounding the comparative analysis of food insecurity at this level. While social grants have brought a measure of poverty relief at household level, unaffordable diets were the root cause of food insecurity. The increasing consumption of cheaper, more available and preferred ‘globalised’ foods with high energy content and low nutritional value lead to overweight and obesity alongside child stunting. Unless a comparable set of indicators is used in such surveys, they are not able to provide comparable information on the scope and scale of the problem. Policy makers should be engaging with researchers to learn from these studies, while researchers need to share this wealth of sub-national study findings with government to strengthen food security planning, monitoring, and evaluation at all levels. PMID:28829787

A systematic review of sub-national food insecurity research in South Africa: Missed opportunities for policy insights.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alison Misselhorn

Full Text Available Food insecurity is an intractable problem in South Africa. The country has a tradition of evidence-based decision making, grounded in the findings of national surveys. However, the rich insights from sub-national surveys remain a largely untapped resource for understandings of the contextual experience of food insecurity. A web-based search identified 169 sub-national food insecurity studies conducted in the post-apartheid period between 1994 and 2014. The systematic review found that the studies used 27 different measures of food insecurity, confounding the comparative analysis of food insecurity at this level. While social grants have brought a measure of poverty relief at household level, unaffordable diets were the root cause of food insecurity. The increasing consumption of cheaper, more available and preferred 'globalised' foods with high energy content and low nutritional value lead to overweight and obesity alongside child stunting. Unless a comparable set of indicators is used in such surveys, they are not able to provide comparable information on the scope and scale of the problem. Policy makers should be engaging with researchers to learn from these studies, while researchers need to share this wealth of sub-national study findings with government to strengthen food security planning, monitoring, and evaluation at all levels.

Sub-national assessment of aid effectiveness: A case study of post-conflict districts in Uganda.

Science.gov (United States)

Ssengooba, Freddie; Namakula, Justine; Kawooya, Vincent; Fustukian, Suzanne

2017-06-13

In post-conflict settings, many state and non-state actors interact at the sub-national levels in rebuilding health systems by providing funds, delivering vital interventions and building capacity of local governments to shoulder their roles. Aid relationships among actors at sub-national level represent a vital lever for health system development. This study was undertaken to assess the aid-effectiveness in post-conflict districts of northern Uganda. This was a three district cross sectional study conducted from January to April 2013. A two stage snowball approach used to construct a relational-network for each district. Managers of organizations (ego) involved service delivery were interviewed and asked to list the external organizations (alters) that contribute to three key services. For each inter-organizational relationship (tie) a custom-made tool designed to reflect the aid-effectiveness in the Paris Declaration was used. Three hundred eighty four relational ties between the organizations were generated from a total of 85 organizations interviewed. Satisfaction with aid relationships was mostly determined by 1) the extent ego was able to negotiate own priorities, 2) ego's awareness of expected results, and 3) provision of feedback about ego's performance. Respectively, the B coefficients were 16%, 38% and 19%. Disaggregated analysis show that satisfaction of fund-holders was also determined by addressing own priorities (30%), while provider satisfaction was mostly determined by awareness of expected results (66%) and feedback on performance (23%). All results were significant at p-value of 0.05. Overall, the regression models in these analyses accounted for 44% to 62% of the findings. Sub-national assessment of aid effectiveness is feasible with indicators adapted from the global parameters. These findings illustrate the focus on "results" domain and less on "ownership" and "resourcing" domains. The capacity and space for sub-national level authorities to

Poverty Mapping Project: Global Subnational Infant Mortality Rates

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The Global Subnational Infant Mortality Rates consists of estimates of infant mortality rates for the year 2000. The infant mortality rate for a region or country is...

Predicting Subnational Ebola Virus Disease Epidemic Dynamics from Sociodemographic Indicators.

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Linda Valeri

Full Text Available The recent Ebola virus disease (EVD outbreak in West Africa has spread wider than any previous human EVD epidemic. While individual-level risk factors that contribute to the spread of EVD have been studied, the population-level attributes of subnational regions associated with outbreak severity have not yet been considered.To investigate the area-level predictors of EVD dynamics, we integrated time series data on cumulative reported cases of EVD from the World Health Organization and covariate data from the Demographic and Health Surveys. We first estimated the early growth rates of epidemics in each second-level administrative district (ADM2 in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia using exponential, logistic and polynomial growth models. We then evaluated how these growth rates, as well as epidemic size within ADM2s, were ecologically associated with several demographic and socio-economic characteristics of the ADM2, using bivariate correlations and multivariable regression models.The polynomial growth model appeared to best fit the ADM2 epidemic curves, displaying the lowest residual standard error. Each outcome was associated with various regional characteristics in bivariate models, however in stepwise multivariable models only mean education levels were consistently associated with a worse local epidemic.By combining two common methods-estimation of epidemic parameters using mathematical models, and estimation of associations using ecological regression models-we identified some factors predicting rapid and severe EVD epidemics in West African subnational regions. While care should be taken interpreting such results as anything more than correlational, we suggest that our approach of using data sources that were publicly available in advance of the epidemic or in real-time provides an analytic framework that may assist countries in understanding the dynamics of future outbreaks as they occur.

EVALUATION OF THE SUB-NATIONAL DECENTRALIZATION OF THE HEALTH IN VENEZUELA INFANTILE MATERNAL PROGRAM

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Maritza Ávila Urdaneta

2009-11-01

Full Text Available The work approaches the evaluation of the decentralization of the health at sub-national level in Venezuela, maternal program Infantile (PROMIN, period 1998-2004: Case of study, Estado Zulia. With the samples of ten Municipalities and Coordinators of Health (CH. Of the results and conclusions, it is appraised that in Venezuela with the Model of Integral Attention with respect to the PROMIN (1998-2004, the reason of Maternal Mortality RMM average for the country ascends to 60 by 100,000 NVR (OPS, 2003, whereas in Zulia was in 79,9; they emphasize the Municipalities: Cañada de Urdaneta with but the high one of 214.13, followed of Mara 149.44 by 100,000 NVR. Key words: Sub-national decentralization of the Health, Infantile Maternal Program, Indicating of Morbidity and Mortality, Coordination of the Municipal Health.

How to apply SHA 2011 at a subnational level in China's practical situation: take children health expenditure as an example.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Mingyang; Zheng, Ang; Duan, Wenjuan; Mu, Xin; Liu, Chunli; Yang, Yang; Wang, Xin

2018-06-01

System of Health Accounts 2011 (SHA 2011) is a new health care accounts system, revised from SHA 1.0 by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the World Health Organization (WHO) and Eurostat. It keeps the former tri-axial relationship and develops three analytical interfaces, in order to fix the existing shortcomings and make it more convenient for analysis and comparison across countries. SHA 2011 was introduced in China in 2014, and little about its application in China has been reported. This study takes children as an example to study how to apply SHA 2011 at the subnational level in the practical situation of China's health system. Multistage random sampling method was applied and 3 532 517 samples from 252 institutions were included in the study. Official yearbooks and account reports helped the estimation of provincial data. The formula to calculate Current Health Expenditure (CHE) was introduced step-by-step. STATA 10.0 was used for statistics. Under the frame of SHA 2011, the CHE for children in Liaoning was calculated as US$ 0.74 billion in 2014; 98.56% of the expenditure was spent in hospital and the allocation to primary health care institutions was insufficient. Infection, maternal and prenatal diseases cost the most in terms of Global Burden of Disease (GBD), and respiratory system diseases took the leading place in terms of International Classification of Disease Tenth Revision (ICD-10). In addition, medical income contributed most to the health financing. The method to apply SHA 2011 at the subnational level is feasible in China. It makes health accounts more adaptable to rapidly developing health systems and makes the financing data more readily available for analytical use. SHA 2011 is a better health expenditure accounts system to reveal the actual burden on residents and deserves further promotion in China as well as around the world.

Contextualizing Obesity and Diabetes Policy: Exploring a Nested Statistical and Constructivist Approach at the Cross-National and Subnational Government Level in the United States and Brazil

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Eduardo J. Gómez

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Background This article conducts a comparative national and subnational government analysis of the political, economic, and ideational constructivist contextual factors facilitating the adoption of obesity and diabetes policy. Methods We adopt a nested analytical approach to policy analysis, which combines cross-national statistical analysis with subnational case study comparisons to examine theoretical prepositions and discover alternative contextual factors; this was combined with an ideational constructivist approach to policy-making. Results Contrary to the existing literature, we found that with the exception of cross-national statistical differences in access to healthcare infrastructural resources, the growing burden of obesity and diabetes, rising healthcare costs and increased citizens’ knowledge had no predictive affect on the adoption of obesity and diabetes policy. We then turned to a subnational comparative analysis of the states of Mississippi in the United States and Rio Grande do Norte in Brazil to further assess the importance of infrastructural resources, at two units of analysis: the state governments versus rural municipal governments. Qualitative evidence suggests that differences in subnational healthcare infrastructural resources were insufficient for explaining policy reform processes, highlighting instead other potentially important factors, such as state-civil societal relationships and policy diffusion in Mississippi, federal policy intervention in Rio Grande do Norte, and politicians’ social construction of obesity and the resulting differences in policy roles assigned to the central government. Conclusion We conclude by underscoring the complexity of subnational policy responses to obesity and diabetes, the importance of combining resource and constructivist analysis for better understanding the context of policy reform, while underscoring the potential lessons that the United States can learn from Brazil.

Poverty Mapping Project: Global Subnational Prevalence of Child Malnutrition

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The Global Subnational Prevalence of Child Malnutrition dataset consists of estimates of the percentage of children with weight-for-age z-scores that are more than...

Subnational variation for care at birth in Tanzania: is this explained by place, people, money or drugs?

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Corinne E. Armstrong

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Tanzania achieved the Millennium Development Goal for child survival, yet made insufficient progress for maternal and neonatal survival and stillbirths, due to low coverage and quality of services for care at birth, with rural women left behind. Our study aimed to evaluate Tanzania’s subnational (regional-level variations for rural care at birth outcomes, i.e., rural women giving birth in a facility and by Caesarean section (C-section, and associations with health systems inputs (financing, health workforce, facilities, and commodities, outputs (readiness and quality of care and context (education and GDP. Methods We undertook correlation analyses of subnational-level associations between health system inputs, outputs, context, and rural care at birth outcomes; and constructed implementation readiness barometers using benchmarks for each health system input indicator. We used geographical information system (GIS mapping to visualise subnational variations in care at birth for rural women, with a focus on service availability and readiness, and collected qualitative data to investigate financial flows from national to council level to understand variation in financing inputs. Results We found wide subnational variation for rural care at birth outcomes, health systems inputs, and contextual indicators. There was a positive association between rural women giving birth in a facility and by C-section; maternal education; workforce and facility density; and quality of care. There was a negative association between these outcomes and proportion of all births to rural women, total fertility rate, and availability of essential commodities at facilities. Per capita recurrent expenditure was positively associated with facility births (correlation coefficient = 0.43; p = 0.05 but not with C-section. Qualitative results showed that the health financing system is complex and insufficient for providing care at birth services

SECURITY RISKS, MYTHS IN A TRANSITIONING SUB-NATIONAL REGIONAL ECONOMY (CROSS RIVER STATE AND IMAGINATIVE GEOGRAPHIES OF NIGERIA

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J. K. UKWAYI

2015-03-01

Full Text Available The emergence of an “international community” through accumulation of perceived risks that contrasts with those risks (of considerably lower levels of seriousness compared to those perceived constitutes one of the interesting (or intriguing subjects of risks and disaster studies surrounding the 9/11 era. The constructions of “imaginative geographies”, have frequently been biased in the practices that underlie the mapping of the foreign places tend to put-down the affected regions in their “paintings” for the global community. The latter are subsequently “demonized” in their ratings of competence for participating in world trade, tourism, travel, among other social/cultural, and economic and political activities. The objective of this article is to highlight how the exaggeration of risks (contrasted to actually existing/lived risks, practices that are frequently associated with such adverse “imaginative geographies” poses sub-national regional development dilemma in Nigeria’s Niger Delta. We trace the roots of adverse “imaginative geographies” of Nigeria to the Abacha dictatorship (1993-1997. Then we highlight the mixed characteristics of the Niger Delta conditions during the “return of positive image recapture” by Nigeria’s federal government (re-democratisation of the Fourth Republic, 1999-present, re-branding campaigns; as well as adverse conditions present. Most significantly, we show that despite these adversities, a combination of favorable geographical size, differentiation, sub-national regional security programme formulation and management taking aims at diversification have created “large oases” of peace and security in Cross River State, a part of the Niger Delta that has been completely unscathed by insurgencies of the nearby sub-national region and further away national origin. Apart from identifying sub-national regions qualifying for delisting from “adverse imaginative geographies” due to

A new multidimensional population health indicator for policy makers: absolute level, inequality and spatial clustering - an empirical application using global sub-national infant mortality data

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Benn K.D. Sartorius

2014-11-01

Full Text Available The need for a multidimensional measure of population health that accounts for its distribution remains a central problem to guide the allocation of limited resources. Absolute proxy measures, like the infant mortality rate (IMR, are limi- ted because they ignore inequality and spatial clustering. We propose a novel, three-part, multidimensional mortality indi- cator that can be used as the first step to differentiate interventions in a region or country. The three-part indicator (MortalityABC index combines absolute mortality rate, the Theil Index to calculate mortality inequality and the Getis-Ord G statistic to determine the degree of spatial clustering. The analysis utilises global sub-national IMR data to empirically illu- strate the proposed indicator. The three-part indicator is mapped globally to display regional/country variation and further highlight its potential application. Developing countries (e.g. in sub-Saharan Africa display high levels of absolute mortality as well as variable mortality inequality with evidence of spatial clustering within certain sub-national units (“hotspots”. Although greater inequality is observed outside developed regions, high mortality inequality and spatial clustering are com- mon in both developed and developing countries. Significant positive correlation was observed between the degree of spatial clustering and absolute mortality. The proposed multidimensional indicator should prove useful for spatial allocation of healthcare resources within a country, because it can prompt a wide range of policy options and prioritise high-risk areas. The new indicator demonstrates the inadequacy of IMR as a single measure of population health, and it can also be adapted to lower administrative levels within a country and other population health measures.

National and subnational hypertension prevalence estimates for the Republic of Ireland: better outcome and risk factor data are needed to produce better prevalence estimates.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Barron, Steve

2014-01-10

Hypertension is a global public health challenge. National prevalence estimates can conceal important differences in prevalence in subnational areas. This paper aims to develop a consistent set of national and subnational estimates of the prevalence of hypertension in a country with limited data for subnational areas.

Policy stakeholders and deployment of wind power in the sub-national context: A comparison of four U.S. states

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fischlein, Miriam; Larson, Joel; Hall, Damon M.; Chaudhry, Rumika; Rai Peterson, Tarla; Stephens, Jennie C.; Wilson, Elizabeth J.

2010-01-01

As climate change mitigation gains attention in the United States, low-carbon energy technologies such as wind power encounter both opportunities and barriers en route to deployment. This paper provides a state-level context for examining wind power deployment and presents research on how policy stakeholders perceive wind energy in four states: Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, and Texas. Through semi-structured interviews, state-level energy policy stakeholders were asked to explain their perceptions of wind energy technology within their state. Interview texts were coded to assess how various drivers promote or hinder the deployment of wind power in sub-national contexts. Responses were dominated by technical, political, and economic frames in all four states, but were often driven by a very different rationale. Environmental, aesthetic, and health/safety frames appeared less often in the discourse. This analysis demonstrates that each state arrived at its current level of deployment via very different political, economic, and technical paths. In addition to helping explain why and how wind technology was - or was not - deployed in each of these states, these findings provide insight into the diversity of sub-national dialogues on deployment of low-carbon energy technologies.

Understanding the Complexities of Subnational Incentives in Supporting a National Market for Distributed Photovoltaics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bush, B.; Doris, E.; Getman, D.

2014-09-01

Subnational policies pertaining to photovoltaic (PV) systems have increased in volume in recent years and federal incentives are set to be phased out over the next few. Understanding how subnational policies function within and across jurisdictions, thereby impacting PV market development, informs policy decision making. This report was developed for subnational policy-makers and researchers in order to aid the analysis on the function of PV system incentives within the emerging PV deployment market. The analysis presented is based on a 'logic engine,' a database tool using existing state, utility, and local incentives allowing users to see the interrelationships between PV system incentives and parameters, such as geographic location, technology specifications, and financial factors. Depending on how it is queried, the database can yield insights into which combinations of incentives are available and most advantageous to the PV system owner or developer under particular circumstances. This is useful both for individual system developers to identify the most advantageous incentive packages that they qualify for as well as for researchers and policymakers to better understand the patch work of incentives nationwide as well as how they drive the market.

Neo-Patrimonialism and Subnational Authoritarianism in Mexico. The Case of Oaxaca Neopatrimonialismo y autoritarismo subnacional en México. El caso de Oaxaca

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Julián Durazo Herrmann

2010-01-01

Full Text Available How do subnational authoritarian enclaves emerge (or survive ina democratic transition at the federal level? How can they endure large-scalesocial protests, like the one that shook Oaxaca in 2006? While federal tolerancefor subnational authoritarian practices is a necessary condition, it isinsufficient in itself to explain why subnational political systems sustain andeventually reproduce authoritarian practices in the first place. In this article,therefore, I focus on the internal dimension of subnational authoritarianism.I argue that, because of its reliance on two distinct sources of legitimacy,Oaxaca’s neo-patrimonial domination system was able to respond to theformal democratizing pressures emanating from the federal transition withoutlosing its authoritarian nature. This process of hybridization transformedOaxacan institutions, but left social structures and the political dynamics thatemerge from them – the sources of subnational authoritarianism – almostintact. By exploring the evolution of neo-patrimonialism and hybridizationin Oaxaca from a theoretical perspective, I address the issues of change andcontinuity in the emergence of subnational authoritarian enclaves, in Mexicoand elsewhere. ¿Cómo es que algunos enclaves autoritarios subnacionales emergen (o susbsisten tras las transiciones a la democracia de sus federaciones? ¿Cómo sobreviven a movilizaciones masivas como las que conoció Oaxaca en 2006? La tolerancia federal es una condición necesaria para el desarrollo de las prácticas autoritarias subnacionales, pero es insuficiente para explicar cómo dichas prácticas aparecen y se reproducen en algunos sistemas políticos subnacionales. Por ello, en este artículo estudio la dimensión interna del autoritarismo subnacional. Arguyo que, al basarse en dos fuentes distintas de legitimidad, el sistema oaxaqueño de dominación neopatrimonial fue capaz de responder a las presiones democráticas provenientes de la federaci

Creating interdisciplinary education within monodisciplinary structures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lindvig, Katrine; Lyall, Catherine; R. Meagher, Laura

2017-01-01

The literature on interdisciplinary higher education is influenced by two overall trends: one looks at the institutional level of specially designed interdisciplinary institutions, while the other assesses individual interdisciplinary educational activities. Much less attention is given...... to the processes of creating interdisciplinary education initiatives within traditional monodisciplinary universities. In this study, we thus explore how interdisciplinary education and teaching emerge and develop within universities that have little or no established infrastructure to support interdisciplinarity....... Using qualitative data from a multi-part case study, we examine the development of diverse interdisciplinary educational efforts within a traditional faculty-structured university in order to map the ways in which interdisciplinary educational elements have been created, supported, challenged or even...

Subnational mobility and consumption-based environmental accounting of US corn in animal protein and ethanol supply chains

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Timothy M.; Kim, Taegon; Pelton, Rylie E. O.; Suh, Kyo; Schmitt, Jennifer

2017-01-01

Corn production, and its associated inputs, is a relatively large source of greenhouse gas emissions and uses significant amounts of water and land, thus contributing to climate change, fossil fuel depletion, local air pollutants, and local water scarcity. As large consumers of this corn, corporations in the ethanol and animal protein industries are increasingly assessing and reporting sustainability impacts across their supply chains to identify, prioritize, and communicate sustainability risks and opportunities material to their operations. In doing so, many have discovered that the direct impacts of their owned operations are dwarfed by those upstream in the supply chain, requiring transparency and knowledge about environmental impacts along the supply chains. Life cycle assessments (LCAs) have been used to identify hotspots of environmental impacts at national levels, yet these provide little subnational information necessary for guiding firms’ specific supply networks. In this paper, our Food System Supply-Chain Sustainability (FoodS3) model connects spatial, firm-specific demand of corn purchasers with upstream corn production in the United States through a cost minimization transport model. This provides a means to link county-level corn production in the United States to firm-specific demand locations associated with downstream processing facilities. Our model substantially improves current LCA assessment efforts that are confined to broad national or state level impacts. In drilling down to subnational levels of environmental impacts that occur over heterogeneous areas and aggregating these landscape impacts by specific supply networks, targeted opportunities for improvements to the sustainability performance of supply chains are identified. PMID:28874548

Subnational mobility and consumption-based environmental accounting of US corn in animal protein and ethanol supply chains.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Timothy M; Goodkind, Andrew L; Kim, Taegon; Pelton, Rylie E O; Suh, Kyo; Schmitt, Jennifer

2017-09-19

Corn production, and its associated inputs, is a relatively large source of greenhouse gas emissions and uses significant amounts of water and land, thus contributing to climate change, fossil fuel depletion, local air pollutants, and local water scarcity. As large consumers of this corn, corporations in the ethanol and animal protein industries are increasingly assessing and reporting sustainability impacts across their supply chains to identify, prioritize, and communicate sustainability risks and opportunities material to their operations. In doing so, many have discovered that the direct impacts of their owned operations are dwarfed by those upstream in the supply chain, requiring transparency and knowledge about environmental impacts along the supply chains. Life cycle assessments (LCAs) have been used to identify hotspots of environmental impacts at national levels, yet these provide little subnational information necessary for guiding firms' specific supply networks. In this paper, our Food System Supply-Chain Sustainability (FoodS 3 ) model connects spatial, firm-specific demand of corn purchasers with upstream corn production in the United States through a cost minimization transport model. This provides a means to link county-level corn production in the United States to firm-specific demand locations associated with downstream processing facilities. Our model substantially improves current LCA assessment efforts that are confined to broad national or state level impacts. In drilling down to subnational levels of environmental impacts that occur over heterogeneous areas and aggregating these landscape impacts by specific supply networks, targeted opportunities for improvements to the sustainability performance of supply chains are identified.

Wheat yield loss attributable to heat waves, drought and water excess at the global, national and subnational scales

Science.gov (United States)

Zampieri, M.; Ceglar, A.; Dentener, F.; Toreti, A.

2017-06-01

Heat waves and drought are often considered the most damaging climatic stressors for wheat. In this study, we characterize and attribute the effects of these climate extremes on wheat yield anomalies (at global and national scales) from 1980 to 2010. Using a combination of up-to-date heat wave and drought indexes (the latter capturing both excessively dry and wet conditions), we have developed a composite indicator that is able to capture the spatio-temporal characteristics of the underlying physical processes in the different agro-climatic regions of the world. At the global level, our diagnostic explains a significant portion (more than 40%) of the inter-annual production variability. By quantifying the contribution of national yield anomalies to global fluctuations, we have found that just two concurrent yield anomalies affecting the larger producers of the world could be responsible for more than half of the global annual fluctuations. The relative importance of heat stress and drought in determining the yield anomalies depends on the region. Moreover, in contrast to common perception, water excess affects wheat production more than drought in several countries. We have also performed the same analysis at the subnational level for France, which is the largest wheat producer of the European Union, and home to a range of climatic zones. Large subnational variability of inter-annual wheat yield is mostly captured by the heat and water stress indicators, consistently with the country-level result.

Trends in contraceptive use and distribution of births with demographic risk factors in Ethiopia: a sub-national analysis

OpenAIRE

Shiferaw, Solomon; Abdullah, Muna; Mekonnen, Yared; Ma?ga, Abdoulaye; Akinyemi, Akanni; Amouzou, Agbessi; Friedman, Howard; Barros, Aluisio J. D.; Hounton, Sennen

2015-01-01

Background: Evidence shows that family planning contributes to the decline in child mortality by decreasing the proportions of births that are considered high risk. The main objective of the present analysis was to examine the trends in use of modern contraceptives and their relationship with total fertility rate (TFR) and distribution of births by demographic risk factors as defined by mother’s age, birth interval, and birth order at the sub-national level in Ethiopia.Design: Analyses used d...

Combining high-resolution gross domestic product data with home and personal care product market research data to generate a subnational emission inventory for Asia.

Science.gov (United States)

Hodges, Juliet Elizabeth Natasha; Vamshi, Raghu; Holmes, Christopher; Rowson, Matthew; Miah, Taqmina; Price, Oliver Richard

2014-04-01

Environmental risk assessment of chemicals is reliant on good estimates of product usage information and robust exposure models. Over the past 20 to 30 years, much progress has been made with the development of exposure models that simulate the transport and distribution of chemicals in the environment. However, little progress has been made in our ability to estimate chemical emissions of home and personal care (HPC) products. In this project, we have developed an approach to estimate subnational emission inventory of chemical ingredients used in HPC products for 12 Asian countries including Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam (Asia-12). To develop this inventory, we have coupled a 1 km grid of per capita gross domestic product (GDP) estimates with market research data of HPC product sales. We explore the necessity of accounting for a population's ability to purchase HPC products in determining their subnational distribution in regions where wealth is not uniform. The implications of using high resolution data on inter- and intracountry subnational emission estimates for a range of hypothetical and actual HPC product types were explored. It was demonstrated that for low value products (500 US$ per capita/annum required to purchase product) the implications on emissions being assigned to subnational regions can vary by several orders of magnitude. The implications of this on conducting national or regional level risk assessments may be significant. Further work is needed to explore the implications of this variability in HPC emissions to enable the HPC industry and/or governments to advance risk-based chemical management policies in emerging markets. © 2013 SETAC.

Sub-national entities’ participation in Brazil’s foreign policy and in regional integration processes

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Deisy Ventura

2012-09-01

Full Text Available This article focuses on how sub-national entities’ gradual participation in Brazilian foreign policy has come about, with reference to a decentralised scenario of the decision-making process in Itamaraty, where the ministries and presidential organs have a voice on many strategic themes, mainly concerning development. The article examines the insertion of sub-national entities into the decision-making process in the Southern Common Market (Mercosur, and concludes that in spite of the incipient participation, relevant contributions to the process of regional integration have arisen. Regarding the hypothesis that the participation of the federative entities in the decision-making process generates local and regional development, we argue that this is an alternative to increasing state efficiency. In conclusion, and despite the incipient institutionalisation that does not guarantee their vote in the decision-making process, at least their voice is heard.

NATIONAL AND SUB-NATIONAL OFFSHORING IMPACT ON EMPLOYMENT: AN APPLICATION TO MADRID REGION

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María Ángeles Tobarra Gómez

2016-07-01

Full Text Available The effect of delocalization on a national economy has been widely studied, however subnational delocalization remains as an unvisited field for researchers. This paper studies the effects of fragmentation and the subsequent localization outside or abroad on the level of industrial and services employment in Madrid region. We work with Madrid data from regional input-output tables and estimate a labour demand function using panel data. Our results show a significant and small negative effect on regional employment of intra-industrial inputs from the national economy and abroad, while imported inputs from other sectors and origins are complementary to employment, resulting in a positive net effect on employment. The increasing specialization in main activities and the use of external providers by firms have a positive impact on the employment of Madrid region.

A Socio-Ecological Approach for Identifying and Contextualising Spatial Ecosystem-Based Adaptation Priorities at the Sub-National Level.

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Amanda Bourne

Full Text Available Climate change adds an additional layer of complexity to existing sustainable development and biodiversity conservation challenges. The impacts of global climate change are felt locally, and thus local governance structures will increasingly be responsible for preparedness and local responses. Ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA options are gaining prominence as relevant climate change solutions. Local government officials seldom have an appropriate understanding of the role of ecosystem functioning in sustainable development goals, or access to relevant climate information. Thus the use of ecosystems in helping people adapt to climate change is limited partially by the lack of information on where ecosystems have the highest potential to do so. To begin overcoming this barrier, Conservation South Africa in partnership with local government developed a socio-ecological approach for identifying spatial EbA priorities at the sub-national level. Using GIS-based multi-criteria analysis and vegetation distribution models, the authors have spatially integrated relevant ecological and social information at a scale appropriate to inform local level political, administrative, and operational decision makers. This is the first systematic approach of which we are aware that highlights spatial priority areas for EbA implementation. Nodes of socio-ecological vulnerability are identified, and the inclusion of areas that provide ecosystem services and ecological resilience to future climate change is innovative. The purpose of this paper is to present and demonstrate a methodology for combining complex information into user-friendly spatial products for local level decision making on EbA. The authors focus on illustrating the kinds of products that can be generated from combining information in the suggested ways, and do not discuss the nuance of climate models nor present specific technical details of the model outputs here. Two representative case studies from

A Socio-Ecological Approach for Identifying and Contextualising Spatial Ecosystem-Based Adaptation Priorities at the Sub-National Level

Science.gov (United States)

Bourne, Amanda; Holness, Stephen; Holden, Petra; Scorgie, Sarshen; Donatti, Camila I.; Midgley, Guy

2016-01-01

Climate change adds an additional layer of complexity to existing sustainable development and biodiversity conservation challenges. The impacts of global climate change are felt locally, and thus local governance structures will increasingly be responsible for preparedness and local responses. Ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) options are gaining prominence as relevant climate change solutions. Local government officials seldom have an appropriate understanding of the role of ecosystem functioning in sustainable development goals, or access to relevant climate information. Thus the use of ecosystems in helping people adapt to climate change is limited partially by the lack of information on where ecosystems have the highest potential to do so. To begin overcoming this barrier, Conservation South Africa in partnership with local government developed a socio-ecological approach for identifying spatial EbA priorities at the sub-national level. Using GIS-based multi-criteria analysis and vegetation distribution models, the authors have spatially integrated relevant ecological and social information at a scale appropriate to inform local level political, administrative, and operational decision makers. This is the first systematic approach of which we are aware that highlights spatial priority areas for EbA implementation. Nodes of socio-ecological vulnerability are identified, and the inclusion of areas that provide ecosystem services and ecological resilience to future climate change is innovative. The purpose of this paper is to present and demonstrate a methodology for combining complex information into user-friendly spatial products for local level decision making on EbA. The authors focus on illustrating the kinds of products that can be generated from combining information in the suggested ways, and do not discuss the nuance of climate models nor present specific technical details of the model outputs here. Two representative case studies from rural South Africa

Interdisciplinary collaboration within project-level NEPA teams in the US Forest Service

Science.gov (United States)

James W. Freeman; Marc J. Stern; Michael Mortimer; Dale J. Blahna; Lee K. Cerveny

2011-01-01

Interdisciplinary teamwork has become a foundation of natural resources planning and management in the US. Yet, we know little about the degree of interdisciplinary collaboration of natural resource planning teams. We conducted 10 case studies of Forest Service NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act) teams working on projects related to the 2005 Travel Management Rule...

A Subnational Perspective for Comparative Research: Education and Development in Northeast Brazil and Northeast Thailand.

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Fry, Gerald; Kempner, Ken

1996-01-01

Case studies of northeast Brazil and northeast Thailand highlight the importance of a subnational approach to comparative research. Compares geographic and economic conditions, regional culture, ethnicity and gender issues, migration patterns, religion, literacy, and educational underdevelopment. Points out that neglect of a region and its people…

Spatiotemporal Evolution of Ebola Virus Disease at Sub-National Level during the 2014 West Africa Epidemic: Model Scrutiny and Data Meagreness.

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Eva Santermans

Full Text Available The Ebola outbreak in West Africa has infected at least 27,443 individuals and killed 11,207, based on data until 24 June, 2015, released by the World Health Organization (WHO. This outbreak has been characterised by extensive geographic spread across the affected countries Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, and by localized hotspots within these countries. The rapid recognition and quantitative assessment of localised areas of higher transmission can inform the optimal deployment of public health resources.A variety of mathematical models have been used to estimate the evolution of this epidemic, and some have pointed out the importance of the spatial heterogeneity apparent from incidence maps. However, little is known about the district-level transmission. Given that many response decisions are taken at sub-national level, the current study aimed to investigate the spatial heterogeneity by using a different modelling framework, built on publicly available data at district level. Furthermore, we assessed whether this model could quantify the effect of intervention measures and provide predictions at a local level to guide public health action. We used a two-stage modelling approach: a a flexible spatiotemporal growth model across all affected districts and b a deterministic SEIR compartmental model per district whenever deemed appropriate.Our estimates show substantial differences in the evolution of the outbreak in the various regions of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, illustrating the importance of monitoring the outbreak at district level. We also provide an estimate of the time-dependent district-specific effective reproduction number, as a quantitative measure to compare transmission between different districts and give input for informed decisions on control measures and resource allocation. Prediction and assessing the impact of control measures proved to be difficult without more accurate data. In conclusion, this study provides us a

Ten principles of good interdisciplinary team work.

Science.gov (United States)

Nancarrow, Susan A; Booth, Andrew; Ariss, Steven; Smith, Tony; Enderby, Pam; Roots, Alison

2013-05-10

Interdisciplinary team work is increasingly prevalent, supported by policies and practices that bring care closer to the patient and challenge traditional professional boundaries. To date, there has been a great deal of emphasis on the processes of team work, and in some cases, outcomes. This study draws on two sources of knowledge to identify the attributes of a good interdisciplinary team; a published systematic review of the literature on interdisciplinary team work, and the perceptions of over 253 staff from 11 community rehabilitation and intermediate care teams in the UK. These data sources were merged using qualitative content analysis to arrive at a framework that identifies characteristics and proposes ten competencies that support effective interdisciplinary team work. Ten characteristics underpinning effective interdisciplinary team work were identified: positive leadership and management attributes; communication strategies and structures; personal rewards, training and development; appropriate resources and procedures; appropriate skill mix; supportive team climate; individual characteristics that support interdisciplinary team work; clarity of vision; quality and outcomes of care; and respecting and understanding roles. We propose competency statements that an effective interdisciplinary team functioning at a high level should demonstrate.

Chaos: A Topic for Interdisciplinary Education in Physics

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Bae, Saebyok

2009-01-01

Since society and science need interdisciplinary works, the interesting topic of chaos is chosen for interdisciplinary education in physics. The educational programme contains various university-level activities such as computer simulations, chaos experiment and team projects besides ordinary teaching. According to the participants, the programme…

How to Enhance Interdisciplinary Competence--Interdisciplinary Problem-Based Learning versus Interdisciplinary Project-Based Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Brassler, Mirjam; Dettmers, Jan

2017-01-01

Interdisciplinary competence is important in academia for both employability and sustainable development. However, to date, there are no specific interdisciplinary education models and, naturally, no empirical studies to assess them. Since problem-based learning (PBL) and project-based learning (PjBL) are learning approaches that emphasize…

Chaos: a topic for interdisciplinary education in physics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bae, Saebyok

2009-01-01

Since society and science need interdisciplinary works, the interesting topic of chaos is chosen for interdisciplinary education in physics. The educational programme contains various university-level activities such as computer simulations, chaos experiment and team projects besides ordinary teaching. According to the participants, the programme seems useful and good. In addition, we discuss some issues which can be important to interdisciplinary education in physics: for example the possible difficulties in programme design, the expertise barriers of non-major fields, the role of non-theoretical education in understanding and the project-type team activities

Research design: the methodology for interdisciplinary research framework.

Science.gov (United States)

Tobi, Hilde; Kampen, Jarl K

2018-01-01

Many of today's global scientific challenges require the joint involvement of researchers from different disciplinary backgrounds (social sciences, environmental sciences, climatology, medicine, etc.). Such interdisciplinary research teams face many challenges resulting from differences in training and scientific culture. Interdisciplinary education programs are required to train truly interdisciplinary scientists with respect to the critical factor skills and competences. For that purpose this paper presents the Methodology for Interdisciplinary Research (MIR) framework. The MIR framework was developed to help cross disciplinary borders, especially those between the natural sciences and the social sciences. The framework has been specifically constructed to facilitate the design of interdisciplinary scientific research, and can be applied in an educational program, as a reference for monitoring the phases of interdisciplinary research, and as a tool to design such research in a process approach. It is suitable for research projects of different sizes and levels of complexity, and it allows for a range of methods' combinations (case study, mixed methods, etc.). The different phases of designing interdisciplinary research in the MIR framework are described and illustrated by real-life applications in teaching and research. We further discuss the framework's utility in research design in landscape architecture, mixed methods research, and provide an outlook to the framework's potential in inclusive interdisciplinary research, and last but not least, research integrity.

Regression Analysis to Identify Factors Associated with Household Salt Iodine Content at the Sub-National Level in Bangladesh, India, Ghana and Senegal

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Knowles, Jacky; Kupka, Roland; Dumble, Sam; Garrett, Greg S.; Pandav, Chandrakant S.; Yadav, Kapil; Nahar, Baitun; Touré, Ndeye Khady; Amoaful, Esi Foriwa; Gorstein, Jonathan

2018-01-01

Regression analyses of data from stratified, cluster sample, household iodine surveys in Bangladesh, India, Ghana and Senegal were conducted to identify factors associated with household access to adequately iodised salt. For all countries, in single variable analyses, household salt iodine was significantly different (p < 0.05) between strata (geographic areas with representative data, defined by survey design), and significantly higher (p < 0.05) among households: with better living standard scores, where the respondent knew about iodised salt and/or looked for iodised salt at purchase, using salt bought in a sealed package, or using refined grain salt. Other country-level associations were also found. Multiple variable analyses showed a significant association between salt iodine and strata (p < 0.001) in India, Ghana and Senegal and that salt grain type was significantly associated with estimated iodine content in all countries (p < 0.001). Salt iodine relative to the reference (coarse salt) ranged from 1.3 (95% CI 1.2, 1.5) times higher for fine salt in Senegal to 3.6 (95% CI 2.6, 4.9) times higher for washed and 6.5 (95% CI 4.9, 8.8) times higher for refined salt in India. Sub-national data are required to monitor equity of access to adequately iodised salt. Improving household access to refined iodised salt in sealed packaging, would improve iodine intake from household salt in all four countries in this analysis, particularly in areas where there is significant small-scale salt production. PMID:29671774

Implementing a sub-national strategic framework to reduce the illicit tobacco market to support national strategies

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Ailsa Rutter

2018-03-01

The success of this strategic framework demonstrates that activity can be co-ordinated locally or sub-nationally to support national strategies to reduce the illicit tobacco market. Activity should always be placed within the broader context of 'all tobacco kills' and should contain measures to reduce both supply and demand. Useful resources for other programmes and settings can be found at www.illicit-tobacco.co.uk.

The Challenge of Interdisciplinary Research.

Science.gov (United States)

Locker, Kitty O.

1994-01-01

Discusses what makes business communication research interdisciplinary and why interdisciplinary research is difficult yet desirable. Details the value of interdisciplinary concepts, methods, and perspectives. Notes how business communication research might be made interdisciplinary and points out the need for tolerance in interdisciplinary…

Interdisciplinary Information Design with an Empowerment Strategy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Barlach, Anders; Engberg, Axel; Pallesen, Bodil

2006-01-01

An innovative research into a model for ICT enabled Empowerment. By deliberate use of ICT and a feedback-focused communication model in a prototyping process, e-health information based on an empowerment strategy is evaluated. Overall a risk-driven spiral model is applied for Progress...... and Complexity handling in order to ensure success. The process model devised has a proactive approach to interdisciplinary teamwork, organisational web maturity, and the post-modern user's interaction with ICT. The research is performed and evaluated in cooperation with an interdisciplinary team of health......'s perspective. ORGANIZATIONAL LEVEL: Nursing Informatics becomes a tool in the interdisciplinary understanding, allowing the nurses to take responsibility for core nursing themes regarding the healthy and the diseased phases of the patients' lives. Iterative modelling ensuring the results is evident and derived...

Regression Analysis to Identify Factors Associated with Household Salt Iodine Content at the Sub-National Level in Bangladesh, India, Ghana and Senegal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jacky Knowles

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Regression analyses of data from stratified, cluster sample, household iodine surveys in Bangladesh, India, Ghana and Senegal were conducted to identify factors associated with household access to adequately iodised salt. For all countries, in single variable analyses, household salt iodine was significantly different (p < 0.05 between strata (geographic areas with representative data, defined by survey design, and significantly higher (p < 0.05 among households: with better living standard scores, where the respondent knew about iodised salt and/or looked for iodised salt at purchase, using salt bought in a sealed package, or using refined grain salt. Other country-level associations were also found. Multiple variable analyses showed a significant association between salt iodine and strata (p < 0.001 in India, Ghana and Senegal and that salt grain type was significantly associated with estimated iodine content in all countries (p < 0.001. Salt iodine relative to the reference (coarse salt ranged from 1.3 (95% CI 1.2, 1.5 times higher for fine salt in Senegal to 3.6 (95% CI 2.6, 4.9 times higher for washed and 6.5 (95% CI 4.9, 8.8 times higher for refined salt in India. Sub-national data are required to monitor equity of access to adequately iodised salt. Improving household access to refined iodised salt in sealed packaging, would improve iodine intake from household salt in all four countries in this analysis, particularly in areas where there is significant small-scale salt production.

National and Subnational Population-Based Incidence of Cancer in Thailand: Assessing Cancers with the Highest Burdens

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Shama Virani

2017-08-01

Full Text Available In Thailand, five cancer types—breast, cervical, colorectal, liver and lung cancer—contribute to over half of the cancer burden. The magnitude of these cancers must be quantified over time to assess previous health policies and highlight future trajectories for targeted prevention efforts. We provide a comprehensive assessment of these five cancers nationally and subnationally, with trend analysis, projections, and number of cases expected for the year 2025 using cancer registry data. We found that breast (average annual percent change (AAPC: 3.1% and colorectal cancer (female AAPC: 3.3%, male AAPC: 4.1% are increasing while cervical cancer (AAPC: −4.4% is decreasing nationwide. However, liver and lung cancers exhibit disproportionately higher burdens in the northeast and north regions, respectively. Lung cancer increased significantly in northeastern and southern women, despite low smoking rates. Liver cancers are expected to increase in the northern males and females. Liver cancer increased in the south, despite the absence of the liver fluke, a known factor, in this region. Our findings are presented in the context of health policy, population dynamics and serve to provide evidence for future prevention strategies. Our subnational estimates provide a basis for understanding variations in region-specific risk factor profiles that contribute to incidence trends over time.

ENTRA - or the chances of interdisciplinary work

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Walther, Clemens; Roehlig, Klaus-Juergen; Smeddinck, Ulrich

2015-01-01

Since 2013 about 60 scientists work together in the research platform ENTRA (disposal options for radioactive residuals: interdisciplinary analyses and development of evaluation criteria). The scientists group includes physicists, mathematicians, engineers, jurists, experts from ethics, social and political sciences. The common question is the disposal of high-level radioactive waste. The contribution describes the concept of interdisciplinary work, using the example of the definition of terms like risk by different scientists, projects for specific disposal options, the problem of public distrust, the problem of limiting values and the optimization of final repository systems.

Interdisciplinary Dissertation Research Among Public Health Doctoral Trainees, 2003-2015.

Science.gov (United States)

Golembiewski, Elizabeth H; Holmes, Ann M; Jackson, Joanna R; Brown-Podgorski, Brittany L; Menachemi, Nir

Given the call for more interdisciplinary research in public health, the objectives of this study were to (1) examine the correlates of interdisciplinary dissertation completion and (2) identify secondary fields most common among interdisciplinary public health graduates. We analyzed pooled cross-sectional data from 11 120 doctoral graduates in the Survey of Earned Doctorates, 2003-2015. The primary outcome was interdisciplinary dissertation completion. Covariates included primary public health field, sociodemographic characteristics, and institutional attributes. From 2003 to 2015, a total of 4005 of 11 120 (36.0%) doctoral graduates in public health reported interdisciplinary dissertations, with significant increases observed in recent years. Compared with general public health graduates, graduates of environmental health (odds ratio [OR] = 1.74; P dissertation work, whereas graduates from biostatistics (OR = 0.51; P dissertation was associated with being male, a non-US citizen, a graduate of a private institution, and a graduate of an institution with high but not the highest level of research activity. Many secondary dissertation fields reported by interdisciplinary graduates included other public health fields. Although interdisciplinary dissertation research among doctoral graduates in public health has increased in recent years, such work is bounded in certain fields of public health and certain types of graduates and institutions. Academic administrators and other stakeholders may use these results to inform greater interdisciplinary activity during doctoral training and to evaluate current and future collaborations across departments or schools.

Students' Attitudes towards Interdisciplinary Education: A Course on Interdisciplinary Aspects of Science and Engineering Education

Science.gov (United States)

Gero, Aharon

2017-01-01

A course entitled "Science and Engineering Education: Interdisciplinary Aspects" was designed to expose undergraduate students of science and engineering education to the attributes of interdisciplinary education which integrates science and engineering. The core of the course is an interdisciplinary lesson, which each student is…

Provincial alcohol index and its relationship to alcohol-related harm in Thailand: implications for subnational alcohol policy development

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Surasak Chaiyasong

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The Provincial Alcohol Index (PAI is one of the efforts to develop a composite measurement to operationalize the situation of alcohol consumption and related risk behaviors. The index offers a means for national and subnational alcohol control committees to address alcohol-related problems in their responsible jurisdiction areas. The objective of this study is to assess the relationship between PAI scores and alcohol-related problems using Thailand as an example. Methods Cross-sectional analyses of PAI scores based on the 2007 National Cigarette Smoking and Alcohol Drinking Behavior Survey (CSAD and the National Statistical Office data were conducted. CSAD data were collected from 168,285 Thai residents aged 15 years and above in 76 provinces of Thailand (population range 180,787 to 5,716,248. The PAI scores were generated using three different methods based on five indicators: 1 prevalence of adult (≥15 years drinkers, 2 prevalence of underage drinkers, 3 proportion of regular drinkers, 4 proportion of binge drinkers and 5 proportion of drink-drivers. Alcohol-related injuries and violent events together with provincial level covariates (age, gender, income and region were assessed. Correlational and linear regression analyses were performed to examine the relationship between PAI scores and alcohol-related problems. Results The PAI scores generated from the three methods were significantly correlated with one another (r > 0.7, p < 0.05 and significantly related to alcohol-related problems after adjusting for the provincial level covariates. Based on the normalized method, PAI scores had a significant and positive relationship with prevalence of alcohol-related injuries (beta = 562 cases per million population, p = 0.027 and violence (beta = 451 events per million population, p = 0.013. PAI scores were highest in the north and lowest in the south of the country. Conclusions The findings of this

A cross-sectional ecological analysis of international and sub-national health inequalities in commercial geospatial resource availability.

Science.gov (United States)

Dotse-Gborgbortsi, Winfred; Wardrop, Nicola; Adewole, Ademola; Thomas, Mair L H; Wright, Jim

2018-05-23

Commercial geospatial data resources are frequently used to understand healthcare utilisation. Although there is widespread evidence of a digital divide for other digital resources and infra-structure, it is unclear how commercial geospatial data resources are distributed relative to health need. To examine the distribution of commercial geospatial data resources relative to health needs, we assembled coverage and quality metrics for commercial geocoding, neighbourhood characterisation, and travel time calculation resources for 183 countries. We developed a country-level, composite index of commercial geospatial data quality/availability and examined its distribution relative to age-standardised all-cause and cause specific (for three main causes of death) mortality using two inequality metrics, the slope index of inequality and relative concentration index. In two sub-national case studies, we also examined geocoding success rates versus area deprivation by district in Eastern Region, Ghana and Lagos State, Nigeria. Internationally, commercial geospatial data resources were inversely related to all-cause mortality. This relationship was more pronounced when examining mortality due to communicable diseases. Commercial geospatial data resources for calculating patient travel times were more equitably distributed relative to health need than resources for characterising neighbourhoods or geocoding patient addresses. Countries such as South Africa have comparatively high commercial geospatial data availability despite high mortality, whilst countries such as South Korea have comparatively low data availability and low mortality. Sub-nationally, evidence was mixed as to whether geocoding success was lowest in more deprived districts. To our knowledge, this is the first global analysis of commercial geospatial data resources in relation to health outcomes. In countries such as South Africa where there is high mortality but also comparatively rich commercial geospatial

Interdisciplinary Communication

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Nagib Callaos

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Communication is fundamental in scientific practice and an integral part of academic work. The practice of communication cannot be neglected by those who are trying to advance scientific research. Effective means should continuously be identified in order to open channels of communication within and among disciplines, among scientists and between scientists and the general public.[1]The increasing importance of interdisciplinary communication has been pointed out by an increasing number of researchers and scholars, as well as in conferences and roundtables on the subject. Some authors even estimate that "interdisciplinary study represents the future of the university."[2] Since interdisciplinary study is "the most underthought critical, pedagogical and institutional concept in modern academy"[3] it is important to think and reflect, and even do some research, on this concept or notion. Research and practice based reflections with regards to this issue are important especially because the increasing complexity and proliferation of scientific research is generating countless specialties, sub-specialties and sub-sub-specialties, with their respective special languages; which were "created for discrete local areas of research based upon the disconnected branches of science."[4] On the other hand, scientific, technical and societal problems are requiring multi- or inter-disciplinary consideration. Consequently, interdisciplinary communication channels are being needed with urgency, and scientific research should be integrated, not just in the context of its discipline, but also in the context of related disciplines. Much more reflection and research should be done on this issue. Research on adequate research integration and communication is urgently required, i.e. meta-research efforts should be done in order to relate research results in an adequate and more useful way. This meta-research effort might be done in the context of each particular

Teaching Interdisciplinary Engineering and Science Educations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kofoed, Lise B.; S. Stachowicz, Marian

2014-01-01

In this paper we study the challenges for the involved teachers who plan and implement interdisciplinary educations. They are confronted with challenges regarding their understanding of using known disciplines in a new interdisciplinary way and see the possibilities of integrating disciplines when...... creating new knowledge. We will address the challenges by defining the term interdisciplinary in connection with education, and using the Problem Based Learning educational approach and experience from the engineering and science educational areas to find the obstacles. Two cases based on interdisciplinary...... and understand how different expertise can contribute to an interdisciplinary education....

National and subnational all-cause and cause-specific child mortality in China, 1996-2015: a systematic analysis with implications for the Sustainable Development Goals.

Science.gov (United States)

He, Chunhua; Liu, Li; Chu, Yue; Perin, Jamie; Dai, Li; Li, Xiaohong; Miao, Lei; Kang, Leni; Li, Qi; Scherpbier, Robert; Guo, Sufang; Rudan, Igor; Song, Peige; Chan, Kit Yee; Guo, Yan; Black, Robert E; Wang, Yanping; Zhu, Jun

2017-02-01

China has achieved Millennium Development Goal 4 to reduce under-5 mortality rate by two-thirds between 1990 and 2015. In this study, we estimated the national and subnational levels and causes of child mortality in China annually from 1996 to 2015 to draw implications for achievement of the SDGs for China and other low-income and middle-income countries. In this systematic analysis, we adjusted empirical data on levels and causes of child mortality collected in the China Maternal and Child Health Surveillance System to generate representative estimates at the national and subnational levels. In adjusting the data, we considered the sampling design and probability, applied smoothing techniques to produce stable trends, fitted livebirth and age-specific death estimates to natvional estimates produced by the UN for international comparison, and partitioned national estimates of infrequent causes produced by independent sources to the subnational level. Between 1996 and 2015, the under-5 mortality rate in China declined from 50·8 per 1000 livebirths to 10·7 per 1000 livebirths, at an average annual rate of reduction of 8·2%. However, 181 600 children still died before their fifth birthday, with 93 400 (51·5%) deaths occurring in neonates. Great inequity exists in child mortality across regions and in urban versus rural areas. The leading causes of under-5 mortality in 2015 were congenital abnormalities (35 700 deaths, 95% uncertainty range [UR] 28 400-45 200), preterm birth complications (30 900 deaths, 24 200-40 800), and injuries (26 600 deaths, 21 000-33 400). Pneumonia contributed to a higher proportion of deaths in the western region of China than in the eastern and central regions, and injury was a main cause of death in rural areas. Variations in cause-of-death composition by age were also examined. The contribution of preterm birth complications to mortality decreased after the neonatal period; congenital abnormalities remained an

Beyond Interdisciplinary Teaming: Findings and Implications of the NASSP National Middle Level Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Hackmann, Donald G.; Petzko, Vicki N.; Valentine, Jerry W.; Clark, Donald C.; Nori, John R.; Lucas, Stephen E.

2002-01-01

Reports trends and implications of interdisciplinary teaming practices in middle schools, based on findings from a national survey. Noting that nearly 80 percent of schools currently implement teaming, challenges principals and teachers to move beyond simple formation of teams to the creation of an infrastructure that supports high-performing…

Equity in climate-economy scenarios: the importance of subnational income distribution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baer, Paul

2009-01-01

It is widely accepted that climate change raises equity considerations, and this has been addressed in various explicit and implicit ways in scenario-based climate and climate-policy research. In this paper I look in particular at the IPCC's well-known 'Special Report on Emissions Scenarios', in which equity is primarily quantified as the distribution of income between countries, and highlight the need for more explicit treatment of equity both within and across national borders. I apply an existing method for modeling subnational income distributions and show that this affects the results of welfare calculations of the type used in economic analyses of climate policy. Additionally, I suggest ways in which this kind of equity analysis could be applied to questions that address broader considerations of climate policy and development, such as burden sharing in the allocation of obligations, and conclude with remarks that frame the scenario development process in the context of what I call 'the contested storyline of the present'.

Systems Biology-an interdisciplinary approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Friboulet, Alain; Thomas, Daniel

2005-06-15

System-level approaches in biology are not new but foundations of "Systems Biology" are achieved only now at the beginning of the 21st century [Kitano, H., 2001. Foundations of Systems Biology. MIT Press, Cambridge, MA]. The renewed interest for a system-level approach is linked to the progress in collecting experimental data and to the limits of the "reductionist" approach. System-level understanding of native biological and pathological systems is needed to provide potential therapeutic targets. Examples of interdisciplinary approach in Systems Biology are described in U.S., Japan and Europe. Robustness in biology, metabolic engineering and idiotypic networks are discussed in the framework of Systems Biology.

Second-Order Science of Interdisciplinary Research

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Alrøe, Hugo Fjelsted; Noe, Egon

2014-01-01

require and challenge interdisciplinarity. Problem: The conventional methods of interdisciplinary research fall short in the case of wicked problems because they remain first-order science. Our aim is to present workable methods and research designs for doing second-order science in domains where...... there are many different scientific knowledges on any complex problem. Method: We synthesize and elaborate a framework for second-order science in interdisciplinary research based on a number of earlier publications, experiences from large interdisciplinary research projects, and a perspectivist theory...... of science. Results: The second-order polyocular framework for interdisciplinary research is characterized by five principles. Second-order science of interdisciplinary research must: 1. draw on the observations of first-order perspectives, 2. address a shared dynamical object, 3. establish a shared problem...

The ENTRIA project. Selected disciplinary and interdisciplinary research topics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roehlig, Klaus-Juergen; Hocke, Peter; Walther, Clemens

2015-01-01

ENTRIA (''Disposal Options for Radioactive Residues: Interdisciplinary Analyses and Development of Evaluation Principles'', www.entria.de) is a joint research project carried out by twelve departments and institutes from German universities and major research institutions and one partner from Switzerland. It is financed by the German Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). Scientists representing natural sciences, civil engineering, philosophy, law, social and political sciences, and technology assessment carry out disciplinary and interdisciplinary research addressing three options to manage especially high-level radioactive waste: - Final disposal in deep geological formations without any arrangements for retrieval, - disposal in deep geological formations with arrangements for monitoring and retrieval, and - (prolonged) surface (or near-surface) storage. In the paper, the following selected research topics - both disciplinary and interdisciplinary - are briefly introduced in order to provide an impression of the project scope: - Surface storage, - reference concepts for emplacement in deep geological formations with retrievability and monitoring, - radiation exposure and justification of measures, - interdisciplinary perspectives on dose limits, - comparative studies on nuclear waste governance, - nuclear waste governance in Switzerland, - public involvement and the German Site Selection Act, and - citizens' jury.

Computer-mediated interdisciplinary teams: theory and reality.

Science.gov (United States)

Vroman, Kerryellen; Kovacich, Joann

2002-05-01

The benefit of experience, tempered with the wisdom of hindsight and 5 years of text-based, asynchronous, computer-mediated, interdisciplinary team communications, provides the energy, insights and data shared in this article. Through the theoretical lens of group dynamics and the epistemology of interdisciplinary teaming, we analyze the interactions of a virtual interdisciplinary team to provide an understanding and appreciation of collaborative interdisciplinary communication in the context of interactive technologies. Whilst interactive technologies may require new patterns of language similar to that of learning a foreign language, what is communicated in the interdisciplinary team process does not change. Most important is the recognition that virtual teams, similar to their face-to-face counterparts, undergo the same challenges of interdisciplinary teaming and group developmental processes of formation: forming, storming, norming, performing, and transforming. After examining these dynamics of communication and collaboration in the context of the virtual team, the article concludes with guidelines facilitating interdisciplinary team computer-mediated communication.

Middle Level Preservice Teachers Experience a Natural History Arts-Integrated Interdisciplinary Thematic Unit

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Weber, Carolyn A.; Rule, Audrey C.

2017-01-01

Curricular demands and best practices for middle school require interdisciplinary units. Arts integration can provide motivation and a new pathway to learning. This unit focused on inquiry into the natural history of artifacts and rocks recovered from the exposed subsoil of an area near Cedar Falls, Iowa that had been bulldozed as part of…

Methods to stimulate national and sub-national benchmarking through international health system performance comparisons: a Canadian approach.

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Veillard, Jeremy; Moses McKeag, Alexandra; Tipper, Brenda; Krylova, Olga; Reason, Ben

2013-09-01

This paper presents, discusses and evaluates methods used by the Canadian Institute for Health Information to present health system performance international comparisons in ways that facilitate their understanding by the public and health system policy-makers and can stimulate performance benchmarking. We used statistical techniques to normalize the results and present them on a standardized scale facilitating understanding of results. We compared results to the OECD average, and to benchmarks. We also applied various data quality rules to ensure the validity of results. In order to evaluate the impact of the public release of these results, we used quantitative and qualitative methods and documented other types of impact. We were able to present results for performance indicators and dimensions at national and sub-national levels; develop performance profiles for each Canadian province; and show pan-Canadian performance patterns for specific performance indicators. The results attracted significant media attention at national level and reactions from various stakeholders. Other impacts such as requests for additional analysis and improvement in data timeliness were observed. The methods used seemed attractive to various audiences in the Canadian context and achieved the objectives originally defined. These methods could be refined and applied in different contexts. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Contestation in multi-level party systems with institutional constraints: A look at ethnically divided countries in Central and Eastern Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bochsler, Daniel

2011-01-01

Contestation is one of the main dimensions of democratic representation. Mainly, research has focused on contestation at the national level, however the concept equally applies for regional and for local politics. This paper discusses the effect of restrictive national-level institutions...... on political plurality in elections at the subnational level. Its argument is two-fold; firstly, the effect of restrictive political institutions spans over different levels of elections, and therefore restrictive national institutions also restrict political competition in subnational elections. This effect...... might hamper political contestation at the local and regional level if restrictive national institutions meet territorially structured political conflicts. Secondly, where free and politically relevant elections are fought, there is a genuine need for political contestation. Where the multi-level logic...

Interdisciplinary consensus on management of premenstrual disorders in Switzerland.

Science.gov (United States)

Stute, Petra; Bodmer, Christine; Ehlert, Ulrike; Eltbogen, Roger; Ging, Ankica; Streuli, Isabelle; von Wolff, Michael

2017-05-01

Premenstrual disorders (PMD) can affect women throughout their entire reproductive years. In 2016, an interdisciplinary expert meeting of general gynecologists, gynecological endocrinologists, psychiatrists and psychologists from Switzerland was held to provide an interdisciplinary algorithm on PMD management taking reproductive stages into account. The Swiss PMD algorithm differentiates between primary and secondary PMD care providers incorporating different levels of diagnostic and treatment. Treatment options include cognitive behavioral therapy, alternative therapy, antidepressants, ovulation suppression and diuretics. Treatment choice depends on prevalent PMD symptoms, (reproductive) age, family planning, cardiovascular risk factors, comorbidities, comedication and the woman's preference. Regular follow-ups are mandatory.

Innovations in Sub-National Government in Europe Innovations in Sub-National Government in Europe

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Linze Schaap

2010-12-01

Full Text Available La mejora del gobierno se encuentra arraigada con frecuencia en los niveles descentralizados. En este artículo es el cambio dentro del gobierno mismo, principalmente la emergencia de la “gobernanza” y el cambio en el tamaño administrativo. Las reformas estructurales adoptan formas diversas: el aumento del tamaño para mejorar la capacidad del sistema, el aumento del tamaño para favorecer la participación ciudadana, y la reducción del tamaño para favorecer asimismo la participación ciudadana. Además, se advierten nuevas formas de acción dentro de los mismos gobiernos: cooperación transfronteriza, cooperación intermunicipal y nuevas formas de evaluación del rendimiento y de la gestión financiera. Los autores concluyen el artículo mencionando algunos desafíos para los académicos y para los gobiernos.Improvement in government is often rooted in decentralised layers of government. In this article the authors discuss the recent history of innovations in sub-national government in Europe. They focus on two general trends and developments. Cases of interesting practices and developments illustrate the general trends. For each general trend a distinction is made between two kinds of innovations: structural reforms and new ways of working within existing institutional settings. The first trend concerns changing relations between government, civil society and citizens, in response to the increased contestation of the nature of traditional representative democracy. Examples of structural reforms are: increased citizen participation, the expanded use of referenda and the introduction of the directly elected mayor. New ways of working are: forms of coproduction between the public sector and the third sector. The second trend described in this article is change within government itself, mainly the rise of ‘governance’ and changing administrative scales. Structural reforms take several forms: scale enlargement to enhance system capacity

Interdisciplinary Introductory Course in Bioinformatics

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Kortsarts, Yana; Morris, Robert W.; Utell, Janine M.

2010-01-01

Bioinformatics is a relatively new interdisciplinary field that integrates computer science, mathematics, biology, and information technology to manage, analyze, and understand biological, biochemical and biophysical information. We present our experience in teaching an interdisciplinary course, Introduction to Bioinformatics, which was developed…

Quality improvement of interdisciplinary rounds by leadership training based on essential quality indicators of the Interdisciplinary Rounds Assessment Scale

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Ten Have, Elsbeth C. M.; Nap, Raoul E.; Tulleken, Jaap E.

2013-01-01

The implementation of interdisciplinary teams in the intensive care unit (ICU) has focused attention on leadership behavior. Daily interdisciplinary rounds (IDRs) in ICUs integrate leadership behavior and interdisciplinary teamwork. The purpose of this intervention study was to measure the effect of

Promoting Interdisciplinary Research among Faculty

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Novak, Elena; Zhao, Weinan; Reiser, Robert A.

2014-01-01

With the growing recognition of the importance of interdisciplinary research, many faculty have increased their efforts to form interdisciplinary research teams. Oftentimes, attempts to put together such teams are hampered because faculty have a limited picture of the research interests and expertise of their colleagues. This paper reports on…

Soil-transmitted helminthiasis in Latin America and the Caribbean: modelling the determinants, prevalence, population at risk and costs of control at sub-national level

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Josh Colston

2013-05-01

Full Text Available We present an example of a tool for quantifying the burden, the population in need of intervention and resources need to contribute for the control of soil-transmitted helminth (STH infection at multiple administrative levels for the region of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC. The tool relies on published STH prevalence data along with data on the distribution of several STH transmission determinants for 12,273 sub-national administrative units in 22 LAC countries taken from national censuses. Data on these determinants was aggregated into a single risk index based on a conceptual framework and the statistical significance of the association between this index and the STH prevalence indicators was tested using simple linear regression. The coefficient and constant from the output of this regression was then put into a regression formula that was applied to the risk index values for all of the administrative units in order to model the estimated prevalence of each STH species. We then combine these estimates with population data, treatment thresholds and unit cost data to calculate total control costs. The model predicts an annual cost for the procurement of preventive chemotherapy of around US$ 1.7 million and a total cost of US$ 47 million for implementing a comprehensive STH control programme targeting an estimated 78.7 million school-aged children according to the WHO guidelines throughout the entirety of the countries included in the study. Considerable savings to this cost could potentially be made by embedding STH control interventions within existing health programmes and systems. A study of this scope is prone to many limitations which restrict the interpretation of the results and the uses to which its findings may be put. We discuss several of these limitations.

Soil-transmitted helminthiasis in Latin America and the Caribbean: modelling the determinants, prevalence, population at risk and costs of control at sub-national level.

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Colston, Josh; Saboyá, Martha

2013-05-01

We present an example of a tool for quantifying the burden, the population in need of intervention and resources need to contribute for the control of soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infection at multiple administrative levels for the region of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). The tool relies on published STH prevalence data along with data on the distribution of several STH transmission determinants for 12,273 sub-national administrative units in 22 LAC countries taken from national censuses. Data on these determinants was aggregated into a single risk index based on a conceptual framework and the statistical significance of the association between this index and the STH prevalence indicators was tested using simple linear regression. The coefficient and constant from the output of this regression was then put into a regression formula that was applied to the risk index values for all of the administrative units in order to model the estimated prevalence of each STH species. We then combine these estimates with population data, treatment thresholds and unit cost data to calculate total control costs. The model predicts an annual cost for the procurement of preventive chemotherapy of around US$ 1.7 million and a total cost of US$ 47 million for implementing a comprehensive STH control programme targeting an estimated 78.7 million school-aged children according to the WHO guidelines throughout the entirety of the countries included in the study. Considerable savings to this cost could potentially be made by embedding STH control interventions within existing health programmes and systems. A study of this scope is prone to many limitations which restrict the interpretation of the results and the uses to which its findings may be put. We discuss several of these limitations.

Interdisciplinary Work in Schools

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tofteng, Ditte Maria Børglum; Rasmussen, Gitte Lyng

In a Danish school or institutional context there is a variety of professionals working around children’s lives, both as a part of an ordinary child life and when there are cognitive or social challenges connected to this life. Thus, the professionals are often working closely together in both......, combined with their more formal organizational affiliation. In this way, professionals can be working directly within the school or institution, or they can be in a supportive role being formally affiliated to the local council. Both these types of affiliations entail interdisciplinary cooperation......, interdisciplinary work is part of the new vision of how welfare systems can work more effectively and successfully, and in this logic, it is framed as a new standard for working systematically and consistently with cases. Hence, interdisciplinary work also represents a meaningful way of working with cases...

National and sub-national analysis of the health benefits and cost-effectiveness of strategies to reduce maternal mortality in Afghanistan.

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Carvalho, Natalie; Salehi, Ahmad Shah; Goldie, Sue J

2013-01-01

Afghanistan has one of the highest rates of maternal mortality in the world. We assess the health outcomes and cost-effectiveness of strategies to improve the safety of pregnancy and childbirth in Afghanistan. Using national and sub-national data, we adapted a previously validated model that simulates the natural history of pregnancy and pregnancy-related complications. We incorporated data on antenatal care, family planning, skilled birth attendance and information about access to transport, referral facilities and quality of care. We evaluated single interventions (e.g. family planning) and strategies that combined several interventions packaged as integrated services (transport, intrapartum care). Outcomes included pregnancy-related complications, maternal deaths, maternal mortality ratios, costs and cost-effectiveness ratios. Model-projected reduction in maternal deaths between 1999-2002 and 2007-08 approximated 20%. Increasing family planning was the most effective individual intervention to further reduce maternal mortality; up to 1 in 3 pregnancy-related deaths could be prevented if contraception use approached 60%. Nevertheless, reductions in maternal mortality reached a threshold (∼30% to 40%) without strategies that assured women access to emergency obstetrical care. A stepwise approach that coupled improved family planning with incremental improvements in skilled attendance, transport, referral and appropriate intrapartum care and high-quality facilities prevented 3 of 4 maternal deaths. Such an approach would cost less than US$200 per year of life saved at the national level, well below Afghanistan's per capita gross domestic product (GDP), a common benchmark for cost-effectiveness. Similar results were noted sub-nationally. Our findings reinforce the importance of early intensive efforts to increase family planning for spacing and limiting births and to provide control of fertility choices. While significant improvements in health delivery

Fostering intentional interdisciplinary leadership in developmental disabilities: the North Carolina LEND experience.

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Rosenberg, Angela; Margolis, Lewis H; Umble, Karl; Chewning, Linda

2015-02-01

This study describes the effects of interdisciplinary leadership training on a retrospective cohort (2001-2009) of the University of North Carolina MCH Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (UNC-CH LEND) program, including LEND graduates who were selected to participate in a focused Interdisciplinary Leadership Development Program (ILDP) in addition to their LEND training. Specifically, the study examined graduates' reports of the relationship between LEND training and their attitudes/beliefs about interdisciplinary practice, as well as their reported use of interdisciplinary skills in their post-fellowship practice settings. Using a post-test design, participants in the LEND and ILDP programs were contacted to complete an on-line survey. Using a Conceptual Model guided by EvaluLEAD, respondents were asked to rate the influence of the UNC-LEND training program on their attitudes/beliefs and skills using a 5-point Likert scale, as well as through open-ended descriptions. The 49 LEND respondents represented a 56% overall response rate from years 2001-2009. ILDP participants reported greater agreement with interdisciplinary attitudes/beliefs and more frequent use of interdisciplinary skills than did the non-participants. Graduates of LEND as well as ILDP reported the influence of training through a range of qualitative responses. Response examples highlight the influence of LEND training to promote outcomes at the individual, organizational and systems level. Findings from this study illustrate that MCHB funded LEND training has a strong influence on the future employment and interdisciplinary practices of graduates for the MCH workforce as well as services for individuals with developmental disabilities, their families and systems of care.

Practice-Based Interdisciplinary Approach and Environmental Research

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Ranjan Kumar Datta

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Interdisciplinary researchers and educators, as community members, creators of knowledge, and environmental activists and practitioners, have a responsibility to build a bridge between community practice, academic scholarship, and professional contributions aimed at establishing environmental sustainability. In this paper, I focus on an undervalued area of environmental politics, practices, and often unarticulated assumptions which underlie human–environmental relations. This article challenges interdisciplinary studies that are not connected with practice by reconfiguring the meaning of a community-based, interdisciplinary approach. Drawing from works by Foucault, Latour, and Haraway, this paper first shows how to reconfigure the meaning of an interdisciplinary approach. Second, using Bourdieu and Brightman’s ethnographic studies as a framework, the paper situates practice as central to our efforts to deconstruct and replace current interdisciplinary initiatives with a practice-based approach. Through a practice-based interdisciplinary approach (PIA, environmental educators and researchers gain an awareness of and learn to make an investment in sustainable communities. As teams of environmental researchers practising in the local community, they are meaningfully involved with the community, with each other, and with the environment.

Best practices and pearls in interdisciplinary mentoring from Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women's Health Directors.

Science.gov (United States)

Guise, Jeanne-Marie; Nagel, Joan D; Regensteiner, Judith G

2012-11-01

Increasingly, national programs and leaders are looking at interdisciplinary collaborations as essential to future research. Twelve years ago, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Research on Women's Health (ORWH) developed and implemented the Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women's Health (BIRCWH) K12 program to focus on interdisciplinary mentored career development for junior faculty in women's health research. We applied a mixed-methods approach using an electronic survey and in-person presentations and discussions to understand best practices and lessons learned for interdisciplinary mentoring across BIRCWH K12 program leaders. We received responses from all 29 active BIRCWH programs. Factors associated with success included ensuring sufficient protected time for regular (weekly or biweekly) mentoring; mentors promoting the research independence of the Scholar; a team mentoring approach, including career as well as content mentors; and explicit and clear expectations outlined between the Scholar and mentor. The majority of programs conduct formal evaluations of mentorship, and 79% of programs offer training in mentorship for either Scholars, mentors, or both. This article presents program leaders' best practices, challenges, and lessons learned from mentoring junior faculty who are conducting women's health research, whether basic, clinical, behavioral, translational, or health services research, using an interdisciplinary mentoring approach.

Measuring Iran's success in achieving Millennium Development Goal 4: a systematic analysis of under-5 mortality at national and subnational levels from 1990 to 2015

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Younes Mohammadi, PhD

2017-05-01

provinces achieved MDG 4 and SDG 3 (target 2 goals by 2015. However, at the subnational level in some provinces, there is substantial inequity. Local policy makers should use effective strategies to accelerate the reduction of child mortality for these provinces by 2030. Possible recommendations for such strategies include enhancing the level of education and health literacy among women, tackling sex discrimination, and improving incomes for families. Funding: Iran Ministry of Health and Education.

Medialogy – An Interdisciplinary Education Challenge in a Problem Based Learning Environment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nordahl, Rolf; Kofoed, Lise B.

2012-01-01

Different new educations in the field of media and technology are constantly developing worldwide. Searching on the Internet almost every university has programs in both media and communication. Several universities are discussing the challenges to offer double degrees, so the students can combine...... an individual education according to their interests. Other universities are offering interdisciplinary educations in the field of media technology. Having worked with those interdisciplinary engineering and science educations for several years, it seems to be a challenge to define the students’ key competences......, and the ability of such educations to provide new scientific paradigms and disciplines. This paper investigates the challenges connected to a new interdisciplinary science and engineering program: Medialogy at Aalborg University. The program includes Bachelor and Master level educations and combines humanistic...

INTERDISCIPLINARY FORMATION TO ACTUATION AT UNIFIED HEALTH SYSTEM: OVERVIEW OF ARTICLES PUBLISHED IN BRAZIL

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Iane Franceschet de Sousa

2012-10-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was analysed the articles published in Brazil about interdisciplinarity in the formation process in graduation level of the health profissionals for their actuation at Unified Health System. It was selected 40 publications that was conformable according to inclusion criterious. It was datached some aspects that contribute with the reflections around the subject, as the obstacles and difficulties for the interdisciplinary practice, as well the alternatives and suggestions to introduce the interdisciplinary. The most of the articles was a theoretical base, there are scarcity of practice studies that reveal effectives interdisciplinaries experiences in the formation of health profissionals.

Modeling interdisciplinary activities involving Mathematics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Iversen, Steffen Møllegaard

2006-01-01

In this paper a didactical model is presented. The goal of the model is to work as a didactical tool, or conceptual frame, for developing, carrying through and evaluating interdisciplinary activities involving the subject of mathematics and philosophy in the high schools. Through the terms...... of Horizontal Intertwining, Vertical Structuring and Horizontal Propagation the model consists of three phases, each considering different aspects of the nature of interdisciplinary activities. The theoretical modelling is inspired by work which focuses on the students abilities to concept formation in expanded...... domains (Michelsen, 2001, 2005a, 2005b). Furthermore the theoretical description rest on a series of qualitative interviews with teachers from the Danish high school (grades 9-11) conducted recently. The special case of concrete interdisciplinary activities between mathematics and philosophy is also...

Student Socialization in Interdisciplinary Doctoral Education

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Boden, Daniel; Borrego, Maura; Newswander, Lynita K.

2011-01-01

Interdisciplinary approaches are often seen as necessary for attacking the most critical challenges facing the world today, and doctoral students and their training programs are recognized as central to increasing interdisciplinary research capacity. However, the traditional culture and organization of higher education are ill-equipped to…

Interdisciplinary Education: A Reflection of the Real World

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Ronald A. Styron, Jr.

2013-12-01

Full Text Available This paper contains a discussion of curricular implications of interdisciplinary education and pedagogical strategies. The focus of the literature cited in this work is on application activities aimed at developing critical thinking, creativity, collaboration and communication to prepare students to meet the challenges of the 21st century. The Know/Do/Be conceptual model for interdisciplinary education, the pros and cons of interdisciplinary education, and pedagogies that lend themselves well to interdisciplinary strategies, such as Inquiry-Based Learning and Team-based Learning, and instructor competencies are examined.

The Politics of Subnational Undemocratic Regime Reproduction in Argentina and Mexico La política de reproducción de los regímenes subnacionales no democráticos en Argentina y México

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Agustina Giraudy

2010-01-01

Full Text Available This article studies the continued existence of subnational undemocraticregimes in Argentina and Mexico, two countries that have recently experiencednational democratization. The first part of the article offers a conceptualizationof subnational democracy and measures its territorial extension across all subnational units. The second part explores a common, albeit not systematically tested explanation about subnational undemocratic regime continuity, namely, that these regimes persist because they meet national incumbents’ strategic political needs. This claim is tested using statistical analyses to contrast patterns of spending across undemocratic subnational units during the presidencies of Menem (1989-1999, De la Rúa (2000-2001, Duhalde (2002, and Kirchner (2003-2007 in Argentina, and Fox (2000-2006 in Mexico. Contradicting conventional wisdom, the results show that presidents only reproduce a handful of subnational undemocratic regimes, as not all of them can meet presidential needs. In addition, the results reveal that the strategic calculation of presidents regarding this  reproduction is dictated by factors that have been largely overlooked by the literature. Este artículo estudia la existencia de regímenes subnacionales no-democráticos en Argentina y México, dos pa��ses que recientemente han experimentado procesos de democratización a nivel nacional. La primera parte del artículo conceptualiza y define la democracia subnacional y mide su extensión territorial en la totalidad de los distritos subnacionales. La segunda parte explora la validez de una de las explicaciones más habituales en esta área de estudio según la cual los regímenes subnacionales no-democráticos permanecen en el poder debido a que son útiles para satisfacer las necesidades políticas de los funcionarios nacionales. La validez de esta explicación se testea con análisis estadísticos que determinan los patrones de distribución territorial de

Sustainability Assessment in Development Planning in Sub-National Territories: Regional Development Strategies in Chile

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Iván Franchi-Arzola

2018-05-01

Full Text Available In Chile, the increasing occurrence of socio-environmental conflicts demonstrates that Regional Development Strategies—Estrategia Regional de Desarrollo (ERD—as the main development policy of subnational territories (Regions, must consider sustainability as a central objective. The Taxonomy of Sustainability constitutes an assessment method that allows us to determine the correlation between the definitions of these public policies and the strategies for transition to sustainable development. The ERD of the Antofagasta and Aysén regions are the ones presenting the highest Taxonomic Index; this indicates a higher strategic content for the promotion of sustainability. It is also noted that the political will that conditions the principles and values on which the ERD are based is strongly determined by investment projects and socio-environmental conflicts, which represent the tension between environmental protection and the capacity and interests of regional society in the development project.

Trends in contraceptive use and distribution of births with demographic risk factors in Ethiopia: a sub-national analysis.

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Shiferaw, Solomon; Abdullah, Muna; Mekonnen, Yared; Maïga, Abdoulaye; Akinyemi, Akanni; Amouzou, Agbessi; Friedman, Howard; Barros, Aluisio J D; Hounton, Sennen

2015-01-01

Evidence shows that family planning contributes to the decline in child mortality by decreasing the proportions of births that are considered high risk. The main objective of the present analysis was to examine the trends in use of modern contraceptives and their relationship with total fertility rate (TFR) and distribution of births by demographic risk factors as defined by mother's age, birth interval, and birth order at the sub-national level in Ethiopia. Analyses used data from three Demographic and Health Surveys in Ethiopia (2000, 2005, and 2011), which are nationally representative data collected through questionnaire-based interviews from women 15-49 using a stratified, two-stage cluster sampling. First, we examined the trends of and relationship between TFR (in the 3 years before each survey) and modern contraceptive use among currently married women in all administrative regions over the time period 2000-2011 using linear regression analysis. We also examined the relationship between birth risks and under-five mortality using the no-risk group as a reference. Finally, multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to estimate the relationship between the effect of being a resident in one of the regions and having an avoidable birth risk (which includes births to mothers younger than 18 and older than 34 years, birth interval of less than 24 months and birth order higher than third) after adjusting for select covariates including wealth, educational status, residence, religion and exposure to family planning information. Sub-national-level regression analysis showed an inverse relationship between modern contraceptive use among married women and the TFR, with an average decrease of TFR by one child per woman associated with a 13 percentage point increase in modern contraceptive use between 2000 and 2011. A high percentage of births in Ethiopia (62%) fall in one of the risk categories (excluding first births), with wide regional variation from 55% in

Trends in contraceptive use and distribution of births with demographic risk factors in Ethiopia: a sub-national analysis

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Solomon Shiferaw

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Background: Evidence shows that family planning contributes to the decline in child mortality by decreasing the proportions of births that are considered high risk. The main objective of the present analysis was to examine the trends in use of modern contraceptives and their relationship with total fertility rate (TFR and distribution of births by demographic risk factors as defined by mother's age, birth interval, and birth order at the sub-national level in Ethiopia. Design: Analyses used data from three Demographic and Health Surveys in Ethiopia (2000, 2005, and 2011, which are nationally representative data collected through questionnaire-based interviews from women 15–49 using a stratified, two-stage cluster sampling. First, we examined the trends of and relationship between TFR (in the 3 years before each survey and modern contraceptive use among currently married women in all administrative regions over the time period 2000–2011 using linear regression analysis. We also examined the relationship between birth risks and under-five mortality using the no-risk group as a reference. Finally, multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to estimate the relationship between the effect of being a resident in one of the regions and having an avoidable birth risk (which includes births to mothers younger than 18 and older than 34 years, birth interval of less than 24 months and birth order higher than third after adjusting for select covariates including wealth, educational status, residence, religion and exposure to family planning information. Results: Sub-national-level regression analysis showed an inverse relationship between modern contraceptive use among married women and the TFR, with an average decrease of TFR by one child per woman associated with a 13 percentage point increase in modern contraceptive use between 2000 and 2011. A high percentage of births in Ethiopia (62% fall in one of the risk categories (excluding first

City evacuations an interdisciplinary approach

CERN Document Server

Binner, Jane; Branicki, Layla; Galla, Tobias; Jones, Nick; King, James; Kolokitha, Magdalini; Smyrnakis, Michalis

2015-01-01

Evacuating a city is a complex problem that involves issues of governance, preparedness education, warning, information sharing, population dynamics, resilience and recovery. As natural and anthropogenic threats to cities grow, it is an increasingly pressing problem for policy makers and practitioners.   The book is the result of a unique interdisciplinary collaboration between researchers in the physical and social sciences to consider how an interdisciplinary approach can help plan for large scale evacuations.  It draws on perspectives from physics, mathematics, organisation theory, economics, sociology and education.  Importantly it goes beyond disciplinary boundaries and considers how interdisciplinary methods are necessary to approach a complex problem involving human actors and increasingly complex communications and transportation infrastructures.   Using real world case studies and modelling the book considers new approaches to evacuation dynamics.  It addresses questions of complexity, not only ...

Assessing Interdisciplinary Education in U.S. Dental Hygiene Programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Holt, Lorie; Bray, Kimberly; Mayberry, Bill; Overman, Pamela

2000-01-01

Survey responses from 136 of 216 dental hygiene programs indicated that 31% included interdisciplinary activities in the curriculum; only 15% included both clinical and instructional interdisciplinary coursework. However, 74% felt that students would benefit from interdisciplinary experiences. (SK)

Interdisciplinary Education and Research in Mexico

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Villa-Soto, Juan Carlos

2016-01-01

In this article we discuss interdisciplinary teaching and research in Latin America through the lens of Mexican perspectives, in particular the experiences at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). The history of these experiences goes back to the creation of the frst interdisciplinary education programs in Mexico in the 1970s and…

Clinical interdisciplinary health team care: an educational experiment.

Science.gov (United States)

Mazur, H; Beeston, J J; Yerxa, E J

1979-09-01

With increasing concern for teamwork in clinical practice in health care settings, the need to identify the concepts, methods, and learning processes for improving interdisciplinary team skills is apparent. This paper describes patient-centered, clinical-research-demonstration programs for teams of students, preceptors, and faculty members from six disciplines who provided patient care in a long-term rehabilitation setting. The teams were involved in the theory and practice of team-building, including weekly sessions on leadership styles, communication, group decision-making, and team effectiveness assessment. Objective and subjective measurements were administered throughout the program. The results indicate that task-oriented patient care favors the learning of team skills, especially when all levels of administration support and participate in the processes. Question are raised concerning the effect of clinical teams on the quality of patient care, their cost-effectiveness, and the low priority given to teaching interdisciplinary team skills in professional education.

Using concept mapping to measure changes in interdisciplinary learning during high school

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Priit Reiska

2018-03-01

Full Text Available How, when and what kind of learning takes place are key questions in all educational environments. School graduates are expected to have reached a development level whereby they have, among many fundamental skills, the ability to think critically, to plan their studies and their future, and to integrate knowledge across disciplines. However, it is challenging to develop these skills in schools. Following existing curricula, disciplines are often taught separately and by different teachers, making it difficult for students to connect knowledge studied and learned from one discipline to that of another discipline. The Next Generation Science Standards on teaching and learning natural science in the United States point out important crosscutting concepts in science education (NGSS, 2013. In Estonia, similar trends are leading to an emphasis on the need to further develop scientific literacy skills and interdisciplinary learning in students. The changing environment around us must be reflected in changes in our school system. In this paper, we report on research that intends to answer the questions: (a “How much do Estonian students develop an interdisciplinary understanding of science throughout their high school education?”, and (b “Is their thinking more interdisciplinary after two years of studies in an Estonian high school?” Additionally, we analyzed the results based on the type of school the students attended, and we examined the use concept mapping to assess interdisciplinary learning. This research is part of an overall study that involved students from 44 Estonian high schools taking a science test similar to the three-dimensional Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA test (hereafter called PISA-like multidimensional test as well as constructing concept maps, while in 10th and 12th grade. In this paper, we report on the analysis of the results for 182 of the students, concentrating on the analysis of the concept maps

The Interdisciplinary Geriatric/Gerontological Team in the Academic Setting.

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Mellor, M Joanna; Solomon, Renee

1992-01-01

Geriatric health care requires the services of an interdisciplinary health care team to assess, treat and order the social service needs of the older person, and this concept needs to be included in geriatric social work education. But while the necessity of interdisciplinary team care is recognized, little focus has been placed on the actual process of developing a functional team. The issues that arise-disparate terminologies, organizational and administrative differentials, turf-and the steps needed for a team to become viable are described, using an interdisciplinary team based in academia as a case model. The academic interdisciplinary team may easily become a forum for 'hot air' rather than a catalyst for good practice. This danger is reviewed with reference to stages in the interdisciplinary team development-- goal development group affiliation; team awareness; and goal evaluation. The chapter concludes with a discussion on the impact of the interdisciplinary team on faculty, students and the academic setting.

Does fiscal discipline towards subnational governments affect citizens' well-being? Evidence on health.

Science.gov (United States)

Piacenza, Massimiliano; Turati, Gilberto

2014-02-01

This paper aims to assess the impact on citizens' well-being of fiscal discipline imposed by the central government on subnational governments. Because healthcare policies involve strategic interactions between different layers of governments in many different countries, we focus on a particular dimension of well-being, namely citizens' health. We model fiscal discipline by considering government expectations of future deficit bailouts from the central government. We then study how these bailout expectations affect the expenditure for healthcare policies carried out by decentralized governments. To investigate this issue, we separate efficient health spending from inefficiencies by estimating an input requirement frontier. This allows us to assess the effects of bailout expectations on both the structural component of health expenditure and its deviations from the 'best practice'. The evidence from the 15 Italian ordinary statute regions (observed from 1993 to 2006) points out that bailout expectations do not significantly influence the position of the frontier, thus not affecting citizens' health. However, they do appear to exert a remarkable impact on excess spending. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Development of Emotional Skills through Interdisciplinary Practices Integrated into a University Curriculum

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. L. Pertegal-Felices

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The emotional profile of university students has been related to both academic performance and professional success. Such evidence has led higher education professionals to ask whether students can be trained in emotional skills at university stage. However, learning specific emotional skills requires a considerable investment of time from students. This paper presents an intervention aimed at developing emotional skills through interdisciplinary teamwork, without adding specific courses that could decrease the time that students devote to their core studies. The results indicated that working in interdisciplinary teams improved the level of emotional skills without hindering the attainment of academic objectives.

Importance of orthodontic movement in interdisciplinary treatment for restoring esthetics and functional occlusion

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Carlos Henrique Guimarães

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This article describes interdisciplinary treatment conducted in adult patients, 49-year-old, with periodontal problems, losses and dental inclination, occlusal trauma, localized bone loss, and necessity of rehabilitation with dental implants. Alignment and leveling of the teeth, the molars uprighting with cantilever, and space closure were performed the treatment was facilitated by periodic periodontal control. The resultant occlusion was stable throughout a 5-year retention period. In conclusion, interdisciplinary treatment combined with periodontics, orthodontics, implantodontist, and restorative dentistry was useful for improving the patient′s oral health, function, and esthetics.

ENTRA - or the chances of interdisciplinary work; ENTRIA - oder die Chancen des Interdisziplinaeren

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Walther, Clemens [Leibniz Univ. Hannover (Germany). Inst. fuer Radiooekologie und Strahlenschutz; Roehlig, Klaus-Juergen [Technische Univ. Clausthal, Clausthal-Zellerfeld (Germany). Inst. fuer Endlagerforschung; Smeddinck, Ulrich [Technische Univ. Braunschweig (Germany). Inst. fuer Rechtswissenschaften

2015-07-01

Since 2013 about 60 scientists work together in the research platform ENTRA (disposal options for radioactive residuals: interdisciplinary analyses and development of evaluation criteria). The scientists group includes physicists, mathematicians, engineers, jurists, experts from ethics, social and political sciences. The common question is the disposal of high-level radioactive waste. The contribution describes the concept of interdisciplinary work, using the example of the definition of terms like risk by different scientists, projects for specific disposal options, the problem of public distrust, the problem of limiting values and the optimization of final repository systems.

Past, Present and Future in Interdisciplinary Research

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Gusdorf, Georges

1977-01-01

Presents examples of interdisciplinary research since the origin of western science and predicts that future interdisciplinary approaches to epistemological writing will take into account divergent thinking patterns and thereby end the domination by western intellectual imperialism. For journal availability, see SO 506 201. (Author/DB)

Third Level of International Relations: Characteristics of Sub-State Actors

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Sergey P. Arteev

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The article is in the genre of the review for textbook O. V. Plotnikova and O. Y. Dubrovina International relations of the regions States: characteristics and features (Moscow: Norma; INFRA-M, 2016. 192 p.. Textbook on international activities of sub-state/subnational actors in international relations. Under the sub-state/subnational actors refers to the regions of the States. The authors propose an along with interstate relations (first level and supranational organizations (second level to distinguish a third level of international relations - international relations of the regions in Federal and unitary States. The topic is very relevant due to the ongoing restructuring of the architecture of international relations and world politics. In addition, these processes lead to involvement in international relations new actors. The resulting configuration and the role of traditional players. In addition to long-term evolutionary processes, we should not forget about the position of Russia in the last few years. It is obvious that the current tensions around the Russian Federation may not be fully resolved with the old methods. At the same time, sub-state/ subnational actors as subjects of a combined nature, the role played by regions of the Russian Federation, able to combine harmoniously in its international activities as the techniques characteristic of the traditional actors - States and developments in the tools of non-traditional actors - international non-governmental and non-profit organizations etc. As a result of positive results can be achieved faster and at the interstate level. The review considers the subject and the relevance of the topic, presents the analysis of the content of the work. Marked strengths of the textbook, including those associated with the consideration of the diagonal ties and the political components in the international activities of the regions. In addition to the advantages, attention is paid to the analysis of

Promoting interdisciplinary education - the Vienna Doctoral Programme on Water Resource Systems

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Blöschl, G.; Carr, G.; Bucher, C.; Farnleitner, A. H.; Rechberger, H.; Wagner, W.; Zessner, M.

2012-02-01

The Vienna Doctoral Programme on Water Resource Systems (DK-WRS) is a programme that aims to educate students in interdisciplinary water science through cutting edge research at an international level. It is funded by the Austrian Science Fund and designed to run over a period of 12 yr during which 80 doctoral students are anticipated to graduate. This paper reports on our experiences of setting up and implementing the Programme. We identify three challenges: integrating the disciplines, maintaining depth in an interdisciplinary programme, and teaching subjects remote to each student's core expertise. To address these challenges we adopt a number of approaches. We use three levels of instruments to foster integration across the disciplines: joint groups (e.g. a joint study programme), joint science questions (e.g. developed in annual symposia), and joint study sites. To maintain depth we apply a system of quality control including regular feedback sessions, theses by journal publications and international study exchange. For simultaneously teaching students from civil and environmental engineering, biology, geology, chemistry, mathematics we use visually explicit teaching, learning by doing, extra mentoring and by cross relating associated subjects. Our initial assessment of the Programme shows some very positive outcomes. Joint science questions formed between students from various disciplines indicate integration is being achieved. The number of successful publications in top journals suggests that depth is maintained. Positive feedback from the students on the variety and clarity of the courses indicates the teaching strategy is working well. Our experiences have shown that implementing and running an interdisciplinary doctoral programme has its challenges and is demanding in terms of time and human resources but seeing interactions progress and watching people grow and develop their way of thinking in an interdisciplinary environment is a valuable reward.

From words to action: visibility of management in supporting interdisciplinary team working in an acute rehabilitative geriatric hospital.

Science.gov (United States)

Buttigieg, Sandra C; Cassar, Vincent; Scully, Judy W

2013-01-01

The following case study aims to explore management's, health professionals' and patients' experiences on the extent to which there is visibility of management support in achieving effective interdisciplinary team working, which is explicitly declared in the mission statement of a 60-bed acute rehabilitative geriatric hospital in Malta. A total of 21 semi-structured interviews were conducted with the above-mentioned key stakeholders. Three main distinct yet interdependent themes emerged as a result of thematic analysis: "managing a team-friendly hospital", "interdisciplinary team components", and "interdisciplinary team processes". The findings show that visibility of management support and its alignment with the process and content levels of interdisciplinary teamwork are key to integrated care for acute rehabilitative geriatric patients. The emerging phenomena may not be reproducible in a different context; although many of the emerging themes could be comfortably matched with the existing literature. The implications are geared towards raising the consciousness and conscientiousness of good practice in interdisciplinary teamwork in hospitals, as well as in emphasizing organizational and management support as crucial factors for team-based organizations. Interdisciplinary teamwork in acute rehabilitative geriatrics provides optimal quality and integrated health care delivery with the aim that the older persons are successfully discharged back to the community. The authors draw on solid theoretical frameworks--the complexity theory, team effectiveness model and the social identity theory--to support their major finding, namely the alignment of organizational and management support with intra-team factors at the process and content level.

Engaging Undergraduates through Interdisciplinary Research in Nanotechnology

Science.gov (United States)

Goonewardene, Anura U.; Offutt, Christine; Whitling, Jacqueline; Woodhouse, Donald

2012-01-01

To recruit and retain more students in all science disciplines at our small (5,000 student) public university, we implemented an interdisciplinary strategy focusing on nanotechnology and enhanced undergraduate research. Inherently interdisciplinary, the novelty of nanotechnology and its growing career potential appeal to students. To engage…

Interdisciplinary Best Practices for Adapted Physical Activity

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Szostak, Rick

2016-01-01

This article provides an introduction to the literature on interdisciplinary research. It then draws lessons from that literature for the field of adapted physical activity. It is argued that adapted physical activity should be a self-consciously interdisciplinary field. It should insist that research be performed according to recognized…

Interdisciplinary planning in the education of professionals in education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eudaldo Enrique Espinoza-Freire

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The work had as objective to compile information in the scientific literature, on the implementation of interdisciplinary in the educational teaching process in the formation of the professional of the education. The methodology followed in this inquiry, was to consult the literature results of research about interdisciplinary and ways of implementing it in the teaching-learning process, planning and educational relations interdisciplinary, it-reviewed publications in journals, thesis of degree of master's degrees and doctorates, and other materials such as conferences. In this review, we found the problems existing in educational institutions with respect to teacher training and the interdisciplinary approach, the conceptualization of this category, among other aspects. As a result, we present an updated material that will contribute to the update of the teachers about the content about interdisciplinary and its implementation in the teaching-learning process.

Healthcare management strategies: interdisciplinary team factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Andreatta, Pamela; Marzano, David

2012-12-01

Interdisciplinary team factors are significant contributors to clinical performance and associated patient outcomes. Quality of care and patient safety initiatives identify human factors associated with team performance as a prime improvement area for clinical patient care. The majority of references to interdisciplinary teams in obstetrics and gynecology in the literature recommends the use of multidisciplinary approaches when managing complex medical cases. The reviewed literature suggests that interdisciplinary team development is important for achieving optimally efficient and effective performance; however, few reports provide specific recommendations for how to optimally achieve these objectives in the process of providing interdisciplinary care to patients. The absence of these recommendations presents a significant challenge for those tasked with improving team performance in the workplace. The prescribed team development programs cited in the review are principally built around communication strategies and simulation-based training mechanisms. Few reports provide descriptions of optimal team-based competencies in the various contexts of obstetric and gynecology teams. However, team-based evaluation strategies and empirical data documenting the transfer of team training to applied clinical care are increasing in number and quality. Our findings suggest that research toward determining team factors that promote optimal performance in applied clinical practice requires definition of specific competencies for the variable teams serving obstetrics and gynecology.

Achieving clinical nurse specialist competencies and outcomes through interdisciplinary education.

Science.gov (United States)

Sievers, Beth; Wolf, Sherry

2006-01-01

Without formal education, many healthcare professionals fail to develop interdisciplinary team skills; however, when students are socialized to interdisciplinary practice through academic clinical learning experiences, effective collaboration skills can be developed. Increasingly, educational environments are challenged to include clinical experiences for students that teach and model interdisciplinary collaboration. The purpose of this quality improvement initiative was to create an interdisciplinary educational experience for clinical nurse specialist (CNS) students and postgraduate physicians. The interdisciplinary learning experience, supported by an educational grant, provided an interdisciplinary cohort of learners an opportunity to engage in a clinically focused learning experience. The interdisciplinary cohort consisted of CNS students and physicians in various stages of postgraduate training. The clinical experience selected was a quality improvement initiative in which the students were introduced to the concepts and tools of quality improvement. During this 1-month clinical experience, students applied the new skills by implementing a quality improvement project focusing on medication reconciliation in the outpatient setting. The CNS core competencies and outcomes were used to shape the experience for the CNS students. The CNS students exhibited 5 of the 7 essential characteristics of the CNS (leadership, collaboration, consultation skills, ethical conduct, and professional attributes) while demonstrating competencies and fulfilling performance expectations. During this learning experience, the CNS students focused on competencies and outcomes in the organizational sphere of influence. Multiple facilitating factors and barriers were identified. This interdisciplinary clinical experience in a quality improvement initiative provided valuable opportunities for CNS students to develop essential CNS characteristics and to explore practice competencies in the

Interdisciplinary Professional Development: Astrolabes for Medievalists

Science.gov (United States)

Larsen, Kristine

2014-06-01

Astronomers and astronomy educators have significantly broadened the intended audience for their outreach activities, from the traditional venues of public schools, libraries and planetariums to national parks, coffee houses, and concert halls. At the same time, significant attention has been paid to improving the quality and relevance of professional development directed toward preservice and inservice science teachers. Many of our outreach and professional development programs have also become increasingly creative in their use of interdisciplinary connections to astronomy, such as cultural astronomy and the history of astronomy. This poster describes a specific example of interdisciplinary professional development directed at a different audience, humanities faculty and researchers, through hands-on workshops on the basic astronomical background and usage of an astrolabe conducted at the International Congress on Medieval Studies at Western Michigan University in 2013 and 2014. The goal was to explain the basic astronomy behind astrolabes (as well as their cultural relevance) to medieval scholars in history, literature, and other disciplines. The intention was to increase their comfort with manipulating and explaining astrolabes to a basic level where they could share their knowledge with their own college classes. In this way the relevance of astronomy to myriad human endeavors could be reinforced by humanities faculty within their own courses.

Factors that impact interdisciplinary natural science research collaboration in academia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Maglaughlin, Kelly L.; Sonnenwald, Diane H.

2005-01-01

to provide a more comprehensive understanding of interdisciplinary scientific research collaboration within the natural sciences in academia. Data analysis confirmed factors previously identified in various literatures and yielded new factors. A total of twenty factors were identified, and classified......Interdisciplinary collaboration occurs when people with different educational and research backgrounds bring complementary skills to bear on a problem or task. The strength of interdisciplinary scientific research collaboration is its capacity to bring together diverse scientific knowledge...... to address complex problems and questions. However, interdisciplinary scientific research can be difficult to initiate and sustain. We do not yet fully understand factors that impact interdisciplinary scientific research collaboration. This study synthesizes empirical data from two empirical studies...

Barriers and Solutions to Conducting Large International, Interdisciplinary Research Projects

Science.gov (United States)

Pischke, Erin C.; Knowlton, Jessie L.; Phifer, Colin C.; Gutierrez Lopez, Jose; Propato, Tamara S.; Eastmond, Amarella; de Souza, Tatiana Martins; Kuhlberg, Mark; Picasso Risso, Valentin; Veron, Santiago R.; Garcia, Carlos; Chiappe, Marta; Halvorsen, Kathleen E.

2017-12-01

Global environmental problems such as climate change are not bounded by national borders or scientific disciplines, and therefore require international, interdisciplinary teamwork to develop understandings of their causes and solutions. Interdisciplinary scientific work is difficult enough, but these challenges are often magnified when teams also work across national boundaries. The literature on the challenges of interdisciplinary research is extensive. However, research on international, interdisciplinary teams is nearly non-existent. Our objective is to fill this gap by reporting on results from a study of a large interdisciplinary, international National Science Foundation Partnerships for International Research and Education (NSF-PIRE) research project across the Americas. We administered a structured questionnaire to team members about challenges they faced while working together across disciplines and outside of their home countries in Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico. Analysis of the responses indicated five major types of barriers to conducting interdisciplinary, international research: integration, language, fieldwork logistics, personnel and relationships, and time commitment. We discuss the causes and recommended solutions to the most common barriers. Our findings can help other interdisciplinary, international research teams anticipate challenges, and develop effective solutions to minimize the negative impacts of these barriers to their research.

Barriers and Solutions to Conducting Large International, Interdisciplinary Research Projects.

Science.gov (United States)

Pischke, Erin C; Knowlton, Jessie L; Phifer, Colin C; Gutierrez Lopez, Jose; Propato, Tamara S; Eastmond, Amarella; de Souza, Tatiana Martins; Kuhlberg, Mark; Picasso Risso, Valentin; Veron, Santiago R; Garcia, Carlos; Chiappe, Marta; Halvorsen, Kathleen E

2017-12-01

Global environmental problems such as climate change are not bounded by national borders or scientific disciplines, and therefore require international, interdisciplinary teamwork to develop understandings of their causes and solutions. Interdisciplinary scientific work is difficult enough, but these challenges are often magnified when teams also work across national boundaries. The literature on the challenges of interdisciplinary research is extensive. However, research on international, interdisciplinary teams is nearly non-existent. Our objective is to fill this gap by reporting on results from a study of a large interdisciplinary, international National Science Foundation Partnerships for International Research and Education (NSF-PIRE) research project across the Americas. We administered a structured questionnaire to team members about challenges they faced while working together across disciplines and outside of their home countries in Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico. Analysis of the responses indicated five major types of barriers to conducting interdisciplinary, international research: integration, language, fieldwork logistics, personnel and relationships, and time commitment. We discuss the causes and recommended solutions to the most common barriers. Our findings can help other interdisciplinary, international research teams anticipate challenges, and develop effective solutions to minimize the negative impacts of these barriers to their research.

Forging Alliances in Interdisciplinary Rehabilitation Research (FAIRR): A Logic Model.

Science.gov (United States)

Gill, Simone V; Khetani, Mary A; Yinusa-Nyahkoon, Leanne; McManus, Beth; Gardiner, Paula M; Tickle-Degnen, Linda

2017-07-01

In a patient-centered care era, rehabilitation can benefit from researcher-clinician collaboration to effectively and efficiently produce the interdisciplinary science that is needed to improve patient-centered outcomes. The authors propose the use of the Forging Alliances in Interdisciplinary Rehabilitation Research (FAIRR) logic model to provide guidance to rehabilitation scientists and clinicians who are committed to growing their involvement in interdisciplinary rehabilitation research. We describe the importance and key characteristics of the FAIRR model for conducting interdisciplinary rehabilitation research.

Insects: An Interdisciplinary Unit

Science.gov (United States)

Leger, Heather

2007-01-01

The author talks about an interdisciplinary unit on insects, and presents activities that can help students practice communication skills (interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational) and learn about insects with hands-on activities.

From Surprise Parties to Mapmaking: Undergraduate Journeys toward Interdisciplinary Understanding

Science.gov (United States)

Haynes, Carolyn; Leonard, Jeannie Brown

2010-01-01

As educators in academic programs featuring interdisciplinary learning, the authors can attest that helping undergraduate students in an interdisciplinary studies major engage in interdisciplinary learning--that is, draw from two or more disciplines to advance understanding of a problem, question, or phenomenon--is no mean feat. Consequently, the…

Using InTeGrate materials to develop interdisciplinary thinking for a sustainable future

Science.gov (United States)

Awad, A. A.; Gilbert, L.; Iverson, E. A. R.; Manduca, C. A.; Steer, D. N.

2017-12-01

InTeGrate materials focus on societal grand challenges, sustainability, and interdisciplinary problems through developing geoscientific habits of mind, the use of credible data, and systems thinking. The materials are freely available 2-3 week modules and courses that allow instructors to focus on a wide variety of topics from regulating carbon emissions, changing biosphere, and storms and community resilience to environmental justice, ocean sustainability, and humans' dependence on mineral resources, integrating a variety of relevant interdisciplinary activities throughout. Presented with interdisciplinary approaches, students learn with tools to integrate engineering, policy, economics, and social aspects with the science to address the challenges. Students' ability to apply interdisciplinary approaches to address sustainability problems is made visible through the essays they write as a part of the materials assessment. InTeGrate modules have been adopted and implemented by faculty members interested in sustainability themes and innovative pedagogy, and have reached more than 50,000 students in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, India, and Micronesia. Student data were collected from 533 assessment essays in 57 undergraduate classes. The essays required students to describe a global challenge in an interdisciplinary manner through identifying scientific implications, and connecting it to economic, social and policy decisions. Students also completed a second essay assessing their systems thinking ability, a geoscience literacy exam (GLE), and demographic and attitudinal surveys. Scores for students enrolled in classes using InTeGrate materials were compared to scores from students in similar classes that did not use InteGrate materials. The InTeGrate and control groups had equivalent GLE scores and demographic characteristics. Essay scores for students in InTeGrate introductory or majors courses outperformed students in comparable level control courses as measured by

Promoting interdisciplinary education − the Vienna Doctoral Programme on Water Resource Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

W. Wagner

2012-02-01

Full Text Available The Vienna Doctoral Programme on Water Resource Systems (DK-WRS is a programme that aims to educate students in interdisciplinary water science through cutting edge research at an international level. It is funded by the Austrian Science Fund and designed to run over a period of 12 yr during which 80 doctoral students are anticipated to graduate. This paper reports on our experiences of setting up and implementing the Programme. We identify three challenges: integrating the disciplines, maintaining depth in an interdisciplinary programme, and teaching subjects remote to each student's core expertise. To address these challenges we adopt a number of approaches. We use three levels of instruments to foster integration across the disciplines: joint groups (e.g. a joint study programme, joint science questions (e.g. developed in annual symposia, and joint study sites. To maintain depth we apply a system of quality control including regular feedback sessions, theses by journal publications and international study exchange. For simultaneously teaching students from civil and environmental engineering, biology, geology, chemistry, mathematics we use visually explicit teaching, learning by doing, extra mentoring and by cross relating associated subjects. Our initial assessment of the Programme shows some very positive outcomes. Joint science questions formed between students from various disciplines indicate integration is being achieved. The number of successful publications in top journals suggests that depth is maintained. Positive feedback from the students on the variety and clarity of the courses indicates the teaching strategy is working well. Our experiences have shown that implementing and running an interdisciplinary doctoral programme has its challenges and is demanding in terms of time and human resources but seeing interactions progress and watching people grow and develop their way of thinking in an interdisciplinary environment is a

Integrating Interdisciplinary Research-Based Experiences in Biotechnology Laboratories

Science.gov (United States)

Iyer, Rupa S.; Wales, Melinda E.

2012-01-01

The increasingly interdisciplinary nature of today's scientific research is leading to the transformation of undergraduate education. In addressing these needs, the University of Houston's College of Technology has developed a new interdisciplinary research-based biotechnology laboratory curriculum. Using the pesticide degrading bacterium,…

Enabling interdisciplinary analysis

Science.gov (United States)

L. M. Reid

1996-01-01

'New requirements for evaluating environmental conditions in the Pacific Northwest have led to increased demands for interdisciplinary analysis of complex environmental problems. Procedures for watershed analysis have been developed for use on public and private lands in Washington State (Washington Forest Practices Board 1993) and for federal lands in the Pacific...

Using integrated research and interdisciplinary science: Potential benefits and challenges to managers of parks and protected areas

Science.gov (United States)

van Riper, Charles; Powell, Robert B.; Machlis, Gary; van Wagtendonk, Jan W.; van Riper, Carena J.; von Ruschkowski, Eick; Schwarzbach, Steven E.; Galipeau, Russell E.

2012-01-01

Our purpose in this paper is to build a case for utilizing interdisciplinary science to enhance the management of parks and protected areas. We suggest that interdisciplinary science is necessary for dealing with the complex issues of contemporary resource management, and that using the best available integrated scientific information be embraced and supported at all levels of agencies that manage parks and protected areas. It will take the commitment of park managers, scientists, and agency leaders to achieve the goal of implementing the results of interdisciplinary science into park management. Although such calls go back at least several decades, today interdisciplinary science is sporadically being promoted as necessary for supporting effective protected area management(e.g., Machlis et al. 1981; Kelleher and Kenchington 1991). Despite this history, rarely has "interdisciplinary science" been defined, its importance explained, or guidance provided on how to translate and then implement the associated research results into management actions (Tress et al. 2006; Margles et al. 2010). With the extremely complex issues that now confront protected areas (e.g., climate change influences, extinctions and loss of biodiversity, human and wildlife demographic changes, and unprecedented human population growth) information from more than one scientific discipline will need to be brought to bear in order to achieve sustained management solutions that resonate with stakeholders (Ostrom 2009). Although interdisciplinary science is not the solution to all problems, we argue that interdisciplinary research is an evolving and widely supported best practice. In the case of park and protected area management, interdisciplinary science is being driven by the increasing recognition of the complexity and interconnectedness of human and natural systems, and the notion that addressing many problems can be more rapidly advanced through interdisciplinary study and analysis.

Constructing an Interdisciplinary Context for Definition of Life

Science.gov (United States)

Tsokolov, S. A.

One of the main problems in understanding life is that that lifecannot be defined as a self-evident phenomenon. Instead, definitions of life inevitably depend on the context: social, ethical, theological, and scientific. Even in a purely scientific context, different scientific disciplines and approaches provide a variety of criteria related to life. My intention is to define life in an interdisciplinary context, where the class of living systems can be presented as a particular case in series of systems: physical, chemical, prebiotic, biotic, ecological, social, cognitive, etc. related by a universal principle. To this end, the first step in establishing general criteria for life is to define the essential features of life processes. The very functional principle of living beings is circular organization (feedback circularity) embedded on different levels of organization: molecular, genetic, cellular, neural, behavioural, mental, and social. Understanding that the degree of system's wholeness, i.e. degree of feedback net integration can serve as a primary parameter, we can in principle construct an interdisciplinary context in which different systems including living beings can be analyzed, defined and compared.

Greenland as a self-governing sub-national territory in international relations: past, current and future perspectives

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ackrén, Maria; Jakobsen, Uffe

2015-01-01

Greenland was used by the US as a platform and as an extended arm within its security and foreign policy during the World War II and the cold war. After this things changed, although Greenland remained important in Danish-US relations under the umbrella of NATO. Nowadays, the geostrategic position...... of Greenland between North America and Europe is gaining fresh prominence in the race for natural resources in the Arctic. Many issues arise from the prospective opening of the Arctic, all of which may have fateful impacts on future development in the region. Climate change, claims related to the extension....... This article reviews developments from the World War II to the present regarding international relations from a Greenlandic perspective. As a self-governing sub-national territory within the realm of Denmark, Greenland does not have the ultimate decision-making power within foreign and security policy. The new...

Earth System Science Education Interdisciplinary Partnerships

Science.gov (United States)

Ruzek, M.; Johnson, D. R.

2002-05-01

Earth system science in the classroom is the fertile crucible linking science with societal needs for local, national and global sustainability. The interdisciplinary dimension requires fruitful cooperation among departments, schools and colleges within universities and among the universities and the nation's laboratories and agencies. Teaching and learning requires content which brings together the basic and applied sciences with mathematics and technology in addressing societal challenges of the coming decades. Over the past decade remarkable advances have emerged in information technology, from high bandwidth Internet connectivity to raw computing and visualization power. These advances which have wrought revolutionary capabilities and resources are transforming teaching and learning in the classroom. With the launching of NASA's Earth Observing System (EOS) the amount and type of geophysical data to monitor the Earth and its climate are increasing dramatically. The challenge remains, however, for skilled scientists and educators to interpret this information based upon sound scientific perspectives and utilize it in the classroom. With an increasing emphasis on the application of data gathered, and the use of the new technologies for practical benefit in the lives of ordinary citizens, there comes the even more basic need for understanding the fundamental state, dynamics, and complex interdependencies of the Earth system in mapping valid and relevant paths to sustainability. Technology and data in combination with the need to understand Earth system processes and phenomena offer opportunities for new and productive partnerships between researchers and educators to advance the fundamental science of the Earth system and in turn through discovery excite students at all levels in the classroom. This presentation will discuss interdisciplinary partnership opportunities for educators and researchers at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Exploring the Effectiveness of Interdisciplinary Instruction on Learning: A Case Study in a College Level Course on Culture, Aid, and Engineering

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Timothy Frank

2013-04-01

Full Text Available The opportunity for higher education students to study a topic through multiple, integrated angles is rare even though life outside of the classroom is filled with problems that require blending of knowledge areas to make appropriate decisions. The authors created a course at the United States Air Force Academy called Foreign Area Studies (FAS 495 in the Spring 2012 semester that integrated African studies, economics, history, political science, literature, project management, military strategy, language, culture, and environmental engineering in the study of how foreign aid has affected Mozambique and how an engineering technology along with cultural consciousness can be effectively used for good. To determine effectiveness of the interdisciplinary approach, qualitative data from student reflection papers and in-class discussions were collected and analyzed. The intent of this paper is to highlight the challenges and lessons learned from developing a project based interdisciplinary course. Results suggest a project based course with interdisciplinary pedagogy can be effective in meeting course goals and increasing meaningful student learning.

Structural Narratology and Interdisciplinary Studies

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A. Mohammadi Kalesar

2016-02-01

Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to investigate the relationship between structural narratology and interdisciplinary studies. We will try to answer two main questions: What factors have been effective in narratology’s orientation toward interdisciplinary studies? Is this tendency the result of a possibility in narration or a methodological necessity? The movement of narratology to interdisciplinary is observable not only in new narratological tendencies but also in changes in structural theories. Therefore, this article will trace the roots of this tendency in the revises and critiques of these theories until 1970s. By tracing these changes it can be realized that the theories of structural narrotology have broken with idea of independence and self-sufficiency of literature and embraced other disciplines. The main factors in these changes are: attention to cultural elements and reading process in the perception of narrative structure. These considerations have been accompanied by some results; first, the main targets of narratology changed from investigating textual properties to reading and understanding the narration process; second, some disciplines and fields related to culture and mind studies found their way into narratology.

Cross-interdisciplinary insights into adaptive governance and resilience

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Craig Anthony (Tony. Arnold

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The Adaptive Water Governance project is an interdisciplinary collaborative synthesis project aimed at identifying the features of adaptive governance in complex social-ecological institutional systems to manage for water-basin resilience. We conducted a systematic qualitative meta-analysis of the project's first set of published interdisciplinary studies, six North American basin resilience assessments. We sought to develop new knowledge that transcends each study, concerning two categories of variables: (1 the drivers of change in complex water-basin systems that affect systemic resilience; and (2 the features of adaptive governance. We have identified the pervasive themes, concepts, and variables of the systemic-change drivers and adaptive-governance features from these six interdisciplinary texts using qualitative methods of inductive textual analysis and synthesis. We produced synthesis frameworks for understanding the patterns that emerged from the basin assessment texts, as well as comprehensive lists of the variables that these studies uniformly or nearly uniformly addressed. These study results are cross-interdisciplinary in the sense that they identify patterns and knowledge that transcend several diverse interdisciplinary studies. These relevant and potentially generalizable insights form a foundation for future research on the dynamics of complex social-ecological institutional systems and how they could be governed adaptively.

An Inter-Disciplinary Language for Inter-Disciplinary Communication: Academic Globalization, Ethos, Pathos, and Logos

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marta Szabo White

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Inspired by the intersection of character, emotions, and logic, much like a Hungarian Rhapsody which is beautifully sad; this paper explores ethos, pathos, and logos in the context of Academic Globalization. As students of the world, an inter-disciplinary language is pivotal for inter-disciplinary communication. Given that the current state of the world stems primarily from miscommunications, it is imperative to launch a cognitive language tool which underscores global commonalities and mitigates cultural differences. Such a platform would foster interdisciplinary research, education, and communication. New paradigms would evolve, grounded in ethos, pathos, and logos. Like yin and yang, these states are interrelated, interacting, and interchanging learning spheres. Just as day and night blend at some point; just as the Parthenon epitomized Greek thought, celebrated the birthplace of democracy, and for the first time, depicted everyday citizens in friezes- underscoring their impactful role- ethos, pathos, and logos represent cross-disciplinary communication devices which synergistically transform and ignite academic globalization. The Literature Review links the concepts of ethos, pathos, and logos with the seminal work Lewis and his LMR framework, which has given birth to Cultureactive and subsequently to ICE [InterCultural Edge]. http://www.fuqua.duke.edu/ciber/programs/we_organize/ice/ Accessed February 14, 2014

Integration of microbiology and infectious disease teaching courses in an interdisciplinary training programme (Master level) centred on the 'One world, one health' WHO concept.

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Eveillard, Matthieu; Ruvoen, Nathalie; Lepelletier, Didier; Fradet, Stéphanie; Couvreur, Sébastien; Krempf, Michel; Magras, Catherine

2016-05-01

This report describes the integration of the microbiology and infectious diseases teaching courses in an international Master's level interdisciplinary programme based on the 'One world, one health' WHO concept, and reports the students and teachers' evaluation related to their feelings of about this innovative programme. The integration was evaluated by recording the positioning of these two topics in the five teaching units constituting the programme, and by identifying their contribution in the interactions between the different teaching units. The satisfaction of students was assessed by a quantitative survey, whereas the feelings of students and teachers were assessed by interviews. The study demonstrated that microbiology and infectious diseases were widely involved in interactions between the teaching units, constituting a kind of cement for the programme. The students assigned a mean score of 3.7 to the topics dealing with microbiology and infectious diseases. According to the qualitative data, students and teachers considered that the interdisciplinary approach provided new insights but reported problems of communication, probably inherent to the multiculturalism of the class. © FEMS 2016. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Report on an interdisciplinary program for allied health.

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Peloquin, S M; Cavazos, H; Marion, R; Stephenson, K S; Pearrow, D

2007-11-01

A central recommendation from the Pew Health Commission to educators has been to empower future care providers to function effectively as teams. Administrators and faculty members within a school of allied health sciences thus established an interdisciplinary program where students would learn to function as team members and demonstrate competencies required for practice in diverse, demanding, and continually changing health care environments. Students from five disciplines have participated in featured events, mentored activities and capstone projects, earning credit in an interdisciplinary course of study that complements offerings in their home disciplines. This follow-up article reports on the progress and development since 2002 of an interdisciplinary program known as Team IDEAL. Formative evaluation measures used to assess satisfaction with the program are presented alongside a discussion of new directions. Team IDEAL will move forward in a streamlined form that reflects its central aim. IDEAL leadership will remain cognizant of the effects of discipline-specific curricular changes, complex programming, and student perspectives on the process interdisciplinary education.

Teaching Earth Sciences as an interdisciplinary subject: Novel module design involving research literature

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Tong, Vincent C. H.

2010-05-01

The study of Earth Sciences requires an interdisciplinary approach as it involves understanding scientific knowledge originating from a wide spectrum of research areas. Not only does it include subjects ranging from, for instance, hydrogeology to deep crustal seismology and from climate science to oceanography, but it also has many direct applications in closely related disciplines such as environmental engineering and natural resources management. While research crossing traditional disciplinary boundaries in geosciences is becoming increasingly common, there is only limited integration of interdisciplinary research in the teaching of the subject. Given that the transition from undergraduate education based on subject modules to postgraduate interdisciplinary research is never easy, such integration is a highly desirable pedagogical approach at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. My presentation is based on a recent teaching project involving novel design of an undergraduate course. The course is implemented in order to address the synergy between research and teaching (Tong, 2009). This project has been shown to be effective and successful in teaching geosciences undergraduates at the University of London. The module consists of studying core geophysical principles and linking them directly to a selection of recently published research papers in a wide range of interdisciplinary applications. Research reviewing and reporting techniques are systematically developed, practised and fully integrated into teaching of the core scientific theories. A fully-aligned assignment with a feedback website invites the students to reflect on the scientific knowledge and the study skills related to research literature they have acquired in the course. This teaching project has been recognized by a teaching award (http://www.clpd.bbk.ac.uk/staff/BETA). In this presentation, I will discuss how undergraduate teaching with a focus on research literature in Earth Sciences can

Teaching an Interdisciplinary Graduate-Level Methods Course in an Openly-Networked Connected Learning Environment: A Glass Half-Full

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Secret, Mary; Bryant, Nita L.; Cummings, Cory R.

2017-01-01

Our paper describes the design and delivery of an online interdisciplinary social science research methods course (ISRM) for graduate students in sociology, education, social work, and public administration. Collaborative activities and learning took place in two types of computer-mediated learning environments: a closed Blackboard course…

Interdisciplinary Learning as a Basis for Formation of Intercultural Communicative Competence

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Redchenko, Nadezhda N.

2016-01-01

An interdisciplinary approach provides many benefits that warrant the need for its use at technical universities teaching foreign language as an academic discipline. This article reviews recent Russian researches focused on interdisciplinary integration, summarizes advantages and proves overall high efficacy of the interdisciplinary approach to…

Personal Professional Reflection as Interdisciplinary Problem

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rezvan Oksana

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Consideration of professional reflection as interdisciplinary problem is the necessary condition of quality analysis for personal professional becoming. Personal becoming in a profession is related to forming the necessary professional skills of a person, behaviour stereotypes which is the area of pedagogics. Reflection processes are inalienable part of self-knowledge of a person which result must lead to his self-perfection (including professional one and studying within the psychology increasingly. Thus the aim of the article is to ground the determination of professional reflection as an interdisciplinary problem in pedagogics and psychology.

Operational research to inform a sub-national surveillance intervention for malaria elimination in Solomon Islands

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Atkinson Jo-An

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Successful reduction of malaria transmission to very low levels has made Isabel Province, Solomon Islands, a target for early elimination by 2014. High malaria transmission in neighbouring provinces and the potential for local asymptomatic infections to cause malaria resurgence highlights the need for sub-national tailoring of surveillance interventions. This study contributes to a situational analysis of malaria in Isabel Province to inform an appropriate surveillance intervention. Methods A mixed method study was carried out in Isabel Province in late 2009 and early 2010. The quantitative component was a population-based prevalence survey of 8,554 people from 129 villages, which were selected using a spatially stratified sampling approach to achieve uniform geographical coverage of populated areas. Diagnosis was initially based on Giemsa-stained blood slides followed by molecular analysis using polymerase chain reaction (PCR. Local perceptions and practices related to management of fever and treatment-seeking that would impact a surveillance intervention were also explored using qualitative research methods. Results Approximately 33% (8,554/26,221 of the population of Isabel Province participated in the survey. Only one subject was found to be infected with Plasmodium falciparum (Pf (96 parasites/μL using Giemsa-stained blood films, giving a prevalence of 0.01%. PCR analysis detected a further 13 cases, giving an estimated malaria prevalence of 0.51%. There was a wide geographical distribution of infected subjects. None reported having travelled outside Isabel Province in the previous three months suggesting low-level indigenous malaria transmission. The qualitative findings provide warning signs that the current community vigilance approach to surveillance will not be sufficient to achieve elimination. In addition, fever severity is being used by individuals as an indicator for malaria and a trigger for timely treatment

Interdisciplinary research and trans-disciplinary validity claims

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Gethmann, C F; Hanekamp, G; Kaiser, M; Kamp, G; Lingner, S; Quante, M; Thiele, F

2015-01-01

Interdisciplinarity has seemingly become a paradigm for modern and meaningful research. Clearly, the interdisciplinary modus of deliberation enables to unfold relevant but quite different disciplinary perspectives to the reflection of broader scientific questions or societal problems. However, whether the comprehensive results of interdisciplinary reflection prove to be valid or to be acceptable in trans-disciplinary terms depends upon certain preconditions, which have to be fulfilled for securing scientific quality and social trust in advisory contexts. The present book is written by experts and practitioners of interdisciplinary research and policy advice. It analyses topical and methodological approaches towards interdisciplinarity, starting with the current role of scientific research in society. The volume continues with contributions to the issues of knowledge and acting and to trans-disciplinary deliberation. The final conclusions address the scientific system as substantial actor itself as well as the...

Interdisciplinary Research and Disciplinary Toleration: A Reply to Kitty Locker.

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Kent, Thomas

1994-01-01

Responds to an article in this issue regarding the challenge of interdisciplinary research. Suggests that the primary motivation for avoiding interdisciplinary research is political, not epistemological. (SR)

Doing Interdisciplinary Mixed Methods Health Care Research: Working the Boundaries, Tensions, and Synergistic Potential of Team-Based Research.

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Hesse-Biber, Sharlene

2016-04-01

Current trends in health care research point to a shift from disciplinary models to interdisciplinary team-based mixed methods inquiry designs. This keynote address discusses the problems and prospects of creating vibrant mixed methods health care interdisciplinary research teams that can harness their potential synergy that holds the promise of addressing complex health care issues. We examine the range of factors and issues these types of research teams need to consider to facilitate efficient interdisciplinary mixed methods team-based research. It is argued that concepts such as disciplinary comfort zones, a lack of attention to team dynamics, and low levels of reflexivity among interdisciplinary team members can inhibit the effectiveness of a research team. This keynote suggests a set of effective strategies to address the issues that emanate from the new field of research inquiry known as team science as well as lessons learned from tapping into research on organizational dynamics. © The Author(s) 2016.

What makes interdisciplinarity difficult? Some consequences of domain specificity in interdisciplinary practice

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MacLeod, Miles Alexander James

2018-01-01

Research on interdisciplinary science has for the most part concentrated on the institutional obstacles that discourage or hamper interdisciplinary work, with the expectation that interdisciplinary interaction can be improved through institutional reform strategies such as through reform of peer

Fostering Interdisciplinary Thinking through an International Development Case Study

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Ellett, Rachel L.; Esperanza, Jennifer; Phan, Diep

2016-01-01

Despite widespread acknowledgment of the importance of interdisciplinary pedagogy, disciplinary teaching remains the norm on most campuses, primarily due to cost and institutional constraints. Bridging the gap between literature on interdisciplinary teaching and active-learning techniques, this article describes an innovative and less costly…

Empowering Graduate Students to Lead on Interdisciplinary Societal Issues

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Grubert, E.

2015-12-01

Challenging societal problems that cannot be solved by one method or one discipline alone, like epidemic preparedness, mental health, and climate change, demand leadership and the ability to work across disciplines from those with specialized expertise. Teaching leadership at the graduate school level is a challenge that many schools are striving to meet, through mechanisms like project-based courses, leadership skill development workshops, and others. We argue that some of the most valuable but most difficult leadership skills to learn are those that require cultural norms that are fundamentally different from those traditionally encountered in graduate school. These include the ability to make informed decisions based on limited knowledge and resources, the need to make choices in the face of uncertainty, and the recognition that one ultimately bears responsibility for the outcomes. These skills are also among the most important for students planning on nonacademic careers. Acquiring such skills requires a focus on learning-by-doing and a culture of graduate student empowerment. This submission focuses on the experience of students in a student-centered, interdisciplinary, cross-campus leadership program called Emerging Leaders in Science and Society (ELISS), hosted by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). ELISS establishes the expectation that students act as leaders, which in itself reframes leadership as an achievable goal. A major finding from two years of experience with ELISS is the critical importance of establishing cultures of trust and empowerment at the graduate level in order to foster development of transferable skills. ELISS graduate students specifically focus on interdisciplinary collaboration (the 13 2015 fellows come from 13 academic disciplines); stakeholder engagement, primarily focused on outreach to both traditional and nontraditional experts in our communities outside of academia; and solution-generating rather

Applying the global RCP-SSP-SPA scenario framework at sub-national scale: A multi-scale and participatory scenario approach.

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Kebede, Abiy S; Nicholls, Robert J; Allan, Andrew; Arto, Iñaki; Cazcarro, Ignacio; Fernandes, Jose A; Hill, Chris T; Hutton, Craig W; Kay, Susan; Lázár, Attila N; Macadam, Ian; Palmer, Matthew; Suckall, Natalie; Tompkins, Emma L; Vincent, Katharine; Whitehead, Paul W

2018-09-01

To better anticipate potential impacts of climate change, diverse information about the future is required, including climate, society and economy, and adaptation and mitigation. To address this need, a global RCP (Representative Concentration Pathways), SSP (Shared Socio-economic Pathways), and SPA (Shared climate Policy Assumptions) (RCP-SSP-SPA) scenario framework has been developed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Fifth Assessment Report (IPCC-AR5). Application of this full global framework at sub-national scales introduces two key challenges: added complexity in capturing the multiple dimensions of change, and issues of scale. Perhaps for this reason, there are few such applications of this new framework. Here, we present an integrated multi-scale hybrid scenario approach that combines both expert-based and participatory methods. The framework has been developed and applied within the DECCMA 1 project with the purpose of exploring migration and adaptation in three deltas across West Africa and South Asia: (i) the Volta delta (Ghana), (ii) the Mahanadi delta (India), and (iii) the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna (GBM) delta (Bangladesh/India). Using a climate scenario that encompasses a wide range of impacts (RCP8.5) combined with three SSP-based socio-economic scenarios (SSP2, SSP3, SSP5), we generate highly divergent and challenging scenario contexts across multiple scales against which robustness of the human and natural systems within the deltas are tested. In addition, we consider four distinct adaptation policy trajectories: Minimum intervention, Economic capacity expansion, System efficiency enhancement, and System restructuring, which describe alternative future bundles of adaptation actions/measures under different socio-economic trajectories. The paper highlights the importance of multi-scale (combined top-down and bottom-up) and participatory (joint expert-stakeholder) scenario methods for addressing uncertainty in adaptation decision

An Examination of Learning Formats on Interdisciplinary Teamwork Knowledge, Skills, and Dispositions

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Ivey, Carole K.; Reed, Evelyn

2011-01-01

Although interdisciplinary teamwork is a recommended practice and important for coordinated interdisciplinary programming in special education, there is limited research on pedagogical practices to prepare professionals to work together effectively. This study examined the effectiveness of a graduate interdisciplinary teamwork course taught…

Our school's Earth and Space Sciences Club: 12 years promoting interdisciplinary explorations

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Margarida Maria, Ana; Pereira, Hélder

2017-04-01

During the past 12 years, we have been engaging secondary level science students (15 to 18 years old) in the extracurricular activities of our school's Earth and Space Sciences Club, providing them with some of the skills needed to excel in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM). Our approach includes the use of authentic scientific data, project based learning, and inquiry-centred activities that go beyond the models and theories present in secondary level textbooks. Moreover, the activities and projects carried out, being eminently practical, also function as an extension of the curriculum and frequently enable the demonstration of the applicability of several concepts taught in the classroom in real life situations. The tasks carried out during these activities and research projects often require the combination of two or more subjects, promoting an interdisciplinary approach to learning. Outside of the traditional classroom settings, through interdisciplinary explorations, students also gain hands-on experience doing real science. Thereby, during this time, we have been able to promote meaningful and lasting experiences and spark students' interest in a wide diversity of topics.

Evaluating sub-national building-energy efficiency policy options under uncertainty: Efficient sensitivity testing of alternative climate, technological, and socioeconomic futures in a regional integrated-assessment model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scott, Michael J.; Daly, Don S.; Zhou, Yuyu; Rice, Jennie S.; Patel, Pralit L.; McJeon, Haewon C.; Page Kyle, G.; Kim, Son H.; Eom, Jiyong

2014-01-01

Improving the energy efficiency of building stock, commercial equipment, and household appliances can have a major positive impact on energy use, carbon emissions, and building services. Sub-national regions such as the U.S. states wish to increase energy efficiency, reduce carbon emissions, or adapt to climate change. Evaluating sub-national policies to reduce energy use and emissions is difficult because of the large uncertainties in socioeconomic factors, technology performance and cost, and energy and climate policies. Climate change itself may undercut such policies. However, assessing all of the uncertainties of large-scale energy and climate models by performing thousands of model runs can be a significant modeling effort with its accompanying computational burden. By applying fractional–factorial methods to the GCAM-USA 50-state integrated-assessment model in the context of a particular policy question, this paper demonstrates how a decision-focused sensitivity analysis strategy can greatly reduce computational burden in the presence of uncertainty and reveal the important drivers for decisions and more detailed uncertainty analysis. - Highlights: • We evaluate building energy codes and standards for climate mitigation. • We use an integrated assessment model and fractional factorial methods. • Decision criteria are energy use, CO2 emitted, and building service cost. • We demonstrate sensitivity analysis for three states. • We identify key variables to propagate with Monte Carlo or surrogate models

Epistemic dependence in interdisciplinary groups

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Hanne; Wagenknecht, Susann

2013-01-01

In interdisciplinary research scientists have to share and integrate knowledge between people and across disciplinary boundaries. An important issue for philosophy of science is to understand how scientists who work in these kinds of environments exchange knowledge and develop new concepts...... and theories across diverging fields. There is a substantial literature within social epistemology that discusses the social aspects of scientific knowledge, but so far few attempts have been made to apply these resources to the analysis of interdisciplinary science. Further, much of the existing work either...... ignores the issue of differences in background knowledge, or it focuses explicitly on conflicting background knowledge. In this paper we provide an analysis of the interplay between epistemic dependence between individual experts with different areas of expertise. We analyze the cooperative activity...

Avoiding pitfalls in interdisciplinary education

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Holt, R. E.; Woods, P. J.; Ferreira, Ana Sofia

2017-01-01

education, illustrating approaches towards solutions using the Nordic Centre for Research on Marine Ecosystems and Resources under Climate Change (NorMER) research network as a case study. We provide insights and detailed examples of how to overcome some of the challenges of conducting interdisciplinary......As the world’s social-environmental problems increasingly extend across boundaries, both disciplinary and political, there is a growing need for interdisciplinarity, not only in research per se, but also in doctoral education. We present the common pitfalls of interdisciplinary research in doctoral...... research within doctoral studies that can be applied within any doctoral/postdoctoral education programme, and beyond. Results from a selfevaluation survey indicate that early-career workshops, annual meetings and research visits to other institutions were the most effective learning mechanisms, whereas...

An Interdisciplinary Model for Connecting Writing, Psychology, and Printmaking

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Stone, Staci

2015-01-01

This article presents an effective model for a manageable interdisciplinary project that shows students the connections among art, English, and other disciplines; gives composition students an external audience for their writing; and emphasizes the importance of research in the process of creating arguments and art. This interdisciplinary project…

Crime in media: an interdisciplinary research

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Maria Palma Wolff

2005-12-01

Full Text Available This article analyses conceptual issues that present problems for interdisciplinary research - criminality and urban space; the transversal aspects of violence - developed by researchers from diff erent fi elds: communications, psychology and social services. Highlighted in this work, above all, are questions related to the media and journalism; which constitute one of the axes of the proposal (media, growing juvenile component of criminality, drugs and social control but are inevitably interconnected with the others due to the interdisciplinary force of the initiative. It is argued that the processes of report construction, the subject agenda and consumption of the news constitute complex semioses that involve other semiotic systems.

INTERDISCIPLINARY SYSTEMIC JURIDICAL ARGUMENTATION: A NEW WAY TO JUSTIFY EMPHATICALLY AND EFFECTIVELLY

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Jorge Isaac Torres Manrique

2018-04-01

Full Text Available The article discusses the interdisciplinary systemic juridical argumentation. We propose to elevate the legal argumentation to a complete and integral level. That is, to provide a kind of tool that facilitates and ensures a full and complete analysis and foundation, in order to achieve a due as expected justice administration, in justice proper.

Toward an Analytic Framework of Interdisciplinary Reasoning and Communication (IRC) Processes in Science

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Shen, Ji; Sung, Shannon; Zhang, Dongmei

2015-11-01

Students need to think and work across disciplinary boundaries in the twenty-first century. However, it is unclear what interdisciplinary thinking means and how to analyze interdisciplinary interactions in teamwork. In this paper, drawing on multiple theoretical perspectives and empirical analysis of discourse contents, we formulate a theoretical framework that helps analyze interdisciplinary reasoning and communication (IRC) processes in interdisciplinary collaboration. Specifically, we propose four interrelated IRC processes-integration, translation, transfer, and transformation, and develop a corresponding analytic framework. We apply the framework to analyze two meetings of a project that aims to develop interdisciplinary science assessment items. The results illustrate that the framework can help interpret the interdisciplinary meeting dynamics and patterns. Our coding process and results also suggest that these IRC processes can be further examined in terms of interconnected sub-processes. We also discuss the implications of using the framework in conceptualizing, practicing, and researching interdisciplinary learning and teaching in science education.

An evolution in interdisciplinary competencies to prevent and manage patient violence.

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Morton, Paula G

2002-01-01

Patient violence is a growing problem in healthcare institutions. Incidents of violence lead to injuries and increased operating costs. An innovative organizational approach to this problem is inclusion of interdisciplinary competency-based staff education and practice, as a key component of a comprehensive violence prevention program.Interdisciplinary competencies include a variety of behavioral responses, aimed at prevention, environmental, interpersonal, and physical interventions and postvention techniques for aggression and violence. Methods to maintain, monitor, document, and improve staff performance and skills are delineated. Organizational investment in such interdisciplinary competency-based education and practice evolves over time. Results include fewer incidents and injuries and enhanced interdisciplinary cooperation.

Interdisciplinary skills in architectural and engineering education programs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersson, Niclas; Andersson, Pernille Hammar

2006-01-01

and requirements for reinforcement of the interdisciplinary skills within the architectural and engineering education programs as to face the challenges from industry. The study claims that the development of interdisciplinary skills should be regarded a pedagogical issue that can be accomplished by integrative...... project. Besides, new and more integrated forms of co-operation between the various actors make the prevalent professional disciplines more ambiguous and it compels into a need for trans-professional skills among the actors. In contrast to the requirements for interdisciplinary skills, the educational...... training programmes of architects and engineers are traditionally characterised by strict disciplinary boundaries. Thus, the prevailing educational system is challenged to meet the demands for trans-professional skills within industry. The purpose of this paper is to outline some pedagogical prerequisites...

Exposing interdisciplinary diversity in a health care setting

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Olesen, Birgitte Ravn; Nordentoft, Helle Merete; Nørtoft, Kamilla

(Peräkylä & Vehviläinen, 2003). There seems to be a tension between these normative theories and situated embodied practices Phillips, Kristiansen, Vehviläinen & Gunnarsson, 2012). In the paper we investigate how an interdisciplinary and participatory learning environment can be designed to mediate...... the normative and evidence based interaction models based on normative theories which are systematically introduced as part of practitioners’ competence development . We question the relevance of this pedagogical approach as we see these models as abstract idealizations whereas practices unfold in situ......). Inspired by Bakhtin’s dialogical theory, we look at centripetal and centrifugal forces in participants’ talk and also their tolerance for the emergence of multiple, different and interdisciplinary knowledge forms (Phillips, 2011). Method In the paper we draw on data from 6 interdisciplinary workshops...

The Development of Interdisciplinary Teaching Approaches among Pre-service Science and Mathematics Teachers

Science.gov (United States)

Miranda Martins, Dominique

This study sought to understand how a group of pre-service teachers in a combined secondary science and mathematics teaching methods course conceptualized and experienced interdisciplinary approaches to teaching. Although knowing how to plan interdisciplinary activities is an essential teaching practice in Quebec, these pre-service teachers faced many challenges during the process of learning to teach with this approach. By using two interdisciplinary frameworks (Nikitina, 2005; Boix Mansilla & Duraising, 2007), I qualitatively analyzed the development of the pre-service teachers' prior and emerging ideas about interdisciplinarity and their ability to plan interdisciplinary teaching activities. The provincial curriculum and issues related to time greatly shaped students' conceptions about interdisciplinarity in the classroom and constrained their ability to plan for and envision the enactment of interdisciplinary lessons in secondary science and mathematics classes. In addition, images of themselves as content-specialists, self-efficacy beliefs in relation to interdisciplinary teaching, and student learning as a source of teacher motivation emerged as key factors promoting or interrupting the development of interdisciplinary teaching approaches. Examination of these factors highlights the need for teacher-education programs to provide opportunities for pre-service teachers to explore how they see themselves as educators, increase their instructional self-efficacy beliefs, and motivate them to teach in an interdisciplinary fashion. Keywords: interdisciplinary teaching, student-teachers, curriculum, teacher-education program, self-efficacy, motivation.

Transformation of Geography as an Interdisciplinary Science

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H. Afrakhteh

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Geography as a science of the spatial analysis of phenomena is based on three main objectives: studying spatial structures, examining the locational-spatial order of socio-economic activities, and searching spatial relationships and functions through hierarchical leveling of rural and urban settlements. The applied form of geography or “spatial planning” addresses the modification of spatial structures, the locational-spatial order of activities, and the organization of spatial relationships and functions. There are mutual interactions between structure and function in this spatial order. Science has developed a complex structure through the electronic revolution, which is called “third wave science”; also specialized studies have developed. Specialized studies result in a very deep understanding of subjects, but this deep understanding always remains just in a “spot” and its applications could be traumatic, which is because it is not regulated in combination with other dimensions of human life. This kind of science cannot be beneficial in human life or solve some important problems. The main aim of this article, which is based on qualitative content analysis, is to analyze geography as an interdisciplinary science. The findings of the study show that geographical research has interdisciplinary characteristics; otherwise it cannot explain today’s complex problems. Geography can both use the findings of other sciences, including statistics, mathematics, economics, sociology, history and psychology, and provide them with services and help.

Ontological Metaphors for Negative Energy in an Interdisciplinary Context

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Dreyfus, Benjamin W.; Geller, Benjamin D.; Gouvea, Julia; Sawtelle, Vashti; Turpen, Chandra; Redish, Edward F.

2014-01-01

Teaching about energy in interdisciplinary settings that emphasize coherence among physics, chemistry, and biology leads to a more central role for chemical bond energy. We argue that an interdisciplinary approach to chemical energy leads to modeling chemical bonds in terms of negative energy. While recent work on ontological metaphors for energy…

Emerging interdisciplinary fields in the coming intelligence/convergence era

Science.gov (United States)

Noor, Ahmed K.

2012-09-01

Dramatic advances are in the horizon resulting from rapid pace of development of several technologies, including, computing, communication, mobile, robotic, and interactive technologies. These advances, along with the trend towards convergence of traditional engineering disciplines with physical, life and other science disciplines will result in the development of new interdisciplinary fields, as well as in new paradigms for engineering practice in the coming intelligence/convergence era (post-information age). The interdisciplinary fields include Cyber Engineering, Living Systems Engineering, Biomechatronics/Robotics Engineering, Knowledge Engineering, Emergent/Complexity Engineering, and Multiscale Systems engineering. The paper identifies some of the characteristics of the intelligence/convergence era, gives broad definition of convergence, describes some of the emerging interdisciplinary fields, and lists some of the academic and other organizations working in these disciplines. The need is described for establishing a Hierarchical Cyber-Physical Ecosystem for facilitating interdisciplinary collaborations, and accelerating development of skilled workforce in the new fields. The major components of the ecosystem are listed. The new interdisciplinary fields will yield critical advances in engineering practice, and help in addressing future challenges in broad array of sectors, from manufacturing to energy, transportation, climate, and healthcare. They will also enable building large future complex adaptive systems-of-systems, such as intelligent multimodal transportation systems, optimized multi-energy systems, intelligent disaster prevention systems, and smart cities.

Silence in Interdisciplinary Research Collaboration

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Verouden, Nick W.; Sanden, van der Maarten C.A.; Aarts, Noelle

2016-01-01

Solving publicly important issues asks for the development of socio-technical approaches, which demands collaboration between researchers with different perspectives, values, and interests. In these complex interdisciplinary collaborations, the course of communication is of utmost importance,

The adoption of an interdisciplinary instructional model in secondary education

Science.gov (United States)

Misicko, Martin W.

This study describes the experiences of a secondary high school involved in the adoption of an interdisciplinary curriculum. An interdisciplinary curriculum is defined as both the precalculus and physics curriculums taught collaboratively throughout the school year. The students' academic performances were analyzed to gage the success of the interdisciplinary model. The four year study compared students taught precalculus in a traditional discipline-based classroom versus those facilitated in an interdisciplinary precalculus/physics model. It also documents the administrative changes necessary in restructuring a high school to an interdisciplinary team teaching model. All of the students in both pedagogical models received instruction from the same teacher, and were given identical assessment materials. Additionally, the curriculum guidelines and standards of learning were duplicated for both models. The primary difference of the two models focused on the applications of mathematics in the physics curriculum. Prerequisite information was compared in both models to ensure that the students in the study had comparable qualifications prior to the facilitation of the precalculus curriculum. Common trends were analyzed and discussed from the student's performance data. The students enrolled in the interdisciplinary model appeared to outperform the discipline-based students in common evaluative assessments. The themes and outcomes described in this study provide discussion topics for further investigation by other school districts. Further study is necessary to determine whether scheduling changes may have influenced student performances, and to examine whether other content areas may experience similar results.

Humanity in God's Image: An Interdisciplinary Exploration

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Welz, Claudia

. Claudia Welz offers an interdisciplinary exploration of theological and ethical 'visions' of the invisible. By analysing poetry and art, Welz exemplifies human self-understanding in the interface between the visual and the linguistic. The content of the imago Dei cannot be defined apart from the image......How can we, in our times, understand the biblical concept that human beings have been created in the image of an invisible God? This is a perennial but increasingly pressing question that lies at the heart of theological anthropology. Humanity in God's Image: An Interdisciplinary Exploration...

Orientations and outcome of interdisciplinary research: the case of research behaviour in translational medical science

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Valentin, Finn; Norn, Maria Theresa; Alkærsig, Lars

2016-01-01

The importance of interdisciplinary research in accelerating the progress and commercialization of science is widely recognized, yet little is known about how academic research self-organizes towards interdisciplinarity. In this paper, we therefore explore the micro-level behavior of researchers ...

Resource selection for an interdisciplinary field: a methodology.

Science.gov (United States)

Jacoby, Beth E; Murray, Jane; Alterman, Ina; Welbourne, Penny

2002-10-01

The Health Sciences and Human Services Library of the University of Maryland developed and implemented a methodology to evaluate print and digital resources for social work. Although this methodology was devised for the interdisciplinary field of social work, the authors believe it may lend itself to resource selection in other interdisciplinary fields. The methodology was developed in response to the results of two separate surveys conducted in late 1999, which indicated improvement was needed in the library's graduate-level social work collections. Library liaisons evaluated the print collection by identifying forty-five locally relevant Library of Congress subject headings and then using these subjects or synonymous terms to compare the library's titles to collections of peer institutions, publisher catalogs, and Amazon.com. The collection also was compared to social work association bibliographies, ISI Journal Citation Reports, and major social work citation databases. An approval plan for social work books was set up to assist in identifying newly published titles. The library acquired new print and digital social work resources as a result of the evaluation, thus improving both print and digital collections for its social work constituents. Visibility of digital resources was increased by cataloging individual titles in aggregated electronic journal packages and listing each title on the library Web page.

Interdisciplinary approach to disaster resilience education and research

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Faber, Michael Havbro; Giuliani, Luisa; Revez, A.

2014-01-01

in disaster-resilience design by social and cultural aspects, which are instead not often adequately considered in the practice. The establishment of an education on resilient design of urban system, which includes both social and technological aspects, emerges as a possible solution to overcome barriers......-operation and interdisciplinary methodologies in research and education. The survey has been carried out by means of a questionnaire focusing on disaster-resilience projects and on the main challenges faced in interdisciplinary working. The results of the questionnaire, which collected 57 answers from more than 20 European...... that information and methods are exchanged, but a full integration of methods and concepts into a common shared language and system of axioms is missing; iii) the lack of a common framework and common terminology represents a major barrier to good interdisciplinary work. The results highlight the role played...

Promoting Interdisciplinary Education: The Vienna Doctoral Programme on Water Resource Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Blöschl, Günter; Bucher, Christian; Carr, Gemma; Farnleitner, Andreas; Rechberger, Helmut; Wagner, Wolfgang; Zessner, Matthias

2010-05-01

. Through a structured one-on-one mentoring programme close interaction is ensured between the students and the internationally reputed staff of the programme. This gives the opportunity for the encouragement of interdisciplinary thinking at the individual level. Interdisciplinarity also evolves passively through interactions between the doctoral students in their daily research work, during journal clubs, meetings, workshops and courses. A total of 22 doctoral students are enrolled in the programme at any time which allows for cross-fertilisation across the wide range of research projects. Finally, the programme is holistic, incorporating all aspects of the hydrological system at the catchment and multi-catchment scale. The ultimate aim is to provide an education programme which not only equips the students with an understanding of the need for interdisciplinarity, but also with the skills required to deliver interdisciplinary work in keeping with the holistic catchment management paradigm adopted by the hydrological science community.

Defining interdisciplinary competencies for audiological rehabilitation: findings from a modified Delphi study.

Science.gov (United States)

Xue, Lina; Le Bot, Gaëlle; Van Petegem, Wim; van Wieringen, Astrid

2018-02-01

The aim of this study is to derive a consensus on an interdisciplinary competency framework regarding a holistic approach for audiological rehabilitation (AR), which includes disciplines from medicine, engineering, social sciences and humanities. We employed a modified Delphi method. In the first round survey, experts were asked to rate an initial list of 28 generic interdisciplinary competencies and to propose specific knowledge areas for AR. In the second round, experts were asked to reconsider their answers in light of the group answers of the first round. An international panel of 27 experts from different disciplines in AR completed the first round. Twenty-two of them completed the second round. We developed a competency framework consisting of 21 generic interdisciplinary competencies grouped in five domains and nine specific competencies (knowledge areas) in three clusters. Suggestions for the implementation of the generic competencies in interdisciplinary programmes were identified. This study reveals insights into the interdisciplinary competencies that are unique for AR. The framework will be useful for educators in developing interdisciplinary programmes as well as for professionals in considering their lifelong training needs in AR.

Spatial model for risk prediction and sub-national prioritization to aid poliovirus eradication in Pakistan.

Science.gov (United States)

Mercer, Laina D; Safdar, Rana M; Ahmed, Jamal; Mahamud, Abdirahman; Khan, M Muzaffar; Gerber, Sue; O'Leary, Aiden; Ryan, Mike; Salet, Frank; Kroiss, Steve J; Lyons, Hil; Upfill-Brown, Alexander; Chabot-Couture, Guillaume

2017-10-11

Pakistan is one of only three countries where poliovirus circulation remains endemic. For the Pakistan Polio Eradication Program, identifying high risk districts is essential to target interventions and allocate limited resources. Using a hierarchical Bayesian framework we developed a spatial Poisson hurdle model to jointly model the probability of one or more paralytic polio cases, and the number of cases that would be detected in the event of an outbreak. Rates of underimmunization, routine immunization, and population immunity, as well as seasonality and a history of cases were used to project future risk of cases. The expected number of cases in each district in a 6-month period was predicted using indicators from the previous 6-months and the estimated coefficients from the model. The model achieves an average of 90% predictive accuracy as measured by area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, for the past 3 years of cases. The risk of poliovirus has decreased dramatically in many of the key reservoir areas in Pakistan. The results of this model have been used to prioritize sub-national areas in Pakistan to receive additional immunization activities, additional monitoring, or other special interventions.

Towards mutual understanding within interdisciplinary palaeoenvironmental research

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Förster, F.; Großmann, R.; Hinz, M.

2013-01-01

The term landscape is a crucial term for a diversity of scientific disciplines researching the Quaternary, each of which maintains different concepts and definitions. With increasing interdisciplinary research cooperation between disparate disciplines, a basis for communication has to be establis......The term landscape is a crucial term for a diversity of scientific disciplines researching the Quaternary, each of which maintains different concepts and definitions. With increasing interdisciplinary research cooperation between disparate disciplines, a basis for communication has...... to be established. The aim of this paper is a) to survey an assortment of concepts and understandings of landscape within diverse disciplinary contexts and b) to explore the possibilities and usefulness of a common concept in an interdisciplinary palaeo-environmental research field, shared by scholars from...... the humanities and natural sciences alike. This comprises the disciplines art history, prehistoric archaeology, classical archaeology, ecology, geography, geology, and history. As a result, it can be stated that landscape is a cultural term: Landscapes are a cultural construct, and any landscape is the result...

Interdisciplinary teamwork: is the influence of emotional intelligence fully appreciated?

Science.gov (United States)

McCallin, Antoinette; Bamford, Anita

2007-05-01

The purpose of this study is to discuss how emotional intelligence affects interdisciplinary team effectiveness. Some findings from a larger study on interdisciplinary teamworking are discussed. Teams are often evaluated for complementary skill mix and expertise that are integrated for specialist service delivery. Interactional skills and emotional intelligence also affect team behaviour and performance. An effective team needs both emotional intelligence and expertise, including technical, clinical, social and interactional skills, so that teamwork becomes greater or lesser than the whole, depending on how well individuals work together. Team diversity, individuality and personality differences, and interprofessional safety are analysed to raise awareness for nurse managers of the complexity of interdisciplinary working relationships. If nursing input into interdisciplinary work is to be maximized, nurse managers might consider the role of emotional intelligence in influencing team effectiveness, the quality of client care, staff retention and job satisfaction.

Interdisciplinary and Intercultural Differences in Learning Strategy Use: Implications for Language Processing, Curriculum and Instruction

Science.gov (United States)

Shawer, Saad F.

2012-01-01

This investigation examines English as foreign language college interdisciplinary and intercultural differences in learning strategy use and their implications for language processing. Positivism underpins this research at the levels of ontology (standardized variables), epistemology (detachment from the subjects) and methodology, using nomothetic…

Performance on Interdisciplinary Topics in an Integrated Pharmacy Course

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joie Rowles

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Objectives: Many colleges and schools of Pharmacy combine interdisciplinary topics such as pathophysiology, pharmacology, medicinal chemistry and therapeutics into one integrated course. Our main aim for this study is to determine if students pass integrated courses and yet fail to pass interdisciplinary sections of those courses. Methods: Two representative integrated sequence courses were evaluated without any study-imposed intervention. Individual student examination scores (~140 students were evaluated for overall performance as well as for performance on the interdisciplinary topics of pathophysiology/pharmacology, medicinal chemistry, and therapeutics. The degree of difficulty of the examination questions, as well as the test item discrimination, were also measured. Results: There were students that passed the course but failed one, or more, of the interdisciplinary topics. Combining data from both courses, medicinal chemistry was the most frequently failed discipline (29 students, followed closely by pharmacology (22 students, and distantly by therapeutics (1 student. The examination questions for medicinal chemistry were not more difficult nor more discriminatory than the questions for the other disciplines. Conclusions: These data indicate that students pass integrated courses, but fail to pass interdisciplinary sections of those courses, especially the pharmaceutical sciences. It is not known if these results are consistent, nor what long-term adverse consequences may result. These results inform curricular and assessment aspects of the pharmacy academy as pertains to establishing the scientific foundation required by the CAPE 2013 Educational Outcomes.   Type: Original Research

The ENTRIA project. Selected disciplinary and interdisciplinary research topics; Das ENTRIA-Projekt. Ausgewaehlte disziplinaere und interdisziplinaere Forschungsthemen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roehlig, Klaus-Juergen [Technical Univ. Clausthal, Clausthal-Zellerfeld (Germany); Hocke, Peter [KIT Karlsruhe (Germany). Inst. for Technology Assessment and Systems Analysis; Smeddinck, Ulrich [Braunschweig Technical Univ. Braunschweig (Germany); Walther, Clemens [Hannover Univ. (Germany). Inst. for Radioecology and Radiation Protection

2015-07-01

ENTRIA (''Disposal Options for Radioactive Residues: Interdisciplinary Analyses and Development of Evaluation Principles'', www.entria.de) is a joint research project carried out by twelve departments and institutes from German universities and major research institutions and one partner from Switzerland. It is financed by the German Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). Scientists representing natural sciences, civil engineering, philosophy, law, social and political sciences, and technology assessment carry out disciplinary and interdisciplinary research addressing three options to manage especially high-level radioactive waste: - Final disposal in deep geological formations without any arrangements for retrieval, - disposal in deep geological formations with arrangements for monitoring and retrieval, and - (prolonged) surface (or near-surface) storage. In the paper, the following selected research topics - both disciplinary and interdisciplinary - are briefly introduced in order to provide an impression of the project scope: - Surface storage, - reference concepts for emplacement in deep geological formations with retrievability and monitoring, - radiation exposure and justification of measures, - interdisciplinary perspectives on dose limits, - comparative studies on nuclear waste governance, - nuclear waste governance in Switzerland, - public involvement and the German Site Selection Act, and - citizens' jury.

Teaching about Fascism: An Interdisciplinary Approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Hirshfield, Claire

1980-01-01

Describes a university course which teaches the history of fascism and nazism through interdisciplinary methods: philosophy, film, literature, and art. Visiting lecturers include survivors of concentration camps. (KC)

Exploring indicators of interdisciplinary research and education success

Science.gov (United States)

Carr, Gemma; Blanch, Anicet; Blaschke, Alfred Paul; Brouwer, Roy; Bucher, Christian; Farnleitner, Andreas; Fürnkranz-Prskawetz, Alexia; Loucks, Daniel Pete; Morgenroth, Eberhard; Parajka, Juraj; Pfeifer, Norbert; Rechberger, Helmut; Wagner, Wolfgang; Zessner, Matthias; Blöschl, Günter

2017-04-01

Interdisciplinary research and education programmes aim to produce groundbreaking research, often on socially relevant topics, and to produce experts with the skills to work across disciplines. However, there are many outstanding questions on the effectiveness of interdisciplinary programmes. Such as whether they produce novel and groundbreaking research, whether interdisciplinary graduates are leading to a more interdisciplinary culture of research and practice in academia and beyond, and whether an interdisciplinary approach can more effectively address issues of societal relevance than a mono-disciplinary approach. The Vienna Doctoral Programme on Water Resource Systems at Vienna University of Technology is currently in its eighth year and offers a valuable case study to contribute to understanding interdisciplinary research and education. Ten different research fields are covered by the Programme and because collaborative research takes place both between researchers from different research fields (cross-disciplinary research) and from researchers from the same research field (mono-disciplinary research) we are able to compare the impacts of each research type. We specifically explored three questions: i) whether cross-disciplinary research leads to more innovative scientific findings than mono-disciplinary research, ii) whether cross-disciplinary researchers develop professional skills that benefit their future careers, and iii) whether cross-disciplinary research produces findings of greater societal relevance than mono-disciplinary research. To conduct the evaluation we identified a variety of indicators. Journal impact factors (IF) and citation rates of ISI indexed publications were used to compare scientific innovativeness. Based on these indicators, our findings suggest that cross-disciplinary work is more innovative. The cross-disciplinary work is published in journals with a slightly higher impact factor (mean IF is 2.36) and receives slightly more

Interdisciplinary New University: A New Model for Faculties of Arts and Sciences in Turkey

Science.gov (United States)

Simsek, Hasan; Hacifazlioglu, Ozge

2012-01-01

The concept of new university reduces the depth of disciplinary understanding at the undergraduate level. Instead, interdisciplinary understanding has been put forward, where room is provided for the broader development of student. Receiving training from multiple perspectives will provide students with the skills necessary in an era of present…

Exploring Parental Involvement Strategies Utilized by Middle School Interdisciplinary Teams

Science.gov (United States)

Robbins, Chris; Searby, Linda

2013-01-01

Adolescents present a unique collection of characteristics and challenges which middle school interdisciplinary teams were designed to address. This article describes a research study which explored parental involvement strategies employed by interdisciplinary teaching teams from three very different middle schools: an affluent suburban school, a…

Successful Components of Interdisciplinary Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Shepard, Katherine; And Others

1985-01-01

This article presents 10 ideas for developing successful interdisciplinary curricula as suggested in the allied health literature. Implementation of the ideas is illustrated by examples from a clinical geriatric course involving physical therapy, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, and medical students. (Author/CT)

Training the Workforce: Description of a Longitudinal Interdisciplinary Education and Mentoring Program in Palliative Care.

Science.gov (United States)

Levine, Stacie; O'Mahony, Sean; Baron, Aliza; Ansari, Aziz; Deamant, Catherine; Frader, Joel; Leyva, Ileana; Marschke, Michael; Preodor, Michael

2017-04-01

The rapid increase in demand for palliative care (PC) services has led to concerns regarding workforce shortages and threats to the resiliency of PC teams. To describe the development, implementation, and evaluation of a regional interdisciplinary training program in PC. Thirty nurse and physician fellows representing 22 health systems across the Chicago region participated in a two-year PC training program. The curriculum was delivered through multiple conferences, self-directed e-learning, and individualized mentoring by expert local faculty (mentors). Fellows shadowed mentors' clinical practices and received guidance on designing, implementing, and evaluating a practice improvement project to address gaps in PC at their institutions. Enduring, interdisciplinary relationships were built at all levels across health care organizations. Fellows made significant increases in knowledge and self-reported confidence in adult and pediatric PC and program development skills and frequency performing these skills. Fellows and mentors reported high satisfaction with the educational program. This interdisciplinary PC training model addressed local workforce issues by increasing the number of clinicians capable of providing PC. Unique features include individualized longitudinal mentoring, interdisciplinary education, on-site project implementation, and local network building. Future research will address the impact of the addition of social work and chaplain trainees to the program. Copyright © 2017 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Case Study in Interdisciplinary Scientific Communication: A Decade of the INDECS Journal

OpenAIRE

Stepanić, Josip; Zoroja, Jovana; Šimičević, Vanja

2017-01-01

Background: Interdisciplinary scientific areas regularly develop unique methodologies, yet utilise the conventional communication modes to disseminate results of their researches. Objectives: This paper analyses whether a novel, interdisciplinary communication mode can be found in a gradually developing interdisciplinary journal. Methods/Approach: The content of the journal was categorised based on the characteristics attributed to the published papers. Statistical tests were performed to che...

The Educational Design of Textbooks: A Text for Being Interdisciplinary

Science.gov (United States)

Golding, Clinton

2014-01-01

This paper provides insights into both the educational design of textbooks and interdisciplinary education. The author introduces two educational principles for textbook design--instructional alignment and balancing diversity and meaningful guidance for readers--and applies them to writing his own textbook chapter for being interdisciplinary. The…

If a Marketer Teaches Ethics, Is There Still a Sound? The Interdisciplinary Case

Science.gov (United States)

Murrow, Jim

2006-01-01

When a marketer teaches general ethics courses, widespread ontological shock can result on campus. A case for positive paradigm expansion of all involved persons in an interdisciplinary environment is made. Suggestions for specific interdisciplinary opportunities and applications are provided. A call for interdisciplinary efforts is made and…

Scientific Aspects of Leonardo da Vinci's Drawings: An Interdisciplinary Model.

Science.gov (United States)

Struthers, Sally A.

While interdisciplinary courses can help demonstrate the relevance of learning to students and reinforce education from different fields, they can be difficult to implement and are often not cost effective. An interdisciplinary art history course at Ohio's Sinclair Community College incorporates science into the art history curriculum, making use…

Use of the Interdisciplinary Team Approach in the Rehabilitation of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Research and clinical experience have shown the importance of using a team approach in the rehabilitation of stroke patients. The interdisciplinary team approach is recommended in the managing or rehabilitation of such patients. This study sought to determine if the interdisciplinary team approach was utilized in the ...

Measuring performance on the Healthcare Access and Quality Index for 195 countries and territories and selected subnational locations: a systematic analysis from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Moesgaard Iburg, Kim

2018-01-01

used the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2016 (GBD 2016) to assess personal health-care access and quality with the Healthcare Access and Quality (HAQ) Index for 195 countries and territories, as well as subnational locations in seven countries, from 1990 to 2016. Methods...... and quality from underlying risk factor patterns, we risk-standardised cause-specific deaths due to non-cancers by location-year, replacing the local joint exposure of environmental and behavioural risks with the global level of exposure. Supported by the expansion of cancer registry data in GBD 2016, we used......·0 (14·3–23·7) in Somalia, and 23·4 (20·2–26·8) in Guinea-Bissau. The pace of progress achieved between 1990 and 2016 varied, with markedly faster improvements occurring between 2000 and 2016 for many countries in sub-Saharan Africa and southeast Asia, whereas several countries in Latin America...

Interdisciplinary innovations in biomedical and health informatics graduate education.

Science.gov (United States)

Demiris, G

2007-01-01

Biomedical and health informatics (BHI) is a rapidly growing domain that relies on the active collaboration with diverse disciplines and professions. Educational initiatives in BHI need to prepare students with skills and competencies that will allow them to function within and even facilitate interdisciplinary teams (IDT). This paper describes an interdisciplinary educational approach introduced into a BHI graduate curriculum that aims to prepare informatics researchers to lead IDT research. A case study of the "gerontechnology" research track is presented which highlights how the curriculum fosters collaboration with and understanding of the disciplines of Nursing, Engineering, Computer Science, and Health Administration. Gerontechnology is a new interdisciplinary field that focuses on the use of technology to support aging. Its aim is to explore innovative ways to use information technology and develop systems that support independency and increase quality of life for senior citizens. As a result of a large research group that explores "smart home" technologies and the use of information technology, we integrated this new domain into the curriculum providing a platform for computer scientists, engineers, nurses and physicians to explore challenges and opportunities with our informatics students and faculty. The interdisciplinary educational model provides an opportunity for health informatics students to acquire the skills for communication and collaboration with other disciplines. Numerous graduate and postgraduate students have already participated in this initiative. The evaluation model of this approach is presented. Interdisciplinary educational models are required for health informatics graduate education. Such models need to be innovative and reflect the needs and trends in the domains of health care and information technology.

Teaching Bioethics from an Interdisciplinary Perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Singleton, Rivers, Jr.; Brock, D. Heyward

1982-01-01

Outlines an interdisciplinary workshop in bioethics for secondary teachers taught by a team consisting of a scientist, a philosopher, and a literary critic. Discusses definitions, topics, reading selections, problems, and value. (DC)

Examination of Postgraduate Theses in Sciences within the Interdisciplinary Context

Science.gov (United States)

Karakus, Memet; Yalçin, Onur

2017-01-01

Nowadays, the rapid spread of the interdisciplinary approach contributes to the development of disciplines and scientific developments in many ways. Therefore, how the interdisciplinary approach is addressed in the studies carried out is important in terms of guiding other studies. For this purpose, an attempt to determine how 155 doctorate theses…

Film Scenes in Interdisciplinary Education: Teaching the Internet of Things

Science.gov (United States)

Hwang, Young-mee; Kim, Kwang-sun; Im, Tami

2017-01-01

The Internet of Things (IoT) is gaining importance in education owing to its rapid development. This study addresses the importance of interdisciplinary education between technology and the humanities. The use of films as a teaching resource is suitable for interdisciplinary education because films represent creative forecasts and predictions on…

Teaching the psychology of women: an interdisciplinary approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, Anita L

2007-01-01

This paper explores the development of a college freshman level course entitled, "Psychology of Women" at the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas. Interdisciplinary focus groups were held that included female professors from various disciplines, i.e., business, education, English literature, biology, nursing, and religious studies. The critical question posed to the group was: In this era of globalization and diversity, what issues and topics should be covered in a class that explores the psychology of women across the lifespan? The importance of studying womanhood within the context of nationality, religion, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, age, and physical ability was highlighted.

The Structure and Assessment of a Unique and Popular Interdisciplinary Science Course for Nonmajors

Science.gov (United States)

Train, Tonya Laakko; Gammon, David E.

2012-01-01

Science Without Borders is a unique interdisciplinary science course that uses group and active-learning strategies and is in high demand among nonscience majors at a masters-level university. Registrar data showed that nonscience majors were far more likely to choose this course compared with other, discipline-based science courses. In an…

An interdisciplinary approach to personalized medicine: case studies from a cardiogenetics clinic.

Science.gov (United States)

Erskine, Kathleen E; Griffith, Eleanor; Degroat, Nicole; Stolerman, Marina; Silverstein, Louise B; Hidayatallah, Nadia; Wasserman, David; Paljevic, Esma; Cohen, Lilian; Walsh, Christine A; McDonald, Thomas; Marion, Robert W; Dolan, Siobhan M

2013-01-01

In the genomic age, the challenges presented by various inherited conditions present a compelling argument for an interdisciplinary model of care. Cardiac arrhythmias with a genetic basis, such as long QT syndrome, require clinicians with expertise in many specialties to address the complex genetic, psychological, ethical and medical issues involved in treatment. The Montefiore-Einstein Center for CardioGenetics has been established to provide personalized, interdisciplinary care for families with a history of sudden cardiac death or an acute cardiac event. Four vignettes of patient care are presented to illustrate the unique capacity of an interdisciplinary model to address genetic, psychological, ethical and medical issues. Because interdisciplinary clinics facilitate collaboration among multiple specialties, they allow for individualized, comprehensive care to be delivered to families who experience complex inherited medical conditions. As the genetic basis of many complex conditions is discovered, the advantages of an interdisciplinary approach for delivering personalized medicine will become more evident.

Interdisciplinary debate in the teaching-learning process on bioethics: academic health experiences.

Science.gov (United States)

Campos Daniel, Jéssica; Dias Reis Pessalacia, Juliana; Leite de Andrade, Ana Flávia

2016-06-01

The study aimed to understand the health of student experiences to participate in interdisciplinary discussions in bioethics and know the contributions of interdisciplinary methodological resource for the teaching-learning process at graduation. Descriptive study of qualitative approach in a public higher education institution of Divinópolis, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Three categories of analysis were identified: ''active methodologies in the training of a professional critic,'' ''interdisciplinary debate as facilitator reflection of bioethics'' and ''feelings and attitudes caused by the interdisciplinary debate.'' Discussion. There was a lack of approach of bioethical contents in the health curriculum, and the adoption of active methodologies provides a better reflection in bioethics, but that requires changing paradigms of teachers and educational institutions.

Integrating social sciences and humanities in interdisciplinary research

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, David Budtz

2016-01-01

drivers for embedding SSH research in interdisciplinary research. By analysing recent policy initiatives, the article shows how policymakers across the world continue to be ambivalent regarding the role of the SSH. While many stakeholders acknowledge the need to integrate SSH research in solving key...... societal challenges, such as climate change, migration or national security, funding for SSH is limited and tends to focus on strategic interventions and instrumental solutions. By accounting for the diversity of interdisciplinary collaborations the article recommends a more context-sensitive approach...

Desegregating undergraduate mathematics and biology--interdisciplinary instruction with emphasis on ongoing biomedical research.

Science.gov (United States)

Robeva, Raina

2009-01-01

The remarkable advances in the field of biology in the last decade, specifically in the areas of biochemistry, genetics, genomics, proteomics, and systems biology, have demonstrated how critically important mathematical models and methods are in addressing questions of vital importance for these disciplines. There is little doubt that the need for utilizing and developing mathematical methods for biology research will only grow in the future. The rapidly increasing demand for scientists with appropriate interdisciplinary skills and knowledge, however, is not being reflected in the way undergraduate mathematics and biology courses are structured and taught in most colleges and universities nationwide. While a number of institutions have stepped forward and addressed this need by creating and offering interdisciplinary courses at the juncture of mathematics and biology, there are still many others at which there is little, if any, interdisciplinary interaction between the curricula. This chapter describes an interdisciplinary course and a textbook in mathematical biology developed collaboratively by faculty from Sweet Briar College and the University of Virginia School of Medicine. The course and textbook are designed to provide a bridge between the mathematical and biological sciences at the lower undergraduate level. The course is developed for and is being taught in a liberal arts setting at Sweet Briar College, Virginia, but some of the advanced modules are used in a course at the University of Virginia for advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate students. The individual modules are relatively independent and can be used as stand-alone projects in conventional mathematics and biology courses. Except for the introductory material, the course and textbook topics are based on current biomedical research.

Interdisciplinary Collaboration in EHDI Programs

Science.gov (United States)

Nelson, Lauri; Houston, K. Todd; Hoffman, Jeff; Bradham, Tamala S.

2011-01-01

State coordinators of early hearing detection and intervention (EHDI) programs were asked to complete a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, or SWOT, analysis that consisted of 12 evaluative areas of EHDI programs. For the interdisciplinary area, 47 coordinators responded with 224 items, and themes were identified within each SWOT…

An interdisciplinary approach to teaching in a multi-disciplinary context - A model for teaching geociences?

Science.gov (United States)

Salmun, H.

2015-12-01

As a major component of an NSF-funded STEM program, a seminar-style course called the Catalyst Seminar was developed and offered over three consecutive semesters. The program included undergraduate students in the geosciences, computer science, mathematics and physics. The Catalyst Seminar was designed to expose scholars to the interdisciplinary research options and careers in these disciplines. The Seminar also provided a venue for scholars to meet regularly, build a sense of community and to engage in research projects that would enhance their preparation for multi and interdisciplinary careers in the sciences. The first semester of the Seminar was devoted to Exposure and Connections, accomplished through lectures by invited speakers on topics related to the disciplines participating in the Program. Scholars were required to read journal articles related to the lectures and to write a final short paper reflecting on the experience, all activities that are known to students at this level. Overall, this was a somewhat passive learning approach to research in classrooms. In the following two semesters a more active approach to engage students in interdisciplinary research was used. Students were asked to take ownership of their learning process through disciplinary and interdisciplinary engagement in a project. In one semester this process was guided by the seminar coordinator who was in charge of selecting and leading the 'research project' which although challenging to scholars, was 'safe' enough that answers were readily available. In the other semester the approach was student-centered, with a coordinator that merely facilitated the formation of interdisciplinary research teams that took complete charge of the entire research enterprise. I will discuss our observations and assessment of the outcomes of this instructional experience with relation to the teaching of geoscience, in particular to attracting students into this field.

Collaborative Research on Sustainability: Myths and Conundrums of Interdisciplinary Departments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kate Sherren

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Establishing interdisciplinary academic departments has been a common response to the challenge of addressing complex problems. However, the assumptions that guide the formation of such departments are rarely questioned. Additionally, the designers and managers of interdisciplinary academic departments in any field of endeavour struggle to set an organisational climate appropriate to the diversity of their members. This article presents a preliminary analysis of collaborative dynamics within two interdisciplinary university departments in Australia focused on sustainability. Social network diagrams and metrics of coauthorship and cosupervision are analysed qualitatively. A “vicarious interdisciplinarity” was identified among key academics working narrowly in order to earn the resources that allow them to support others working interdisciplinarily. Those supported in this way appear to benefit from the esteem and nonredundant collaborative connections their mentors provide via this strategy, but they experience uncertainty about their own career opportunities in similar settings. This article thus unearths a conundrum of succession for interdisciplinary academic environments, and suggests that simple colocation of diverse academic stars is an inadequate strategy to achieve effective intradepartmental collaboration.

Summary of Research 1997, Interdisciplinary Academic Groups

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Boger, Dan

1999-01-01

This report contains information of research projects in the interdisciplinary groups, Command, Control, and Communications Academic Group, Information Warfare Academic Group, Space Systems Academic...

Data management for interdisciplinary field experiments: OTTER project support

Science.gov (United States)

Angelici, Gary; Popovici, Lidia; Skiles, J. W.

1993-01-01

The ability of investigators of an interdisciplinary science project to properly manage the data that are collected during the experiment is critical to the effective conduct of science. When the project becomes large, possibly including several scenes of large-format remotely sensed imagery shared by many investigators requiring several services, the data management effort can involve extensive staff and computerized data inventories. The OTTER (Oregon Transect Ecosystem Research) project was supported by the PLDS (Pilot Land Data System) with several data management services, such as data inventory, certification, and publication. After a brief description of these services, experiences in providing them are compared with earlier data management efforts and some conclusions regarding data management in support of interdisciplinary science are discussed. In addition to providing these services, a major goal of this data management capability was to adopt characteristics of a pro-active attitude, such as flexibility and responsiveness, believed to be crucial for the effective conduct of active, interdisciplinary science. These are also itemized and compared with previous data management support activities. Identifying and improving these services and characteristics can lead to the design and implementation of optimal data management support capabilities, which can result in higher quality science and data products from future interdisciplinary field experiments.

Gender and Disciplinary Differences in Experiences with Interdisciplinary Collaboration

Science.gov (United States)

Borrego, Maura; Creamer, Elizabeth G.

This work directly compares three explanations for differences in experiences of interdisciplinary research collaborators using a sample of 347 academics from 144 different research intensive and extensive universities in the United States who were awarded funding from the same directorate of the National Science Foundation. The findings provide a much more positive view of interdisciplinary collaboration than is routinely found in the literature. Despite varied disciplinary backgrounds, members of the sample are extremely satisfied with their experiences with interdisciplinary collaboration and have much more in common than they differ in their attitudes and experiences, including how they meet collaborators, the difficulties they have encountered, their approach to the division of labor, and their interest in collaboration as a venue for learning. Findings dispute the stereotype that the relational element of collaboration is significantly more salient for women than it is for men.

Victorian Era: An Interdisciplinary Unit.

Science.gov (United States)

Gildart, Donna Mae; And Others

Seventh grade students studied the Victorian period using a 4-6 week interdisciplinary unit that integrated language arts, mathematics, art, science, social studies, music, home economics, parents, and business into the program. The main goals were to help students understand the importance of all curriculum subjects; comprehend how subjects are…

The Modernization of the Audit Courts of Brazil: PROMOEX deployment assessment in Audit Courts subnational

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Diones Gomes da Rocha

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Mainly since the Brazilian Federal Constitution of 1988, the Brazilian Courts of Accounts (TC had expanded its expertise to carry out the control of management of public entities on different perspectives, such as operational, accounting, budgetary and financial. The differences between these institutions in terms of economic, technological and human resources were factors that made it difficult to adapt these institutions to the new acquired competences. The Promoex then emerged as a solution for modernization of Brazilian subnational Courts of Accounts. Such solution had funds of US $ 64.4 million dollars. The purpose of this research, therefore, is to assess the implementation of this program by 33 TCs. The evaluation was conducted from documents collected from web pages of MPOG, ATRICON, IRB and the Portal of Brazil Courts of Accounts. The Loan Agreement 1628-OC / BR, Object Compliance Report, Progress Reports of the 1st and 2nd semesters of 2013 (final report, and surveys conducted by the FIA and FGV also were scrutinized. The results indicate that the Promoex was less than expected; the modernization proposals were more focused on solving administrative problems, as well as by the low impact of Promoex over the actions developed by the TCs.

Interdisciplinary Knowledge Integration: Genuine Scientific Inquiry or 'Full-Bodied' Red Wine?

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Christakos, G.

2004-12-01

If the development of conceptual models is going to produce rigorous rules for the integration of knowledge from different disciplines and levels of organization, it should rely on an adequate understanding of scientific interdisciplinarity. Interdisciplinarity, however, is not always a clearly understood and widely accepted concept: (i) Interdisciplinarity has been viewed by certain groups in the same context as the unification of science, which refers to the pyramidal hierarchy that reduces one domain of science to another, seeking the unity of science and searching for the ultimate scientific truth. (ii) A distinction is made between interdisciplinarity producing a new discipline and interdisciplinarity involving the continuing interaction of a variety of disciplines without leading to a separate discipline. (iii) Another distinction is made between interdisciplinarity viewed as a merely practical activity happening on an everyday basis (e.g., studying the components of structured whole in isolation and applying ad hoc combinations to yield the final result) and interdisciplinarity considered for scientific research purposes (in which case issues of disciplinary incompleteness and non-reductive autonomy to be blended with another one may arise). In view of the above, genuinely interdisciplinary and innovative knowledge integration should not be confused with cosmetic inderdisciplinarity, the latter having a superficial and ad hoc interdisciplinary character allowing disciplinary business to go on as usual at the cheap price of some interdisciplinary rhetoric. In the cosmetic case 'interdisciplinarity' is used to describe -and praise- research projects as routinely as 'full-bodied' is used to describe red wines.

Teaching an Issues-Based Interdisciplinary Course: Diversity in Management and Marketing

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Hazen, Mary Ann; Higby, Mary A.

2005-01-01

The authors examine their experiences of coteaching an intensive, interdisciplinary elective course for MBA students: Diversity in Management and Marketing. They address otherness, dialogue, energy, and change within this course and clarify issues that can arise when coteaching interdisciplinary courses. The authors list implications for…

Should we quit our jobs? Challenges, barriers and recommendations for interdisciplinary energy research

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schuitema, Geertje; Sintov, Nicole D.

2017-01-01

Many plea for a better integration of social sciences in energy research, which would imply more comprehensive interdisciplinary energy research. We argue that in order to achieve this, institutional barriers and research challenges need to be recognised and addressed. We identify six challenges and barriers, and provide recommendations for working towards solutions. We conclude that to engage in interdisciplinary research implies extra costs and fewer rewards for all researchers, particularly early and mid-career academics. We propose a new conceptualisation of practices and incentive structures among academic institutions, funding agencies, and publication outlets, and urge all energy researchers to join this debate. - Highlights: • Interdisciplinary energy research currently does not reach its full potential. • Social sciences are underutilised in energy research. • Barriers and challenges need to be addressed to stimulate interdisciplinary energy research. • High costs and small rewards for interdisciplinary (early and mid-career) researchers.

Design as a Cultural Venue for Interdisciplinary Collaboration

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Geert Jensen, Birgitte; Rasmussen, Jørgen; Volf, Mette

2014-01-01

Sense Making has become the strategic fuel for meaningful Change Making in organizations today. 1 When designers enter into and facilitate large interdisciplinary teams it changes the role of the designer from being characterised by aesthetic professionalism to thinking strategically and facilita......Sense Making has become the strategic fuel for meaningful Change Making in organizations today. 1 When designers enter into and facilitate large interdisciplinary teams it changes the role of the designer from being characterised by aesthetic professionalism to thinking strategically...... and visual skills can be the link between mental models and languages that occur in interdisciplinary teams. The designer's methods such as visualization and prototyping as well as their Sensemaking methods2 can strengthen a team's chance to imagine future scenarios and their implications. It provides...... a common ground for discussing and reflecting on choices made. The article describes two different cases in which the visual methods of designers made Sensemaking possible in the organisation. The methods used are elements within the design process: visual sensemaking, user observations, interviews...

Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Special Operations Forces

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

is the result of a research projec tproviding international interdisciplinary perspectives on special operations forces, based on three main themes: - Leading and organizing for strategic effect - Professional entrepreneurship and self-perceptions in special operations forces - Political and popular perceptions...

Interdisciplinary arts and health practice with an institutional logics perspective

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Anita

2018-01-01

Background:Investigating the interdisciplinary relationships between stakeholders engaged in arts and health practice in the UK and Denmark, specifically with regard to institutional logics theory. The identified stakeholders: health professionals, museum educators and mental health service users....... Method:Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 30 participants: health professionals, museum educators and service users. Data were collected in Denmark and the UK. A thematic approach was used to analyse the data and theoretical lenses of sociological theories, and institutional logics explored...... the findings. Results:The interdisciplinary work in arts and health is complex, given the different disciplines and institutions involved. Findings illustrate that institutional logics play a vital and ambiguous part in arts and health practice and that this presents a challenge for interdisciplinary working...

[Archaeology and criminology--Strengths and weaknesses of interdisciplinary cooperation].

Science.gov (United States)

Bachhiesl, Christian

2015-01-01

Interdisciplinary cooperation of archaeology and criminology is often focussed on the scientific methods applied in both fields of knowledge. In combination with the humanistic methods traditionally used in archaeology, the finding of facts can be enormously increased and the subsequent hermeneutic deduction of human behaviour in the past can take place on a more solid basis. Thus, interdisciplinary cooperation offers direct and indirect advantages. But it can also cause epistemological problems, if the weaknesses and limits of one method are to be corrected by applying methods used in other disciplines. This may result in the application of methods unsuitable for the problem to be investigated so that, in a way, the methodological and epistemological weaknesses of two disciplines potentiate each other. An example of this effect is the quantification of qualia. These epistemological reflections are compared with the interdisciplinary approach using the concrete case of the "Eulau Crime Scene".

Interdisciplinary Science Research and Education

Science.gov (United States)

MacKinnon, P. J.; Hine, D.; Barnard, R. T.

2013-01-01

Science history shows us that interdisciplinarity is a spontaneous process that is intrinsic to, and engendered by, research activity. It is an activity that is done rather than an object to be designed and constructed. We examine three vignettes from the history of science that display the interdisciplinary process at work and consider the…

Synergistic Knowledge Development in Interdisciplinary Teams

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Broussard, Shorna R.; La Lopa, Joseph Mick; Ross-Davis, Amy

2007-01-01

Problem solving, interpersonal skills, information literacy, and critical and independent thinking are essential qualities that employers seek, yet many undergraduates lack. We structured an interdisciplinary classroom and experiential learning environment where students from three undergraduate courses (Hospitality and Tourism Management,…

How to successfully publish interdisciplinary research: learning from an Ecology and Society Special Feature

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Christian Pohl

2015-06-01

Full Text Available What are the factors that hinder or support publishing interdisciplinary research? What does a successful interdisciplinary publishing process look like? We address these questions by analyzing the publishing process of the interdisciplinary research project titled "Mountland." Project researchers published most of their main results as a Special Feature of Ecology and Society. Using the story wall method and qualitative content analysis, we identified ten factors contributing to the success or failure of publishing interdisciplinary research. They can be assigned to four groups of resources: scientific resources, i.e., previous joint research, simultaneously written manuscripts; human resources, i.e., coordination, flexibility, composition of the team; integrative resources, i.e., vision of integration, chronology of results; and feedback resources, i.e., internal reviews, subject editors, external reviewers. According to this analysis, an ideal-typical publishing process necessitates, among other things, (1 a strong, interdisciplinary coordinator, (2 a clear shared vision of integration and a common framework, (3 flexibility in terms of money and time, (4 a certain sense of timing regarding when and how to exchange results and knowledge, (5 subject editors who are familiar with the specific project and its interdisciplinary merits, and (6 reviewers who are open minded about interdisciplinary efforts.

Interdisciplinary SBME : a case study in development of B-SBME

OpenAIRE

Shahoumian, Armineh; Parchoma, Gale; Saunders, Murray; Hanson, Jacky; Dickinson, Mike; Pimblett, Mark

2013-01-01

This study examines interdisciplinary practices in the development a blended learning approach to Simulation Based Medical Education (B-SBME). The project team included an emergency medicine consultant, two health care professionals/simulation facilitators, an educational researcher, and an educational research student. The terms, multi- and inter-disciplinary, are often used interchangeably. Whilst in multi-disciplinary projects members of different disciplines “work together on a joint proj...

42 CFR 460.102 - Interdisciplinary team.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... ELDERLY (PACE) PACE Services § 460.102 Interdisciplinary team. (a) Basic requirement. A PACE organization... the following: (i) Managing a participant's medical situations. (ii) Overseeing a participant's use of.... (iii) Documenting changes of a participant's condition in the participant's medical record consistent...

Interdisciplinary Research on Healthy Aging: Introduction

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Willekens, F.J.; Carey, James; Li, Qiang

2018-01-01

Background: This is an introduction to a Special Collection of Demographic Research on Interdisciplinary Research on Healthy Aging. The collection is an outcome of an international conference in China on biodemography and multistate modeling in healthy aging research. Causal analysis is the common

Interdisciplinary Research: Performance and Policy Issues.

Science.gov (United States)

Rossini, Frederick A.; Porter, Alan L.

1981-01-01

Successful interdisciplinary research performance, it is suggested, depends on such structural and process factors as leadership, team characteristics, study bounding, iteration, communication patterns, and epistemological factors. Appropriate frameworks for socially organizing the development of knowledge such as common group learning, modeling,…

Social Contradictions in the Interdisciplinary Research Formation in the Ecotourism Major in the ESPOCH, Ecuador

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Mónica Pozo-Vinueza

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The Technologies of the Information and the Communications (ICT, are potential facilitators of the interdisciplinary investigative activity in the superior education. The Superior Polytechnic School of Chimborazo (ESPOCH, in Ecuador has an advanced technological infrastructure that places it under conditions to generate such investigations. Paradoxically those resources don't offer results of the aspired level. This study is based on the qualitative methodology and its objective is: To analyze the contradictions that are in the base of the scarce interdisciplinary tecno-investigative culture of the community of professors, which affect sensibly the formative processes and the acting of the students in the case of the School of Ecotourism. The main results are analyzed in three dimensions. These are: the: political, the pedagogic one and the epistemic.

Enhancing (In)Formal Learning Ties in Interdisciplinary Management Courses: A Quasi-Experimental Social Network Study

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Rienties, Bart; Héliot, YingFei

2018-01-01

While interdisciplinary courses are regarded as a promising method for students to learn and apply knowledge from other disciplines, there is limited empirical evidence available whether interdisciplinary courses can effectively "create" interdisciplinary students. In this innovative quasi-experimental study amongst 377 Master's…

Advantages and disadvantages of interdisciplinary consultation in the prescription of assistive technologies for mobility limitations.

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de Laat, Fred A; van Heerebeek, Bart; van Netten, Jaap J

2018-03-28

To explore the advantages and disadvantages experienced by professionals in interdisciplinary consultation involving the user, prescriber and technician in the prescription of assistive technologies for mobility limitations. Cross-sectional study. Prescribers (N = 39) and orthopaedic technicians (N = 50), who were regularly involved in an interdisciplinary consultation completed a questionnaire about advantages and disadvantages of the interdisciplinary consultation. Advantages of the interdisciplinary consultation were mentioned within all CanMEDS areas of medical practice, including better and quicker prescription of the assistive technology, shared knowledge of medical diagnosis and device possibilities, shared decision making of the device prescription and clear communication rules. Disadvantages were mentioned in the CanMEDS areas management and collaboration, including planning problems (financial) reimbursement of this type of consultation, and time efficiency. On a 10-point scale, mean (standard deviation) rates of interdisciplinary consultations were 7.9 (0.6) according to prescribers, and 7.8 (0.9) by technicians. All participants wanted to continue the interdisciplinary consultation. Prescribers and technicians in the field of assistive technologies for walking mobility limitations appreciate an interdisciplinary consultation. Advantages are found in all CanMEDS areas, whereas disadvantages only concern coordination. It should be encouraged to realize this kind of consultation in all situations where such technologies are prescribed. Implications for rehabilitation Interdisciplinary consultation involving the user, prescriber and technician to prescribe assistive technologies for mobility limitations has many advantages in all CanMEDS areas of medical practice, and few disadvantages, related to management and collaboration only. The disadvantages of interdisciplinary consultation, such as (financial) reimbursement by health insurance companies

A Holistic Approach to Interdisciplinary Innovation Supported by a Simple Tool

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Denise J. Stokholm, Marianne

2008-01-01

Innovation is recognised as a strategy to achieve competitive businesses and products. Managing innovation at all levels requires integration of knowledge and interdisciplinary cooperation. Different understandings and approaches to innovation between professions often result in communication...... problems. To overcome this barrier a common ground is needed. This paper describes a holistic approach to innovation and presents a simple tool for facilitating cooperation on a diversity of innovation matters. It describes the development and use of the tool and demonstrates its capacity to support...

Anesthesia: A Topic for Interdisciplinary Study.

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Labianca, Dominick A.; Reeves, William J.

1977-01-01

Describes an interdisciplinary approach for teaching the topic of anesthesia as one aspect of a chemistry-oriented course for nonscience majors which focuses on timely topics such as the energy crisis and drugs. Historical treatment with the examination of literature is emphasized in teaching. (HM)

Egg and a lot of science: an interdisciplinary experiment

OpenAIRE

Gayer, M. C.; Interdisciplinary Research Group on Teaching Practice, Graduate Program in Biochemistry, Unipampa, RS, Brazil Laboratory of Physicochemical Studies and Natural Products, Post Graduate Program in Biochemistry, Unipampa, RS, Brazil; T., Rodrigues D.; Interdisciplinary Research Group on Teaching Practice, Graduate Program in Biochemistry, Unipampa, RS, Brazil Laboratory of Physicochemical Studies and Natural Products, Post Graduate Program in Biochemistry, Unipampa, RS, Brazil; Denardin, E. L.G.; Laboratory of Physicochemical Studies and Natural Products, Post Graduate Program in Biochemistry, Unipampa, RS, Brazil; Roehrs, R.; Interdisciplinary Research Group on Teaching Practice, Graduate Program in Biochemistry, Unipampa, RS, Brazil Laboratory of Physicochemical Studies and Natural Products, Post Graduate Program in Biochemistry, Unipampa, RS, Brazil

2014-01-01

Egg and a lot of science: an interdisciplinary experimentGayer, M.C.1,2;Rodrigues, D.T.1,2; Escoto, D.F.1; Denardin, E.L.G.2, Roehrs, R.1,21Interdisciplinary Research Group on Teaching Practice, Graduate Program in Biochemistry, Unipampa, RS, Brazil2Laboratory of Physicochemical Studies and Natural Products, Post Graduate Program in Biochemistry, Unipampa, RS, BrazilIntroduction: How to tell if an egg is rotten? How to calculate the volume of an egg? Because the rotten egg float? Why has this...

Developing apprentice skills for innovation through interdisciplinary training and education

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Haslam, Christian Ravn

2016-01-01

This paper is concerned with training students of vocational education programs; specifically, tradesmen and skilled workers to better utilise value networks and knowledge hubs, set up through government initiatives, as an innovation platform. The study indicates that massively interdisciplinary...... not only interdisciplinary collaboration but also entrepreneurship in general. The study is based on two years of experimentation running six independent workshops across ten different disciplines and trades and four educational institutions....

[Interdisciplinarity in action: "trap-words" in interdisciplinary research].

Science.gov (United States)

Villeval, Mélanie; Ginsbourger, Thomas; Bidault, Elsa; Alias, François; Delpierre, Cyrille; Gaborit, Emilie; Kelly-Irving, Michelle; Manuello, Pascale; Grosclaude, Pascale; Lang, Thierry

2014-01-01

Interdisciplinary work is essential to understand and address Social Inequalities in Health (SIH), but involves a number of practical difficulties. The AAPRISS programme, comprises project leaders and researchers from various disciplines in order to co-construct the reorientation of prevention projects, in order to more effectively reduce SIH. Certain challenges emerged during this project concerning the interdisciplinary work, especially misunderstanding of certain terms with different meanings according to various disciplines, within the same discipline, or even between British and US English. The objective is to identify these "trap-words" in order to create a glossary clearly explaining the various meanings, rather than rigidly defining a unique correct definition. The words leading to misunderstandings were identified and several definitions were provided by participating researchers and literature searches. Five sets of words were defined: "politique, programme, projet et intervention"; "impact"; "ressortissant, public cible, population cible, bénéficiaire, et communauté"; "inégalités sociales de santé, disparités et iniquités"; and "protocole". Issues raised by the construction of this glossary, designed to support co-construction between researchers from different disciplines, allow reflection on the richness and difficulties of interdisciplinary research.

Video Inspired the Radio Star: Interdisciplinary Projects for Media Arts and Music

Science.gov (United States)

Giebelhausen, Robin

2017-01-01

Interdisciplinary arts education in music has often included connective lines toward drama, dance, and visual arts. This article will suggest five different projects that could be used to link music to video in order to develop media arts and music interdisciplinary connections.

Communication dynamics in hospice teams: understanding the role of the chaplain in interdisciplinary team collaboration.

Science.gov (United States)

Wittenberg-Lyles, Elaine; Oliver, Debra Parker; Demiris, George; Baldwin, Paula; Regehr, Kelly

2008-12-01

Hospice chaplains provide a specific expertise to patient and family care, however, individual roles and responsibilities that facilitate the interdisciplinary team environment are less well known. The primary aim of this study was to investigate how hospice chaplains perceive their role in interdisciplinary team meetings and to what extent hospice chaplains share common experiences within the interdisciplinary team approach in hospice. Hospice chaplains within a 10-state region participated in a 39-item phone survey about professional roles, group roles, and structural characteristics that influence their ability to participate in interdisciplinary collaboration. Findings revealed that professional role conflict is experienced, primarily with social workers. Informal group task and maintenance roles included team spiritual care advisor and conflict manager, and structural characteristics consisted of extracurricular communication outside of the organization. Although chaplains foster interdisciplinary collaboration within the hospice team, future research needs to address improvements to the chaplain's role within the interdisciplinary team process.

Memory, museums and information science: An interdisciplinary perspective

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Débora Adriano Sampaio

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Reflects on Museums and Information Science in an interdisciplinary perspective, tracing an interface between memory and information. Presents socio-historical approaches of Information Science in an attempt to subsidize social issues that guide this discussion - 'The Social Epistemology Shera', the 'Hermeneutics Capurro' and 'Approach of Knowledge Wersig'. Highlights the dialogue between information, memory and museum institutions, analyzing its importance in the socio-cultural dynamics of the information society. Considers the process of building interdisciplinary, under a social dimension as a vital contribution to the direction of new readings that can transform individuals in humans reflexive and critical agents capable of walking paths foreseen and unforeseen, changing social reality.

Sustained Change: Institutionalizing Interdisciplinary Graduate Education

Science.gov (United States)

Borrego, Maura; Boden, Daniel; Newswander, Lynita K.

2014-01-01

We employ Scott's three pillars of institutions (regulative, normative, and cultural-cognitive) to investigate how higher education organizations change to support interdisciplinary graduate education. Using document analysis and case study approaches, we illustrate how strategies which address both policies and cultural norms are most…

Out of the fog: Catalyzing integrative capacity in interdisciplinary research.

Science.gov (United States)

Piso, Zachary; O'Rourke, Michael; Weathers, Kathleen C

2016-04-01

Social studies of interdisciplinary science investigate how scientific collaborations approach complex challenges that require multiple disciplinary perspectives. In order for collaborators to meet these complex challenges, interdisciplinary collaborations must develop and maintain integrative capacity, understood as the ability to anticipate and weigh tradeoffs in the employment of different disciplinary approaches. Here we provide an account of how one group of interdisciplinary fog scientists intentionally catalyzed integrative capacity. Through conversation, collaborators negotiated their commitments regarding the ontology of fog systems and the methodologies appropriate to studying fog systems, thereby enhancing capabilities which we take to constitute integrative capacity. On the ontological front, collaborators negotiated their commitments by setting boundaries to and within the system, layering different subsystems, focusing on key intersections of these subsystems, and agreeing on goals that would direct further investigation. On the methodological front, collaborators sequenced various methods, anchored methods at different scales, validated one method with another, standardized the outputs of related methods, and coordinated methods to fit a common model. By observing the process and form of collaborator conversations, this case study demonstrates that social studies of science can bring into critical focus how interdisciplinary collaborators work toward an integrated conceptualization of study systems. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Developing an evidence base for interdisciplinary learning: a systematic review.

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Cooper, H; Carlisle, C; Gibbs, T; Watkins, C

2001-07-01

The overall aim of the study was to explore the feasibility of introducing interdisciplinary education within undergraduate health professional programmes. This paper reports on the first stage of the study in which a systematic review was conducted to summarize the evidence for interdisciplinary education of undergraduate health professional students. Systematic reviews integrate valid information providing a basis for rational decision making about health care which should be based on empirical and not anecdotal evidence. The accepted principles for systematic reviews were adapted in order to allow integration of the literature to produce recommendations for educational practice and guidelines for future research. The literature on interdisciplinary education was found to be diverse, including relatively small amounts of research data and much larger amounts of evaluation literature. Methodological rating schemes were used to test for confounding influences in the research studies. The number of studies found was 141 but only 30 (21%) were included in the analysis because of lack of methodological rigour in the research and poorly developed outcome measures. Student health professionals were found to benefit from interdisciplinary education with outcome effects primarily relating to changes in knowledge, skills, attitudes and beliefs. Effects upon professional practice were not discernible and educational and psychological theories were rarely used to guide the development of the educational interventions.

An interdisciplinary team communication framework and its application to healthcare 'e-teams' systems design.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuziemsky, Craig E; Borycki, Elizabeth M; Purkis, Mary Ellen; Black, Fraser; Boyle, Michael; Cloutier-Fisher, Denise; Fox, Lee Ann; MacKenzie, Patricia; Syme, Ann; Tschanz, Coby; Wainwright, Wendy; Wong, Helen

2009-09-15

There are few studies that examine the processes that interdisciplinary teams engage in and how we can design health information systems (HIS) to support those team processes. This was an exploratory study with two purposes: (1) To develop a framework for interdisciplinary team communication based on structures, processes and outcomes that were identified as having occurred during weekly team meetings. (2) To use the framework to guide 'e-teams' HIS design to support interdisciplinary team meeting communication. An ethnographic approach was used to collect data on two interdisciplinary teams. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyze the data according to structures, processes and outcomes. We present details for team meta-concepts of structures, processes and outcomes and the concepts and sub concepts within each meta-concept. We also provide an exploratory framework for interdisciplinary team communication and describe how the framework can guide HIS design to support 'e-teams'. The structures, processes and outcomes that describe interdisciplinary teams are complex and often occur in a non-linear fashion. Electronic data support, process facilitation and team video conferencing are three HIS tools that can enhance team function.

An interdisciplinary team communication framework and its application to healthcare 'e-teams' systems design

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

MacKenzie Patricia

2009-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background There are few studies that examine the processes that interdisciplinary teams engage in and how we can design health information systems (HIS to support those team processes. This was an exploratory study with two purposes: (1 To develop a framework for interdisciplinary team communication based on structures, processes and outcomes that were identified as having occurred during weekly team meetings. (2 To use the framework to guide 'e-teams' HIS design to support interdisciplinary team meeting communication. Methods An ethnographic approach was used to collect data on two interdisciplinary teams. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyze the data according to structures, processes and outcomes. Results We present details for team meta-concepts of structures, processes and outcomes and the concepts and sub concepts within each meta-concept. We also provide an exploratory framework for interdisciplinary team communication and describe how the framework can guide HIS design to support 'e-teams'. Conclusion The structures, processes and outcomes that describe interdisciplinary teams are complex and often occur in a non-linear fashion. Electronic data support, process facilitation and team video conferencing are three HIS tools that can enhance team function.

4th international interdisciplinary chaos symposium

CERN Document Server

Banerjee, Santo; Caglar, Suleyman; Ozer, Mehmet; Chaos and complex systems

2013-01-01

Complexity Science and Chaos Theory are fascinating areas of scientific research with wide-ranging applications.  The interdisciplinary nature and ubiquity of complexity and chaos are features that provides scientists with a motivation to pursue general theoretical tools and frameworks. Complex systems give rise to emergent behaviors, which in turn produce novel and interesting phenomena in science, engineering, as well as in the socio-economic sciences. The aim of all Symposia on Chaos and Complex Systems (CCS) is to bring together scientists, engineers, economists and social scientists, and to discuss the latest insights and results obtained in the area of corresponding nonlinear-system complex (chaotic) behavior. Especially for the “4th International Interdisciplinary Chaos Symposium on Chaos and Complex Systems,” which took place April 29th to May 2nd, 2012 in Antalya, Turkey, the scope of the symposium had been further enlarged so as to encompass the presentation of work from circuits to econophysic...

RETHINKING RESIDENTIAL MOBILITY: AN INTERDISCIPLINARY INTERPRETATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roderick J. Lawrence

2008-03-01

Full Text Available Since the 1950s academics and professionals have proposed a number of disciplinary and sector based interpretations of why, when and where households move or choose to stay in the same housing unit at different periods of the life cycle and especially the family cycle. This article challenges studies that only analyse one set of factors. The article stems from a synthesis of 20 years of research by the author who  has an interdisciplinary training in the broad field of people-environment relations. First, it reviews some key concepts related to human ecology, including housing, culture, identity and cultivation. Then it will consider how these concepts can be applied to interpret residential mobility using an interdisciplinary approach. An empirical case study of residential mobility in Geneva, Switzerland is presented in order to show how this approach can help improve our understanding of the motives people have regarding the wish to stay in their residence or to move elsewhere.

Quality improvement of interdisciplinary rounds by leadership training based on essential quality indicators of the Interdisciplinary Rounds Assessment Scale.

Science.gov (United States)

Ten Have, Elsbeth C M; Nap, Raoul E; Tulleken, Jaap E

2013-10-01

The implementation of interdisciplinary teams in the intensive care unit (ICU) has focused attention on leadership behavior. Daily interdisciplinary rounds (IDRs) in ICUs integrate leadership behavior and interdisciplinary teamwork. The purpose of this intervention study was to measure the effect of leadership training on the quality of IDRs in the ICU. A nonrandomized intervention study was conducted in four ICUs for adults. The intervention was a 1-day training session in a simulation environment and workplace-based feedback sessions. Measurement included 28 videotaped IDRs (total, 297 patient presentations) that were assessed with 10 essential quality indicators of the validated IDR Assessment Scale. Participants were 19 intensivists who previously had no formal training in leading IDRs. They were subdivided by cluster sampling into a control group (ten experienced intensivists) and intervention group (nine intensive care fellows). Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare results between control and intervention groups. Baseline measurements of control and intervention groups revealed two indicators that differed significantly. The frequency of yes ratings for the intervention group significantly increased for seven of the ten indicators from before to after intervention. The frequency of yes ratings after training was significantly greater in the intervention than control groups for eight of the ten essential quality indicators. The leadership training improved the quality of the IDRs performed in the ICUs. This may improve quality and safety of patient care.

One Health stakeholder and institutional analysis in Kenya

Science.gov (United States)

Kimani, Tabitha; Ngigi, Margaret; Schelling, Esther; Randolph, Tom

2016-01-01

Introduction One Health (OH) can be considered a complex emerging policy to resolve health issues at the animal–human and environmental interface. It is expected to drive system changes in terms of new formal and informal institutional and organisational arrangements. This study, using Rift Valley fever (RVF) as a zoonotic problem requiring an OH approach, sought to understand the institutionalisation process at national and subnational levels in an early adopting country, Kenya. Materials and methods Social network analysis methodologies were used. Stakeholder roles and relational data were collected at national and subnational levels in 2012. Key informants from stakeholder organisations were interviewed, guided by a checklist. Public sector animal and public health organisations were interviewed first to identify other stakeholders with whom they had financial, information sharing and joint cooperation relationships. Visualisation of the OH social network and relationships were shown in sociograms and mathematical (degree and centrality) characteristics of the network summarised. Results and discussion Thirty-two and 20 stakeholders relevant to OH were identified at national and subnational levels, respectively. Their roles spanned wildlife, livestock, and public health sectors as well as weather prediction. About 50% of national-level stakeholders had made significant progress on OH institutionalisation to an extent that formal coordination structures (zoonoses disease unit and a technical working group) had been created. However, the process had not trickled down to subnational levels although cross-sectoral and sectoral collaborations were identified. The overall binary social network density for the stakeholders showed that 35 and 21% of the possible ties between the RVF and OH stakeholders existed at national and subnational levels, respectively, while public health actors’ collaborations were identified at community/grassroots level. We recommend

Medialogy – Interdisciplinary Education Challenge with Focus on PBL and Students’ Learning

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kofoed, Lise B.; Nordahl, Rolf

2010-01-01

The paper investigates the problems of establish an understanding of the competence connected to a new interdisciplinary program called Medialogy. One of the questions raised in the paper are: How do students carry out and combine the different disciplines in an interdisciplinary way when working...

Designing Interdisciplinary Assessments in Sciences for College Students: An Example on Osmosis

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Ji; Liu, Ou Lydia; Sung, Shannon

2014-01-01

College science education needs to foster students' habit of mind beyond disciplinary constraints. However, little research has been devoted to assessing students' interdisciplinary understanding. To address this problem, we formed a team of experts from different disciplines to develop interdisciplinary assessments that target…

Interdisciplinary Integrated Engineering Development Course in HITACHI

Science.gov (United States)

Ojima, Masahiro

As an example of interdisciplinary education for engineers in private companies, IED (Integrated Engineering Development) course at HITACHI Ltd. is presented. To help 30 years old or so promising engineers create a new product based on a new technology, one year term course is designed for four types of engineers; mechanical, electric & electronic, information software, and digital systems. Each course has core basic technologies plus related supplementary subjects to promote an interdisciplinary integrated engineer. Not only lectures given by university professors but heavy duty home work is also given by senior engineers of HITACHI to make them apply basic theory to practical problems. Furthermore, self development planning, leadership development program and technology-marketing project are introduced to promote human skills and business sense needed for technology leaders in company.

Effective healthcare process redesign through an interdisciplinary team approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Snyder, Rita; Huynh, Nathan; Cai, Bo; Vidal, José; Bennett, Kevin

2013-01-01

Healthcare process redesign is a complex and often high risk undertaking. Typically, there is a limited understanding of the baseline process and often inadequate tools by which to assess it. This can be confounded by narrow redesign team expertise that can result in unanticipated and/or unintended redesign consequences. Interdisciplinary research teams of healthcare, biostatistics, engineering and computer science experts provide broad support for a more effective and safer approach to healthcare process redesign. We describe an interdisciplinary research team focused on medication administration process (MAP)redesign and its achievements and challenges.

Social Workers' Perceptions of Job Satisfaction, Interdisciplinary Collaboration, and Organizational Leadership.

Science.gov (United States)

Marmo, Suzanne; Berkman, Cathy

2018-01-01

To address job satisfaction, and therefore employment retention, of hospice social workers, this study examined how relationships with other members of the interdisciplinary hospice team and perceptions of hospice leadership may be associated with job satisfaction of hospice social workers. The sample of 203 hospice social workers was recruited by e-mailing invitations to hospice social workers identified by hospice directors in three states, use of online social media sites accessed by hospice social workers, and snowball sampling. Study measures included professional experience, hospice characteristics, interdisciplinary collaboration, perception of servant leadership, and intrinsic and extrinsic job satisfaction. Variables significant in the model for intrinsic satisfaction were perception of servant leadership, interdisciplinary collaboration, and feeling valued by the hospice physician. Variables significant in the model for extrinsic satisfaction were perception of servant leadership, interdisciplinary collaboration, feeling valued by the hospice physician, and number of social workers at the hospice. Interdisciplinary collaboration was more important for intrinsic job satisfaction and leadership style was more important for extrinsic job satisfaction. Profit status of the hospice, experience of the social worker, caseload size, and other variables were not significant in either model. These results support previous findings that leadership style of the hospice director and relationships with hospice colleagues are important for hospice social workers' job satisfaction. Such low-cost modifications to the hospice work environment, albeit not simple, may improve job satisfaction of hospice social workers.

Nonextensive entropy interdisciplinary applications

CERN Document Server

Tsallis, Constantino

2004-01-01

A great variety of complex phenomena in many scientific fields exhibit power-law behavior, reflecting a hierarchical or fractal structure. Many of these phenomena seem to be susceptible to description using approaches drawn from thermodynamics or statistical mechanics, particularly approaches involving the maximization of entropy and of Boltzmann-Gibbs statistical mechanics and standard laws in a natural way. The book addresses the interdisciplinary applications of these ideas, and also on various phenomena that could possibly be quantitatively describable in terms of these ideas.

Three Interdisciplinary Studies on IT Outsourcing

Science.gov (United States)

Gantman, Sonia Vilvovsky

2012-01-01

This dissertation provides interdisciplinary insights into the role of client's internal collaborative experience in managing communication during a complex outsourced project, building a quality client-vendor relationship and ultimately achieving success in the project. Each of the three studies in this dissertation identifies a gap in…

Interdisciplinary Research on Climate Change: Past Trends and Challenges for the Future

Science.gov (United States)

Marlon, J. R.; Mitchell, R.

2009-12-01

Interdisciplinary research is crucial to understanding complex and urgent environmental problems, particularly climate change. Universities are increasingly hosting trans-, multi-, and inter-disciplinary workshops and conferences and developing innovative interdisciplinary training programs (e.g., NSF’s IGERT program) to foster such research. Yet, much doctoral training remains highly disciplinary with very little evidence of graduate training producing transformative research that bridges the natural/social-science divide. Indeed, strong cultural and institutional obstacles often deter or preclude doctoral students from conducting such research. Here we analyze the past three decades of climate-change related dissertation abstracts to assess the balance between disciplinary and interdisciplinary scholarship among young climate change scholars. We analyze trends in the number of dissertations in natural vs. social science disciplines and code the abstracts of over 500 recent dissertations to assess how many dissertations reference one or more disciplines beyond the PhD-granting one. This research is sponsored by the Dissertations Initiative for the Advancement of Climate Change Research (DISCCRS).

The role played by social-ecological resilience as a method of integration in interdisciplinary research

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Simone A. Beichler

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Today's multifaceted environmental problems, including climate change, necessitate interdisciplinary research. It is however difficult to combine disciplines to study such complex phenomena. We analyzed the experience we gained in applying a particular method of interdisciplinary integration, the 'bridging concept.' We outlined the entire process of developing, utilizing, and adapting social-ecological resilience as a bridging concept in a research project involving seven different disciplines. We focused on the tensions and opportunities arising from interdisciplinary dialogue and the understandings and manifestations of resilience in the disciplines involved. By evaluating the specific cognitive and social functions of resilience as a method of integration, we call for placing greater emphasis on the quality and value of the actual interdisciplinary process, rather than concentrating solely on the output of interdisciplinary work.

Evaluating Interdisciplinary Collaborative Learning and Assessment in the Creative Arts and Humanities

Science.gov (United States)

Miles, Melissa; Rainbird, Sarah

2015-01-01

This article responds to the rising emphasis placed on interdisciplinary collaborative learning and its implications for assessment in higher education. It presents findings from a research project that examined the effectiveness of an interdisciplinary collaborative student symposium as an assessment task in an art school/humanities environment.…

Diagnosing and improving functioning in interdisciplinary health care teams.

Science.gov (United States)

Blackmore, Gail; Persaud, D David

2012-01-01

Interdisciplinary teams play a key role in the delivery of health care. Team functioning can positively or negatively impact the effective and efficient delivery of health care services as well as the personal well-being of group members. Additionally, teams must be able and willing to work together to achieve team goals within a climate that reflects commitment to team goals, accountability, respect, and trust. Not surprisingly, dysfunctional team functioning can limit the success of interdisciplinary health care teams. The first step in improving dysfunctional team function is to conduct an analysis based on criteria necessary for team success, and this article provides meaningful criteria for doing such an analysis. These are the following: a common team goal, the ability and willingness to work together to achieve team goals, decision making, communication, and team member relationships. High-functioning interdisciplinary teams must exhibit features of good team function in all key domains. If a team functions well in some domains and needs to improve in others, targeted strategies are described that can be used to improve team functioning.

Reflections on Interdisciplinary Collaboration between Sociology ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

If the original ambition of sociology to constitute itself into an encyclopaedia of the social sciences has largely failed (because of the obligation to restrict its scope through disciplinary specialization), the discipline has been more successful as a key actor in interdisciplinary and trans-disciplinary encounters that cover a wide ...

The Electric Humanities: An Interdisciplinary Perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Marsden, Michael T.; Litwin, James L.

An interdisciplinary "Coordinated Quarter of Mass Media Studies," instituted at Bowling Green State University with funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities, is the subject of this paper. The first part of the paper tells how instructors from the subject areas of popular culture, psychology, sociology, speech communication, and…

Research and Teaching: Toward Interdisciplinary Perspectives--Using Osmotic Pressure as an Example for Analyzing Textbook Explanations

Science.gov (United States)

Sung, Shannon; Shen, Ji; Stanger-Hall, Kathrin F.; Wiegert, Craig; Li, Wan-l; Brown, Scott; Robertson, Tom

2015-01-01

Despite the increasing interests and practices in interdisciplinary science education, little research has been documented to develop effective assessments targeting students' interdisciplinary learning. In response to this gap, a team of scientists and educators developed an interdisciplinary assessment instrument targeting osmosis, which was…

Building interdisciplinary leadership skills among health practitioners in the 21st century: an innovative training model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Preeti eNegandhi

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Transformational learning is the focus of 21st century global educational reforms. In India there is a need to amalgamate the skills and knowledge of medical, nursing and public health practitioners and to develop robust leadership competencies among them. This initiative proposed to identify interdisciplinary leadership competencies among Indian health practitioners, and to develop a training program for interdisciplinary leadership skills through an Innovation Collaborative. Medical, nursing and public health institutions partnered in this endeavour. An exhaustive literature search was undertaken to identify leadership competencies in these three professions. Published evidence was utilized in searching for the need for interdisciplinary training of health practitioners, including current scenarios in inter-professional health education and the key competencies required. The interdisciplinary leadership competencies identified were: self-awareness, vision, self-regulation, motivation, decisiveness, integrity, interpersonal communication skills, strategic planning, team-building, innovation and being an effective change agent. Subsequently, a training program was developed and three training sessions were piloted with 66 participants. Each cohort comprised of a mix of participants from different disciplines. The pilot training guided the development of a training model for building interdisciplinary leadership skills and organizing interdisciplinary leadership workshops. The need for interdisciplinary leadership competencies is recognized. The long-term objective of the training model is integration into the regular medical, nursing and public health curricula, with the aim of developing interdisciplinary leadership skills among them. Although challenging, formal incorporation of leadership skills into health professional education is possible within the interdisciplinary classroom setting using principles of transformative learning.

Building Interdisciplinary Leadership Skills among Health Practitioners in the Twenty-First Century: An Innovative Training Model.

Science.gov (United States)

Negandhi, Preeti; Negandhi, Himanshu; Tiwari, Ritika; Sharma, Kavya; Zodpey, Sanjay P; Quazi, Zahiruddin; Gaidhane, Abhay; Jayalakshmi N; Gijare, Meenakshi; Yeravdekar, Rajiv

2015-01-01

Transformational learning is the focus of twenty-first century global educational reforms. In India, there is a need to amalgamate the skills and knowledge of medical, nursing, and public health practitioners and to develop robust leadership competencies among them. This initiative proposed to identify interdisciplinary leadership competencies among Indian health practitioners and to develop a training program for interdisciplinary leadership skills through an Innovation Collaborative. Medical, nursing, and public health institutions partnered in this endeavor. An exhaustive literature search was undertaken to identify leadership competencies in these three professions. Published evidence was utilized in searching for the need for interdisciplinary training of health practitioners, including current scenarios in interprofessional health education and the key competencies required. The interdisciplinary leadership competencies identified were self-awareness, vision, self-regulation, motivation, decisiveness, integrity, interpersonal communication skills, strategic planning, team building, innovation, and being an effective change agent. Subsequently, a training program was developed, and three training sessions were piloted with 66 participants. Each cohort comprised a mix of participants from different disciplines. The pilot training guided the development of a training model for building interdisciplinary leadership skills and organizing interdisciplinary leadership workshops. The need for interdisciplinary leadership competencies is recognized. The long-term objective of the training model is integration into the regular medical, nursing, and public health curricula, with the aim of developing interdisciplinary leadership skills among them. Although challenging, formal incorporation of leadership skills into health professional education is possible within the interdisciplinary classroom setting using principles of transformative learning.

Building Bridges. Researchers on their experiences with interdisciplinary research in the Netherlands

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

De Boer, Y.; De Gier, A.; Verschuur, M.; De Wit, B.

2006-01-01

The central question in this booklet is: what can we learn from interdisciplinary research and individual interdisciplinary researchers? How did they deal with specific problems in the field of epistemology, methodology and organization? What kind of persons are best suited to carry out interdisciplinary research or fulfil the task of project or programme coordinator? For this purpose, a series of interviews was held with fifteen scientists in the Netherlands. Most, but not all of the researchers interviewed are engaged in environmental and climate change research. A minority of the interviewed do research on other topics like demography, social geography, nano technology and philosophy of science

HESS Opinions "Integration of groundwater and surface water research: an interdisciplinary problem?"

Science.gov (United States)

Barthel, R.

2014-07-01

. They have thus developed a different theory, methodology and terminology. However, there seems to be a widespread lack of awareness of these differences, which hinders the detection of the existing interdisciplinary aspects of GW and SW integration and consequently the development of a truly unifying interdisciplinary theory and methodology. Thus, despite having the ultimate goal of creating a more holistic approach, we may have to start integration by analyzing potential disciplinary differences. Improved understanding among hydrologists of what interdisciplinary means and how it works is needed. Hydrologists, despite frequently being involved in multidisciplinary projects, are not sufficiently involved in developing interdisciplinary strategies and do usually not regard the process of integration as such as a research topic of its own. There seems to be a general reluctance to apply a (truly) interdisciplinary methodology because this is tedious and few immediate incentives are experienced. The objective of the present opinion paper is to stimulate a discussion rather than to provide recipes on how to integrate GW and SW research or to explain how specific problems of GW-SW interaction should be solved on a technical level. For that purpose it presents complicated topics in a rather simplified, bold way, ignoring to some degree subtleties and potentially controversial issues.

An Interdisciplinary Education of Sustainability, Energy and Green Economics

Science.gov (United States)

Sikand, M. V.; Mazzatenta, C.; Wong, K.; Socha, A.

2017-12-01

This following project demonstrates an interdisciplinary method of teaching Sustainability, Energy and Green Economics. It is shown that an interdisciplinary approach to introduce students to the foundations of sustainability strongly connects education with real world applications, and highlights the growing influence of sustainable practices on the world at large. The authors will present results from the interdisciplinary course "Sustainability, Energy and Green Economy" taught at the Center of Sustainable Energy, Bronx Community College, City University of New York (CSE-BCC-CUNY) by faculty from Physics, Chemistry, Biology. The course curriculum covers the relationship of humans within their environment, the facts of climate change, an analysis of the current global energy portfolio, the burgeoning renewable energy sector, and connections between consumption and quality of life. The students are exposed to empirical data and asked to evaluate trends to ascertain the future energy and resource demands of a growing global population. The students are lead through an estimation of their own carbon footprint. Emphasis is made on the concept of `Life Cycle Analysis' and how such analyses can be used to create market value and a "green product". The interdisciplinary approach to teach students on how the principles of sustainability are building the green economy and how to build a successful career within today's workforce encourages students to apply the critical lens of sustainability to all aspects of their personal lives, as well as local, regional and global economies. The authors will present data collected by students to formulate and articulate a hypothesis specifically related to the sustainability of societal and economic market trends.

Interdisciplinary medical, nursing, and administrator education in practice: the Johns Hopkins experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Walrath, Jo M; Muganlinskaya, Nailya; Shepherd, Megan; Awad, Michael; Reuland, Charles; Makary, Martin A; Kravet, Steven

2006-08-01

Reforming graduate medical, nursing and health administrators' education to include the core competencies of interdisciplinary teamwork and quality improvement (QI) techniques is a key strategy to improve quality in hospital settings. Practicing clinicians are best positioned in these settings to understand systems issues and craft potential solutions. The authors describe how, in ten months during 2004 and 2005 the school of medicine, the school of nursing, and an administrative residency program, all at Johns Hopkins University, implemented and evaluated the Achieving Competency Today II Program (ACT II), a structured and interdisciplinary approach to learning QI that was piloted at various sites around the United States. Six teams of learners participated, each consisting of a medical, nursing, and administrative resident. The importance of interdisciplinary participation in planning QI projects, the value of the patient's perspective on systems issues, and the value of a system's perspective in crafting solutions to issues all proved to be valuable lessons. Challenges were encountered throughout the program, such as (1) participants' difficulties in balancing competing academic, personal and clinical responsibilities, (2) difficulties in achieving the intended goals of a broad curriculum, (3) barriers to openly discussing interdisciplinary team process and dynamics, and (4) the need to develop faculty expertise in systems thinking and QI. In spite of these challenges steps have been identified to further enhance and develop interdisciplinary education within this academic setting.

Psychometric Testing of the Self-Efficacy for Interdisciplinary Plans of Care Scale.

Science.gov (United States)

Molle, Elizabeth; Froman, Robin

2017-01-01

Computerized interdisciplinary plans of care have revitalized nurse-centric care plans into dynamic and meaningful electronic documents. To maximize the benefits of these documents, it is important to understand healthcare professionals' attitudes, specifically their confidence, for making computerized interdisciplinary care plans useful and meaningful documents. The purpose of the study was to test the psychometric properties of the Self-Efficacy for Interdisciplinary Plans of Care instrument intended to measure healthcare professionals' self-efficacy for using such documents. Content validity was assessed by an expert review panel. Content validity indices ranged from 0.75 to 1.00, with a scale CVI of 0.94. A sample of 389 healthcare providers completed the 14-item instrument. Principal axis factoring was used to assess factor structure. The exploratory factor analysis yielded a single-factor structure accounting for 71.76% of covariance. Cronbach internal consistency coefficient for the single factor solution was .97. The corrected item-total correlations ranged from 0.71 to 0.90. The coefficient of stability, during a 2-week period, with a subset of the sample (n = 38), was estimated at 0.82. The results of this study suggest that the Self-Efficacy for Interdisciplinary Plans of Care has sturdy reliability and validity for measuring the self-efficacy of healthcare providers to make computerized interdisciplinary plans of care meaningful and useful documents.

Interdisciplinary analysis of digital government work

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Scholl, Hans J.; Mai, Jens Erik; Fidel, Raya

2006-01-01

This bird-of-a-feather session attempts to break interdisciplinary ground in the context of work content, workflow, and work context analysis in Digital Government. The authors argue that using and connecting multiple theories and disciplines might yield more robust results and deeper understanding...... of the Digital Government evolution than strictly disciplinary research....

Capstone Interdisciplinary Team Project: A Requirement for the MS in Sustainability Degree

Science.gov (United States)

Jiji, Latif M.; Schonfeld, Irvin Sam; Smith, George A.

2015-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to describe experience gained with a required six-credit year-long course, the Capstone Interdisciplinary Team Project, a key component of the Master of Science (MS) in Sustainability degree at the City College of New York. A common feature of sustainability problems is their interdisciplinary nature. Solutions to…

Development of a Pedagogical Model to Help Engineering Faculty Design Interdisciplinary Curricula

Science.gov (United States)

Navarro, Maria; Foutz, Timothy; Thompson, Sidney; Singer, Kerri Patrick

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to develop a model to help engineering faculty overcome the challenges they face when asked to design and implement interdisciplinary curricula. Researchers at a U.S. University worked with an Interdisciplinary Consultant Team and prepared a steering document with Guiding Principles and Essential Elements for the…

The Impact of an Interdisciplinary Space Program on Computer Science Student Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Straub, Jeremy; Marsh, Ronald; Whalen, David

2015-01-01

Project-based learning and interdisciplinary projects present an opportunity for students to learn both technical skills and other skills which are relevant to their workplace success. This paper presents an assessment of the educational impact of the OpenOrbiter program, a student-run, interdisciplinary CubeSat (a type of small satellite with…

Interdisciplinary Astronomy Activities

Science.gov (United States)

Nerantzis, Nikolaos; Mitrouda, Aikaterini; Reizopoulou, Ioanna; Sidiropoulou, Eirini; Hatzidimitriou, Antonios

2016-04-01

On November 9th, 2015, three didactical hours were dedicated to Interdisciplinary Astronomy Activities (http://wp.me/p6Hte2-1I). Our students and their teachers formed three groups and in rotation, were engaged with the following activities: (a) viewing unique images of the Cosmos in the mobile planetarium STARLAB (http://www.planitario.gr/tholos-starlab-classic-standard.html), (b) watching the following videos: Journey to the end of the universe (https://youtu.be/Ufl_Nwbl8xs), Rosetta update (https://youtu.be/nQ9ivd7wv30), The Solar System (https://youtu.be/d66dsagrTa0), Ambition the film (https://youtu.be/H08tGjXNHO4) in the school's library. Students and teachers were informed about our solar system, the Rosetta mission, the universe, etc. and (c) tactile activities such as Meet our home and Meet our neighbors (http://astroedu.iau.org, http://nuclio.org/astroneighbours/resources) and the creation of planets' 3D models (Geology-Geography A' Class Student's book, pg.15). With the activities above we had the pleasure to join the Cosmic Light Edu Kit / International Year of Light 2015 program. After our Interdisciplinary Astronomy Activities, we did a "small" research: our students had to fill an evaluation about their educational gains and the results can be found here http://wp.me/p6Hte2-2q. Moreover, we discussed about Big Ideas of Science (http://wp.me/p3oRiZ-dm) and through the "big" impact of the Rosetta mission & the infinity of our universe, we print posters with relevant topics and place them to the classrooms. We thank Rosa Doran (Nuclio - President of the Executive Council) for her continuous assistance and support on innovative science teaching proposals. She is an inspiration.

Visualising the Interdisciplinary Research Field: The Life Cycle of Economic History in Australia

Science.gov (United States)

Wright, Claire; Ville, Simon

2017-01-01

Interdisciplinary research is frequently viewed as an important component of the research landscape through its innovative ability to integrate knowledge from different areas. However, support for interdisciplinary research is often strategic rhetoric, with policy-makers and universities frequently adopting practices that favour disciplinary…

Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Librarian Involvement in Grant Projects

Science.gov (United States)

Brandenburg, Marci D.; Cordell, Sigrid Anderson; Joque, Justin; MacEachern, Mark P.; Song, Jean

2017-01-01

Librarians are excellent research collaborators, although librarian participation is not usually considered, thereby making access to research funds difficult. The University of Michigan Library became involved in the university's novel funding program, MCubed, which supported innovative interdisciplinary research on campus, primarily by funding…

Innovative application of a new PBL model to interdisciplinary and intercultural projects

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Jens Frederik Dalsgaard; Du, Xiangyun; Kolmos, Anette

2010-01-01

In the knowledge society, learning is not only knowledge acquisition or participation in established social practice. It is also a process of creating new knowledge collaboratively when addressing complex problems which involve interdisciplinary knowledge and innovative thinking. In our research ...... the learning process in the ICT-based, intercultural and interdisciplinary PBL environment of an international student satellite project....

An interdisciplinary review of current and future approaches to improving human-predator relations.

Science.gov (United States)

Pooley, S; Barua, M; Beinart, W; Dickman, A; Holmes, G; Lorimer, J; Loveridge, A J; Macdonald, D W; Marvin, G; Redpath, S; Sillero-Zubiri, C; Zimmermann, A; Milner-Gulland, E J

2017-06-01

In a world of shrinking habitats and increasing competition for natural resources, potentially dangerous predators bring the challenges of coexisting with wildlife sharply into focus. Through interdisciplinary collaboration among authors trained in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences, we reviewed current approaches to mitigating adverse human-predator encounters and devised a vision for future approaches to understanding and mitigating such encounters. Limitations to current approaches to mitigation include too much focus on negative impacts; oversimplified equating of levels of damage with levels of conflict; and unsuccessful technical fixes resulting from failure to engage locals, address hidden costs, or understand cultural (nonscientific) explanations of the causality of attacks. An emerging interdisciplinary literature suggests that to better frame and successfully mitigate negative human-predator relations conservation professionals need to consider dispensing with conflict as the dominant framework for thinking about human-predator encounters; work out what conflicts are really about (they may be human-human conflicts); unravel the historical contexts of particular conflicts; and explore different cultural ways of thinking about animals. The idea of cosmopolitan natures may help conservation professionals think more clearly about human-predator relations in both local and global context. These new perspectives for future research practice include a recommendation for focused interdisciplinary research and the use of new approaches, including human-animal geography, multispecies ethnography, and approaches from the environmental humanities notably environmental history. Managers should think carefully about how they engage with local cultural beliefs about wildlife, work with all parties to agree on what constitutes good evidence, develop processes and methods to mitigate conflicts, and decide how to monitor and evaluate these. Demand for

Transporting ideas between marine and social sciences: experiences from interdisciplinary research programs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lucy M. Turner

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The oceans comprise 70% of the surface area of our planet, contain some of the world’s richest natural resources and are one of the most significant drivers of global climate patterns. As the marine environment continues to increase in importance as both an essential resource reservoir and facilitator of global change, it is apparent that to find long-term sustainable solutions for our use of the sea and its resources and thus to engage in a sustainable blue economy, an integrated interdisciplinary approach is needed. As a result, interdisciplinary working is proliferating. We report here our experiences of forming interdisciplinary teams (marine ecologists, ecophysiologists, social scientists, environmental economists and environmental law specialists to answer questions pertaining to the effects of anthropogenic-driven global change on the sustainability of resource use from the marine environment, and thus to transport ideas outwards from disciplinary confines. We use a framework derived from the literature on interdisciplinarity to enable us to explore processes of knowledge integration in two ongoing research projects, based on analyses of the purpose, form and degree of knowledge integration within each project. These teams were initially focused around a graduate program, explicitly designed for interdisciplinary training across the natural and social sciences, at the Gothenburg Centre for Marine Research at the University of Gothenburg, thus allowing us to reflect on our own experiences within the context of other multi-national, interdisciplinary graduate training and associated research programs.

GeoCREV: veterinary geographical information system and the development of a practical sub-national spatial data infrastructure

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicola Ferrè

2011-05-01

Full Text Available This paper illustrates and discusses the key issues of the geographical information system (GIS developed by the Unit of Veterinary Epidemiology of the Veneto region (CREV, defined according to user needs, spatial data (availability, accessibility and applicability, development, technical aspects, inter-institutional relationships, constraints and policies. GeoCREV, the support system for decision-making, was designed to integrate geographic information and veterinary laboratory data with the main aim to develop a sub-national, spatial data infrastructure (SDI for the veterinary services of the Veneto region in north-eastern Italy. Its implementation required (i collection of data and information; (ii building a geodatabase; and (iii development of a WebGIS application. Tools for the management, collection, validation and dissemination of the results (public access and limited access were developed. The modular concept facilitates the updating and development of the system according to user needs and data availability. The GIS management practices that were followed to develop the system are outlined, followed by a detailed discussion of the key elements of the GIS implementation process (data model, technical aspects, inter-institutional relationship, user dimension and institutional framework. Problems encountered in organising the non-spatial data and the future work directions are also described.

GeoCREV: veterinary geographical information system and the development of a practical sub-national spatial data infrastructure.

Science.gov (United States)

Ferrè, Nicola; Mulatti, Paolo; Mazzucato, Matteo; Lorenzetto, Monica; Trolese, Matteo; Pandolfo, Dario; Vio, Piero; Sitta, Guido; Marangon, Stefano

2011-05-01

This paper illustrates and discusses the key issues of the geographical information system (GIS) developed by the Unit of Veterinary Epidemiology of the Veneto region (CREV), defined according to user needs, spatial data (availability, accessibility and applicability), development, technical aspects, inter-institutional relationships, constraints and policies. GeoCREV, the support system for decision-making, was designed to integrate geographic information and veterinary laboratory data with the main aim to develop a sub-national, spatial data infrastructure (SDI) for the veterinary services of the Veneto region in north-eastern Italy. Its implementation required (i) collection of data and information; (ii) building a geodatabase; and (iii) development of a WebGIS application. Tools for the management, collection, validation and dissemination of the results (public access and limited access) were developed. The modular concept facilitates the updating and development of the system according to user needs and data availability. The GIS management practices that were followed to develop the system are outlined, followed by a detailed discussion of the key elements of the GIS implementation process (data model, technical aspects, inter-institutional relationship, user dimension and institutional framework). Problems encountered in organising the non-spatial data and the future work directions are also described.

An Evaluation of Three Interdisciplinary Social Science Events outside of the College Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Knapp, Sarah; Merges, Renee

2017-01-01

This article describes three interdisciplinary events held outside of the classroom to examine social psychological concepts in the criminal justice system, with undergraduate students enrolled in criminal justice and psychology courses. These events can most accurately be described as using a synthetic interdisciplinary approach, in which the…

Interdisciplinary Approach: A Lever to Business Innovation

Science.gov (United States)

Razmak, Jamil; Bélanger, Charles H.

2016-01-01

The advances in interdisciplinary studies are driving universities to utilize their available resources to efficiently enable development processes and provide increasing examples of research while gradually allocating the disciplines' resources. Ultimately, this trend asks universities to provide a platform of integrated disciplines, along with…

Interdisciplinary preoperative patient education in cardiac surgery.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Weert, J. van; Dulmen, S. van; Bar, P.; Venus, E.

2003-01-01

Patient education in cardiac surgery is complicated by the fact that cardiac surgery patients meet a lot of different health care providers. Little is known about education processes in terms of interdisciplinary tuning. In this study, complete series of consecutive preoperative consultations of 51

Identifying Interdisciplinary Research Collaboration in Instructional Technology

Science.gov (United States)

Cho, Yonjoo

2017-01-01

Interdisciplinarity is defined as communication and collaboration across academic disciplines. The instructional technology (IT) field has claimed to have an interdisciplinary nature influenced by neighboring fields such as psychology, communication, and management. However, it has been difficult to find outstanding evidence of the field's…

Teaching design engineering in an interdisciplinary programme

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wits, Wessel Willems; Homminga, Jasper Johan; Endedijk, Maaike Dorine; Visscher, Klaasjan; Krab-Hüsken, Leonie; van den Berg, Frank; Wilhelm, P.

2014-01-01

ATLAS, the Academy of Technology and Liberal Arts & Sciences, is an interdisciplinary three-year Bachelor of Science honours programme for talented students that opened its doors in September 2013. This international programme uses the concept of project-led education to teach students to integrate

Geography and Geographical Information Science: Interdisciplinary Integrators

Science.gov (United States)

Ellul, Claire

2015-01-01

To understand how Geography and Geographical Information Science (GIS) can contribute to Interdisciplinary Research (IDR), it is relevant to articulate the differences between the different types of such research. "Multidisciplinary" researchers work in a "parallel play" mode, completing work in their disciplinary work streams…

Socio-Technical Perspective on Interdisciplinary Interactions During the Development of Complex Engineered Systems

Science.gov (United States)

McGowan, Anna-Maria R.; Daly, Shanna; Baker, Wayne; Papalambros, panos; Seifert, Colleen

2013-01-01

This study investigates interdisciplinary interactions that take place during the research, development, and early conceptual design phases in the design of large-scale complex engineered systems (LaCES) such as aerospace vehicles. These interactions, that take place throughout a large engineering development organization, become the initial conditions of the systems engineering process that ultimately leads to the development of a viable system. This paper summarizes some of the challenges and opportunities regarding social and organizational issues that emerged from a qualitative study using ethnographic and survey data. The analysis reveals several socio-technical couplings between the engineered system and the organization that creates it. Survey respondents noted the importance of interdisciplinary interactions and their benefits to the engineered system as well as substantial challenges in interdisciplinary interactions. Noted benefits included enhanced knowledge and problem mitigation and noted obstacles centered on organizational and human dynamics. Findings suggest that addressing the social challenges may be a critical need in enabling interdisciplinary interactions

Considering dance practices as unique cases in interdisciplinary research studies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ravn, Susanne

” (Flyvbjerg, 2011) in the domain of qualitative research. Such designs are of specific relevance for research projects exploring body, movement and sensing in general. Thereafter I present the results of some of my resent studies. These studies are based in a critical constructive interdisciplinary......The aim of this paper is to present interdisciplinary considerations of relevance to strengthen dance research in relation to – and in cooperation with - other academic disciplines. I firstly describe how dance practices can be handled as “extreme cases” and cases with “maximal variations...

The Interdisciplinary Curriculum: A Literary Review and a Manual for Administrators and Teachers.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Jaimie; Karr-Kidwell, PJ

The purpose of this paper was to provide a literary review and to create a manual explaining the difference between an interdisciplinary curriculum and other curriculum approaches. An interdisciplinary curriculum is a holistic approach that links the disciplines by emphasizing relationships and connections. A different approach to curriculum…

Practical Preconditions for the Development of the Interdisciplinary Collaboration Competence in Healthcare

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Raimonda Brunevičiūtė

2011-12-01

Full Text Available This article presents the results of the fourth stage of the longitudinal research performed at Kaunas University of Medicine (since 2010 – Lithuanian University of Health Sciences and Vytautas Magnus University. The main goal of the research was to investigate educational possibilities and preconditions for the development of the education of professional intercultural communication for students in the education programs of medicine and social work. Previous stages of the study revealed the peculiarities of intercultural/interdisciplinary teamwork, and educational premises for professional education of the team members. The fourth stage of the study is focused on the analysis of the practical activity of the interdisciplinary (intercultural team, striving to improve health specialists’ and social workers’ interdisciplinary collaboration competence.

Using machine-coded event data for the micro-level study of political violence

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jesse Hammond

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Machine-coded datasets likely represent the future of event data analysis. We assess the use of one of these datasets—Global Database of Events, Language and Tone (GDELT—for the micro-level study of political violence by comparing it to two hand-coded conflict event datasets. Our findings indicate that GDELT should be used with caution for geo-spatial analyses at the subnational level: its overall correlation with hand-coded data is mediocre, and at the local level major issues of geographic bias exist in how events are reported. Overall, our findings suggest that due to these issues, researchers studying local conflict processes may want to wait for a more reliable geocoding method before relying too heavily on this set of machine-coded data.

National and subnational mortality effects of metabolic risk factors and smoking in Iran: a comparative risk assessment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Farzadfar Farshad

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Mortality from cardiovascular and other chronic diseases has increased in Iran. Our aim was to estimate the effects of smoking and high systolic blood pressure (SBP, fasting plasma glucose (FPG, total cholesterol (TC, and high body mass index (BMI on mortality and life expectancy, nationally and subnationally, using representative data and comparable methods. Methods We used data from the Non-Communicable Disease Surveillance Survey to estimate means and standard deviations for the metabolic risk factors, nationally and by region. Lung cancer mortality was used to measure cumulative exposure to smoking. We used data from the death registration system to estimate age-, sex-, and disease-specific numbers of deaths in 2005, adjusted for incompleteness using demographic methods. We used systematic reviews and meta-analyses of epidemiologic studies to obtain the effect of risk factors on disease-specific mortality. We estimated deaths and life expectancy loss attributable to risk factors using the comparative risk assessment framework. Results In 2005, high SBP was responsible for 41,000 (95% uncertainty interval: 38,000, 44,000 deaths in men and 39,000 (36,000, 42,000 deaths in women in Iran. High FPG, BMI, and TC were responsible for about one-third to one-half of deaths attributable to SBP in men and/or women. Smoking was responsible for 9,000 deaths among men and 2,000 among women. If SBP were reduced to optimal levels, life expectancy at birth would increase by 3.2 years (2.6, 3.9 and 4.1 years (3.2, 4.9 in men and women, respectively; the life expectancy gains ranged from 1.1 to 1.8 years for TC, BMI, and FPG. SBP was also responsible for the largest number of deaths in every region, with age-standardized attributable mortality ranging from 257 to 333 deaths per 100,000 adults in different regions. Discussion Management of blood pressure through diet, lifestyle, and pharmacological interventions should be a priority in Iran

Advanced interdisciplinary undergraduate program: light engineering

Science.gov (United States)

Bakholdin, Alexey; Bougrov, Vladislav; Voznesenskaya, Anna; Ezhova, Kseniia

2016-09-01

The undergraduate educational program "Light Engineering" of an advanced level of studies is focused on development of scientific learning outcomes and training of professionals, whose activities are in the interdisciplinary fields of Optical engineering and Technical physics. The program gives practical experience in transmission, reception, storage, processing and displaying information using opto-electronic devices, automation of optical systems design, computer image modeling, automated quality control and characterization of optical devices. The program is implemented in accordance with Educational standards of the ITMO University. The specific features of the Program is practice- and problem-based learning implemented by engaging students to perform research and projects, internships at the enterprises and in leading Russian and international research educational centers. The modular structure of the Program and a significant proportion of variable disciplines provide the concept of individual learning for each student. Learning outcomes of the program's graduates include theoretical knowledge and skills in natural science and core professional disciplines, deep knowledge of modern computer technologies, research expertise, design skills, optical and optoelectronic systems and devices.

Nordic interdisciplinary reviews of the scientific literature concerning the relationsiip between indoor environmental factors and health, Nordworks

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sundell, Jan; Bornehag, C.-G.

1999-01-01

The relationship between indoor air environments and health is, however, a truly interdisciplinary area involving numerous disciplines. Scientific work is primarily "within disciplinary", often resulting in conclusions that would not stand in an interdisciplinary context. Results are mostly...... today, a number of interdisciplinary scientific groups have been created within the Nordic countries with the aim at reviewing the scientific literature within specific areas, and creating an interdisciplinary consensus on the present state of the art. Results from four so-called NORD-groups (NORDVOC...

Transactions in Transformation: the Challenge of Interdisciplinary Understanding in an International Baccalaureate World School.

Science.gov (United States)

Forde, N. J.

2017-12-01

This poster will consider the extent to which students understanding of geoscience are enhanced by interdisciplinary curricular offerings, as well as how teacher instructional practices are influenced in the process. The poster will cite examples from a two programme bilingual International Baccalaureate (IB) world school in Hong Kong where students' opportunities to learn about the world come in a number of forms both within and beyond the mainstream curriculum. The IB Middle Years (IB MYP) and Diploma (IB DP) Programmes encourage interdisciplinary learning. The IB's Approaches to Teaching and Learning (AtTL) provides students and teachers with a framework for best practice for learning how to learn, as well specific teacher practices for the planning and delivery of courses. Most importantly, approaches to teaching which are based on inquiry, focused on conceptual understanding, and rooted in global and local contexts are categorized with approaches to learning which focus on the development of research skills as well as social and self management skills. Through the examination of IB curricular offerings such as the `Interdisciplinary Unit' (IDU) for IB MYP and `Group 4 Science Project' for IB DP, as well as examples taken from the unique `Shuyuan' enrichment programme offered at this school, the poster will consider the interdisciplinary environment from the student and teacher perspective, and the extent to which interdisciplinary learning takes students further in their overall understanding of science and humanities in the real world. In addition, the poster will consider the effect on teacher instructional practices and professional learning needs for schools undertaking interdisciplinary teaching and learning. The poster concludes that for high quality interdisciplinary understanding to take place, these experiences should be planned both vertically and horizontally and collaborative planning for teachers needs to be prioritized. In addition, exploring

Interdisciplinary Aspects of Learning: Physics and Psychology

Science.gov (United States)

Oleg, Yavoruk

2015-01-01

The article deals with interdisciplinary aspects of learning in the case of physics and psychology. It describes the lab-based academic course focused on: observation and experimentation; discovery of new scientific facts; measurement; identification of errors; the study of psychological characteristics of people (time perception, the reaction…

Challenges of Interdisciplinary Research: Reconciling Qualitative and Quantitative Methods for Understanding Human-Landscape Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Lach, Denise

2014-01-01

While interdisciplinary research is increasingly practiced as a way to transcend the limitations of individual disciplines, our concepts, and methods are primarily rooted in the disciplines that shape the way we think about the world and how we conduct research. While natural and social scientists may share a general understanding of how science is conducted, disciplinary differences in methodologies quickly emerge during interdisciplinary research efforts. This paper briefly introduces and reviews different philosophical underpinnings of quantitative and qualitative methodological approaches and introduces the idea that a pragmatic, realistic approach may allow natural and social scientists to work together productively. While realism assumes that there is a reality that exists independently of our perceptions, the work of scientists is to explore the mechanisms by which actions cause meaningful outcomes and the conditions under which the mechanisms can act. Our task as interdisciplinary researchers is to use the insights of our disciplines in the context of the problem to co-produce an explanation for the variables of interest. Research on qualities necessary for successful interdisciplinary researchers is also discussed along with recent efforts by funding agencies and academia to increase capacities for interdisciplinary research.

Socialisation to Interdisciplinary Legal Education

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schäfke, Werner; Mayoral, Juan A.; Hvidt, Martine Stagelund

2018-01-01

studies. Nevertheless, there is still few evidence of how this lecturing philosophy might be affected by the socialization with other disciplines. For that purpose, we analyse the case of external lectures in the Faculty of Law at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark, who covers the majority...... of the teaching staff in this institution. To explain the adoption of interdisciplinary teaching, we rely on socialization factors connected to their former higher education and socialization in research and multidisciplinary environments....

BURECS: An Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Climate Science Program

Science.gov (United States)

Dennis, D. P.; Marchant, D. R.; Christ, A. J.; Ehrenfeucht, S.

2017-12-01

The current structure of many undergraduate programs, particularly those at large research universities, requires students to engage with a major or academic emphasis early in their university careers. This oftentimes curbs exploration outside the major and can inhibit interdisciplinary collaboration. The Boston University Research Education and Communication of Science (BURECS) program seeks to bridge this institutional divide by fostering interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary collaboration on climate change-related issues by students from across Boston University (B.U.). Every year, approximately fifteen first-year students from B.U.'s College of Arts and Sciences, College of Communication, and School of Education are selected to join BURECS, which includes a climate science seminar, a hands-on lab course, a supported summer internship with Boston-area researchers, and the opportunity to participate in Antarctic field work during subsequent B.U. Antarctic Research Group expeditions. Currently in its third year, BURECS is funded through the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Professors Program.

An Interdisciplinary Team Project: Psychology and Computer Science Students Create Online Cognitive Tasks

Science.gov (United States)

Flannery, Kathleen A.; Malita, Mihaela

2014-01-01

We present our case study of an interdisciplinary team project for students taking either a psychology or computer science (CS) course. The project required psychology and CS students to combine their knowledge and skills to create an online cognitive task. Each interdisciplinary project team included two psychology students who conducted library…

History of Science as Interdisciplinary Education in American Colleges: Its Origins, Advantages, and Pitfalls

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paula Viterbo

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Before 1950, history of science did not exist as an independent academic branch, but was instead pursued by practitioners across various humanities and scientific disciplines. After professionalization, traces of its prehistory as a cross-disciplinary area of interest bound to an interdisciplinary, educational philosophy have remained. This essay outlines the development of history of science as an interdisciplinary academic field, and argues that it constitutes an obvious choice for inclusion in an interdisciplinary academic program, provided faculty and administrators learn how best to manage its advantages and pitfalls.

The role of architect in interdisciplinary collaborative design studios

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anja Jutraž

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Architectural design is a complex process involving different actors. While studying architecture, students usually work alone, and they do not have many opportunities to collaborate with other professions. Consequently, they end up lacking the knowledge regarding other professions, as well as regarding communic42ation and collaboration with other professionals. They become too proud of themselves, which eventually prevents them from engaging in active collaboration and accepting compromises. Furthermore, it is essential for their future professional careers that architects collaborate with other professions, adopt their ideas and requirements. Such collaboration is recommended from the early stages of the design process onwards. The main focus of this article is to determine the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in architecture projects through the process of studying architecture, the role of the architect within this process, and the manner in which decisions are usually made within an interdisciplinary team. The following research is based on the AEC Global Teamwork Course, which took place during school years 2011/2012, 2012/2013 and 2013/2014, 2013 at Stanford University under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Renate Fruchter. Students from all around the world worked together on an architectural project from its initial stages. They met twice only: at the beginning and at the end of the project, otherwise they worked on a virtual basis, using different digital tools intended for long-distance interdisciplinary collaboration. There were three case studies examined for the purposes of this article in which the main focus was placed on architects, more specifically on the challenges and the problems they were facing, the knowledge architects gained through interdisciplinary collaboration, and lessons learned in such a course that could help them with their professional careers.

Exploring Connections Between Earth Science and Biology - Interdisciplinary Science Activities for Schools

Science.gov (United States)

Vd Flier-Keller, E.; Carolsfeld, C.; Bullard, T.

2009-05-01

To increase teaching of Earth science in schools, and to reflect the interdisciplinary nature and interrelatedness of science disciplines in today's world, we are exploring opportunities for linking Earth science and Biology through engaging and innovative hands-on science activities for the classroom. Through the NSERC-funded Pacific CRYSTAL project based at the University of Victoria, scientists, science educators, and teachers at all levels in the school system are collaborating to research ways of enriching the preparation of students in math and science, and improving the quality of science education from Kindergarten to Grade 12. Our primary foci are building authentic, engaging science experiences for students, and fostering teacher leadership through teacher professional development and training. Interdisciplinary science activities represent an important way of making student science experiences real, engaging and relevant, and provide opportunities to highlight Earth science related topics within other disciplines, and to expand the Earth science taught in schools. The Earth science and Biology interdisciplinary project builds on results and experiences of existing Earth science education activities, and the Seaquaria project. We are developing curriculum-linked activities and resource materials, and hosting teacher workshops, around two initial areas; soils, and marine life and the fossil record. An example activity for the latter is the hands-on examination of organisms occupying the nearshore marine environment using a saltwater aquarium and touch tank or beach fieldtrip, and relating this to a suite of marine fossils to facilitate student thinking about representation of life in the fossil record e.g. which life forms are typically preserved, and how are they preserved? Literacy activities such as fossil obituaries encourage exploration of paleoenvironments and life habits of fossil organisms. Activities and resources are being tested with teachers

An Honors Interdisciplinary Community-Based Research Course

Science.gov (United States)

Dunbar, David; Terlecki, Melissa; Watterson, Nancy; Ratmansky, Lisa

2013-01-01

This article describes how two faculty members at Cabrini College--one from biology and the other from psychology--incorporated interdisciplinary community-based research in an honors course on environmental watershed issues. The course, Environmental Psychology, was team-taught in partnership with a local watershed organization, the Valley Creek…

The Challenges of Interdisciplinary Epistemology in Neuroaesthetics

Science.gov (United States)

Croft, James

2011-01-01

Neuroaesthetics is a burgeoning new interdisciplinary research space in which cognitive science, psychology, neuroscience, and philosophy intersect in order to better inform our understanding of aesthetic experience. The purpose of this study is to analyze high-profile work in neuroaesthetics in the light of recent research into interdisciplinary…

An international interdisciplinary graduate school in laser and material science

Science.gov (United States)

Fargin, Evelyne; Sarger, Laurent; Kaluza, Malte; Nolte, Stefan; Richardson, Martin; Richardson, Kathleen

2009-06-01

The main objective is to establish the first transatlantic Graduate School, proposing a truly international education, training and research platform in the field of Photonics and Material sciences. The wide scope of Photonics encompasses many application fields that will be mostly covered by various curricula involving Laser Optics and Material Sciences and Interactions. This cooperation will build a very efficient scientific international community able to address the 21 century challenges in Photonics and applications. Indeed, the highest level of education, namely Master and PhD , will address the so called "Skill shortage" that impact on our economy. The truly interdisciplinary theme of this graduate school is also a guarantee for the insertion of the graduate into the workforce.

The Role of Sub-National Actors in Climate Change Policy. The Case of Tokyo

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roppongi, Hitomi

2016-06-01

Tokyo is known as a pioneer throughout the history of Japan's environmental policy, often being compared to California in the United States or Paris in France. Following the global trend of growing local initiatives tackling climate change, Tokyo introduced a cap-and-trade scheme in 2010 ahead of a national implementation. The Tokyo Cap-and-Trade Program is the first of its kind that regulates CO_2 emissions from all business sectors, where energy consumers are defined in terms of the business establishments they own. Tokyo's initiative is largely seen as a reaction to the modest national commitment, following the tradition of center-local rivalry. This study first explains the centre-local relationship in the history of Japan's environmental governance. It then analyzes the development of the Tokyo's flagship climate policy and its implications for national and other sub-national governments in Japan. The tactics used by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government to overcome business opposition typically seen in the introduction of GHG control, and future policy challenges are also discussed. The study finds that Tokyo's policy encourages behavioral changes and technological improvement in the business sector, going a step beyond the existing culture of energy conservation in Japan. An emission trading scheme is often associated with the collapse of carbon markets and the 'money game', rather than a practical tool to reduce CO_2 emissions, but the Tokyo Cap-and-Trade Program has demonstrated a policy impact that recasts such an image. A known case of policy diffusion to Saitama prefecture, an immediate neighbor of Tokyo with the fifth largest population in Japan, is also discussed to elaborate on the potential domestic diffusion of the policy. (author)

Conferences in historical geography – traditional interdisciplinary meetings

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Semotanová, Eva; Chodějovská, Eva; Šimůnek, Robert

2012-01-01

Roč. 38, č. 1 (2012), s. 222-227 ISSN 0323-0988 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GBP410/12/G113 Institutional support: RVO:67985963 Keywords : history * historical geography * interdisciplinary meetings Subject RIV: AB - History

Patient Care Planning: An Interdisciplinary Approach

OpenAIRE

Prophet, Colleen M.

1989-01-01

The INFORMM Patient Care Planning System provides interdepartmental communication and individualized patient care plans based upon current standards of care. This interdisciplinary system facilitates the identification of patient problems and nursing diagnoses as well as patient care orders. The selected nurses' and physicians' orders are integrated and organized by care plan categories in printouts. As a system by-product, Patient Care Planning automatically generates and calculates patient ...

Interdisciplinary: Cultural competency and culturally congruent education for millennials in health professions.

Science.gov (United States)

Hawala-Druy, Souzan; Hill, Mary H

2012-10-01

The increasingly diverse multicultural and multigenerational student population in the United States requires that educators at all levels develop cultural knowledge, awareness, and sensitivity to help diverse learners fulfill their potential and to avoid cultural misunderstandings that can become obstacles or barriers to learning. The purpose of this study was to design and implement eclectic, creative, evidence-based interdisciplinary educational activities, along with culturally congruent teaching strategies, within a semester-long university course that promoted positive and culturally competent learning outcomes for culturally diverse, largely millennial students. The interdisciplinary course would prepare health professional students with the requisite knowledge and skills, through transformative learning that produces change agents, to provide culturally congruent and quality team-based care to diverse populations. This was a qualitative and quantitative study, which measured students' level of cultural awareness, competence, and proficiency pre and post the educational intervention. Instruments used for data collection included the Inventory for Assessing The Process of Cultural Competence-Student Version (IAPCC-SV) by Campinha-Bacote, course evaluations, students' feedback, and portfolio reflections. The study was conducted at a private academic institution located in the Mid-Atlantic region and the sample population included inter-professional students (N=106) from various health professions including nursing, pharmacy, and allied health sciences. Results from the pre- and post-test IAPCC-SV survey revealed that mean scores increased significantly from pre-test (60.8) to post-test (70.6). Thus, students' levels of cultural competency (awareness, knowledge, skills, desire, encounter) improved post-educational intervention, indicating that the teaching methods used in the course might be applied on a larger scale across the university system to cater to the

Pedagogical Conditions of Formation of Professional Competence of Future Music Teachers on the Basis of an Interdisciplinary Approach

Science.gov (United States)

Gromova, Chulpan R.; Saitova, Lira R.

2016-01-01

The relevance of research problem is due to the need for music teacher with a high level of formation of professional competence determination of the content and principles of an interdisciplinary approach to its formation. The aim of the article lies in development and testing of complex of the pedagogical conditions in formation of professional…

2nd Conference on Interdisciplinary Applications in Kinematics

CERN Document Server

Flores, Francisco

2015-01-01

This book collects a number of important contributions presented during the Second Conference on Interdisciplinary Applications of Kinematics (IAK 2013) held in Lima, Peru. The conference brought together scientists from several research fields, such as computational kinematics, multibody systems, industrial machines, robotics, biomechanics, mechatronics, computational chemistry, and vibration analysis, and embraced all key aspects of kinematics, namely, theoretical methods, modeling, optimization, experimental validation, industrial applications, and design. Kinematics is an exciting area of computational mechanics and plays  a central role in a great variety of fields and industrial applications nowadays. Apart from research in pure kinematics, the field deals with problems of practical relevance that need to be solved in an interdisciplinary manner in order for new technologies to develop. The results presented in this book should be of interest for practicing and research engineers as well as Ph.D. stud...

Didactic strategy for the interdisciplinary formation of the Physical culture graduate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jacinto Enrique Mendoza-Díaz

2015-04-01

Full Text Available In the Physical Culture and Sports sciences University of Santiago de Cuba are developed different scientific research projects, one of them is named Professional's Formati on, in which are registered the results of the research that is proposing. The investigative task that is the study object is conceived a didactic methodological strategy that promote a teaching learning process from a holistic approach of knowledge, skill s, values, methodologies and ways of thinking that point to interdisciplinary. In essence, the present work proposes a didactic strategy for the interdisciplinary formation of the Physical Culture graduate; it has as objective to develop the interdisciplin ary formation that favors a coherent performance in the academic, working and investigative activities they do. The didactic strategy presents necessary important aspects for the teachers and students in its structural conception, it is structured in three stages with a system of actions that in the educative practice lead to the Physical Culture graduate interdisciplinary formation.

An interdisciplinary approach to personalized medicine: case studies from a cardiogenetics clinic

OpenAIRE

Erskine, Kathleen E; Griffith, Eleanor; DeGroat, Nicole; Stolerman, Marina; Silverstein, Louise B; Hidayatallah, Nadia; Wasserman, David; Paljevic, Esma; Cohen, Lilian; Walsh, Christine A; McDonald, Thomas; Marion, Robert W; Dolan, Siobhan M

2013-01-01

In the genomic age, the challenges presented by various inherited conditions present a compelling argument for an interdisciplinary model of care. Cardiac arrhythmias with a genetic basis, such as long QT syndrome, require clinicians with expertise in many specialties to address the complex genetic, psychological, ethical and medical issues involved in treatment. The Montefiore–Einstein Center for CardioGenetics has been established to provide personalized, interdisciplinary care for families...

Assessment of teamwork during structured interdisciplinary rounds on medical units.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Leary, Kevin J; Boudreau, Yvonne N; Creden, Amanda J; Slade, Maureen E; Williams, Mark V

2012-01-01

Interdisciplinary rounds (IDR) provide a means to assemble hospital team members and improve collaboration. Little is known about teamwork during IDR. To evaluate and characterize teamwork during IDR. Cross-sectional observational study. Six medical units which had implemented structured interdisciplinary rounds (SIDR). We adapted the Observational Teamwork Assessment for Surgery (OTAS) tool, a behaviorally anchored rating scale shown to be reliable and valid in surgical settings. OTAS provides scores ranging from 0 to 6 (0 = problematic behavior; 6 = exemplary behavior) across 5 domains (communication, coordination, cooperation/backup behavior, leadership, and monitoring/situational awareness) and for prespecified subteams. Two researchers conducted direct observations using the adapted OTAS tool. We conducted 7-8 independent observations for each unit (total = 44) and 20 joint observations. Inter-rater reliability was excellent at the unit level (Spearman's rho = 0.75), and good across domains (rho = 0.53-0.68) and subteams (rho = 0.53-0.76) with the exception of the physician subteam, for which it was poor (rho = 0.35). Though teamwork scores were generally high, we found differences across units, with a median (interquartile range [IQR]) 4.5 (3.9-4.9) for the lowest and 5.4 (5.3-5.5) for the highest performing unit (P teamwork during SIDR across units, domains, and most subteams. Variation in performance suggests a need to improve consistency of teamwork and emphasizes the importance of leadership. Copyright © 2012 Society of Hospital Medicine.

Knowledge and attitude toward interdisciplinary team working among obstetricians and gynecologists in teaching hospitals in South East Nigeria.

Science.gov (United States)

Iyoke, Chukwuemeka Anthony; Lawani, Lucky Osaheni; Ugwu, George Onyemaechi; Ajah, Leonard Ogbonna; Ezugwu, Euzebus Chinonye; Onah, Paul; Onwuka, Chidinma Ifechi

2015-01-01

Interdisciplinary team working could facilitate the efficient provision and coordination of increasingly diverse health services, thereby improving the quality of patient care. The purpose of this study was to describe knowledge of interdisciplinary team working among obstetricians and gynecologists in two teaching hospitals in South East Nigeria and to determine their attitude toward an interdisciplinary collaborative approach to patient care in these institutions. This was a questionnaire-based cross-sectional study. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics and was carried out using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software version 17.0 for Windows. In total, 116 doctors participated in the study. The mean age of the respondents was 31.9±7.0 (range 22-51) years. Approximately 74% of respondents were aware of the concept of interdisciplinary team working. Approximately 15% of respondents who were aware of the concept of interdisciplinary team working had very good knowledge of it; 52% had good knowledge and 33% had poor knowledge. Twenty-nine percent of knowledgeable respondents reported ever receiving formal teaching/training on interdisciplinary team working in the course of their professional development. About 78% of those aware of team working believed that interdisciplinary teams would be useful in obstetrics and gynecology practice in Nigeria, with 89% stating that it would be very useful. Approximately 77% of those aware of team working would support establishment and implementation of interdisciplinary teams at their centers. There was a high degree of knowledge of the concept and a positive attitude toward interdisciplinary team working among obstetricians and gynecologists in the study centers. This suggests that the attitude of physicians may not be an impediment to implementation of a collaborative interdisciplinary approach to clinical care in the study centers.

Procedures of interdisciplinary cooperation and conflict in school

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Røn Larsen, Maja

of such processes, e.g. political, legal and administrative conditions, without either dismissing the structural aspects or assigning them with determining power. The study investigates how legislation and administrative conditions influence the interdisciplinary collaborative processes of in- and exclusion...

Lessons learnt on implementing an interdisciplinary doctoral programme in water sciences

Science.gov (United States)

Carr, Gemma; Loucks, Daniel Pete; Blaschke, Alfred Paul; Bucher, Christian; Farnleitner, Andreas; Fürnkranz-Prskawetz, Alexia; Parajka, Juraj; Pfeifer, Norbert; Rechberger, Helmut; Wagner, Wolfgang; Zessner, Matthias; Blöschl, Günter

2015-04-01

Using the Vienna Doctoral Programme on Water Resource Systems as a case study, this work describes how the characteristics of the programme can be evaluated to identify which process features are important for developing interdisciplinary research at the doctoral level. The Programme has been running since 2009, and to date has engaged 35 research students, three post-docs and ten faculty members from ten research fields (aquatic microbiology, hydrology, hydro-climatology, hydro-geology, mathematical economics, photogrammetry, remote sensing, resource management, structural mechanics, and water quality). Collaborative, multi-disciplinary research is encouraged and supported through various mechanisms - shared offices, study programme, research cluster groups that hold regular meetings, joint study sites, annual and six-month symposia that bring all members of the programme together, seminar series, joint supervision, and social events. Interviews were conducted with 12 students and recent graduates to explore individual experiences of doing interdisciplinary research within the Programme, and to identify which mechanisms are perceived to be of the greatest benefit for collaborative work. Analysis revealed four important process features. Firstly, students noted that joint supervision and supervisors who are motivated to collaborate are essential for multi-disciplinary collaborative work. Secondly, interviewees described that they work with the people they sit close to or see most regularly. Physical places for collaboration between different discipline researchers such as shared offices and shared study sites are therefore important. Thirdly, the costs and benefits to doing interdisciplinary work were highlighted. Students make a trade-off when deciding if their time investment to develop their understanding of a new research field will support them in addressing their research question. The personal characteristics of the researcher seem to be particularly

Lexicography and its interdisciplinary contacts, with special ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The article attempts a first conspectus of what is known about interdisciplinary con-tacts between the fields of Lexicography and Linguistics, and in the process asks a range of fundamental questions on whether and how the subject matter is shared, and how we can improve mutual relations. Firstly, some opinions and ...

Going interdisciplinary in Uganda's education system | Namusisi ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study presents the relevance of interdisciplinary education, the crisis in which Uganda's education system is, where specialisation is at its peak. It analyses the form of the present curriculum, which leaves the learner in state of dilemma. The author again shows the need for interdisciplinarity, tries to find out whether ...

Participation in interdisciplinary meetings on genetic diagnostics (NGS)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Koole, Tom; van Burgsteden, Lotte; Harms, Paulien; van Diemen, Cleo C; van Langen, Irene M

2017-01-01

Diagnostics using next generation sequencing (NGS) requires high-quality interdisciplinary collaboration. In order to gain insight into this crucial collaborative process, we made video recordings of a new multidisciplinary team at work in the clinical genetics department of the University Medical

Culture in Context: An Interdisciplinary Travel Study Course.

Science.gov (United States)

Berger, Karen A.; O'Neill, Geraldine P.

2002-01-01

Describes an interdisciplinary travel study course designed to teach cultural appreciation and sensitivity in context. Readings and instruction focus on cultural issues that affect business and marketing practices, using France and the French as the subjects of the study. (Author/VWL)

A System on Chip approach to enhanced learning in interdisciplinary robotics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Anders Stengaard; Falsig, Simon

2011-01-01

the framework in an embedded systems course and various student projects, and have found that it greatly enhance the students abilities to control hardware from software, and dramatically reduce the time spent on software $\\leftrightarrow$ hardware interfacing. As the framework is also scalable, it can support......p, li { white-space: pre-wrap; } To sustain interdisciplinary teaching and learning in the rapidly growing and diversifying field of robotics, we have successfully employed FPGA based System on Chip (SoC) technology to provide abstraction between high level software and low level IO/ and control...... hardware. Our approach is to provides students with a simple FPGA based framework for hardware access, and hardware I/O development, which is independent of computer platform and programming language, and enable the students to add to, or change I/O hardware in accordance with their skills. We have tested...

Are Nursing Students Appropriate Partners for the Interdisciplinary Training of Surgery Residents?

Science.gov (United States)

Stefanidis, Dimitrios; Ingram, Katherine M; Williams, Kristy H; Bencken, Crystal L; Swiderski, Dawn

2015-01-01

Interdisciplinary team training in a simulation center recreates clinical team interactions and holds promise in improving teamwork of clinicians by breaking down educational silos. The objective of our study was to assess the appropriateness of interdisciplinary training with general surgery residents and nursing students. Over 2 consecutive academic years (2012-2013 and 2013-2014), general surgery residents participated in interdisciplinary team-training simulation-based sessions with senior nursing students. Scenario objectives included demonstration of appropriate teamwork and communication, and clinical decision making; sessions incorporated interdisciplinary debriefing of the scenarios. Participants were asked to assess their team-training experience and the appropriateness of their team-training partner. Responses were compared. A total of 16 team-training sessions were conducted during the study period. Overall, 12 surgery residents (67%) and 44 nursing students (63%) who had participated in at least 1 session responded to the survey. Although both residents and nursing students indicated that the knowledge and team skills acquired during these sessions were useful to them in clinical practice (73% vs 86%, respectively; p = not significant), residents rated their educational value lower (3.3 vs 4.3 on a 5-point scale, respectively; p training partners whereas 100% residents preferred practicing nurses and 0% with nursing students owing to their limited clinical experience. Interdisciplinary team training and debriefing of surgery residents with nursing students is feasible and highly valued by nursing students. Nevertheless, our experience indicates that residents do not prefer nursing students as team-training partners owing to their limited clinical experience and would rather train with experienced nurses. Copyright © 2015 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Interdisciplinary eHealth Practice in Cancer Care: A Review of the Literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Janssen, Anna; Brunner, Melissa; Keep, Melanie; Hines, Monique; Nagarajan, Srivalli Vilapakkam; Kielly-Carroll, Candice; Dennis, Sarah; McKeough, Zoe; Shaw, Tim

2017-10-25

This review aimed to identify research that described how eHealth facilitates interdisciplinary cancer care and to understand the ways in which eHealth innovations are being used in this setting. An integrative review of eHealth interventions used for interdisciplinary care for people with cancer was conducted by systematically searching research databases in March 2015, and repeated in September 2016. Searches resulted in 8531 citations, of which 140 were retrieved and scanned in full, with twenty-six studies included in the review. Analysis of data extracted from the included articles revealed five broad themes: (i) data collection and accessibility; (ii) virtual multidisciplinary teams; (iii) communication between individuals involved in the delivery of health services; (iv) communication pathways between patients and cancer care teams; and (v) health professional-led change. Use of eHealth interventions in cancer care was widespread, particularly to support interdisciplinary care. However, research has focused on development and implementation of interventions, rather than on long-term impact. Further research is warranted to explore design, evaluation, and long-term sustainability of eHealth systems and interventions in interdisciplinary cancer care. Technology evolves quickly and researchers need to provide health professionals with timely guidance on how best to respond to new technologies in the health sector.

Supporting students in building interdisciplinary connections across physics and biology

Science.gov (United States)

Turpen, Chandra

2014-03-01

Our research team has been engaged in the iterative redesign of an Introductory Physics course for Life Science (IPLS) majors to explicitly bridge biology and physics in ways that are authentic to the disciplines. Our interdisciplinary course provides students opportunities to examine how modeling decisions (e.g. knowing when and how to use different concepts, identifying implicit assumptions, making and justifying assumptions) may differ depending on canonical disciplinary aims and interests. Our focus on developing students' interdisciplinary reasoning skills requires 1) shifting course topics to focus on core ideas that span the disciplines, 2) shifting epistemological expectations, and 3) foregrounding typically tacit disciplinary assumptions. In working to build an authentic interdisciplinary course that bridges physics and biology, we pay careful attention to supporting students in constructing these bridges. This course has been shown to have important impacts: a) students seek meaningful connections between the disciplines, b) students perceive relevance and utility of ideas from different disciplines, and c) students reconcile challenging disciplinary ideas. Although our focus has been on building interdisciplinary coherence, we have succeeded in maintaining strong student learning gains on fundamental physics concepts and allowed students to deepen their understanding of challenging concepts in thermodynamics. This presentation will describe the shifts in course content and the modern pedagogical approaches that have been integrated into the course, and provide an overview of key research results from this project. These results may aid physicists in reconsidering how they can meaningfully reach life-science students. This work is supported by NSF-TUES DUE 11-22818, the HHMI NEXUS grant, and a NSF Graduate Research Fellowship (DGE 0750616).

Crime in media: an interdisciplinary research

OpenAIRE

Ronaldo Henn; Carmen Oliveira; Maria Palma Wolff; Marta Conte

2011-01-01

This article analyses conceptual issues that present problems for interdisciplinary research - criminality and urban space; the transversal aspects of violence - developed by researchers from diff erent fi elds: communications, psychology and social services. Highlighted in this work, above all, are questions related to the media and journalism; which constitute one of the axes of the proposal (media, growing juvenile component of criminality, drugs and social control) but are inevitably interc...

Poverty and Vulnerability - An Interdisciplinary Approach

OpenAIRE

Makoka, Donald; Kaplan, Marcus

2005-01-01

This paper describes the concepts of poverty and vulnerability as well as the interconnections and differences between them using an interdisciplinary approach. While poverty is a static concept, vulnerability has a forward-looking dimension. We, therefore, review the methodologies that different disciplines use to measure poverty and vulnerability. In particular, the differences between vulnerability to natural disasters, vulnerability to climate change, as well as vulnerability to poverty a...

Catalyzing Interdisciplinary Research and Training: Initial Outcomes and Evolution of the Affinity Research Collaboratives Model.

Science.gov (United States)

Ravid, Katya; Seta, Francesca; Center, David; Waters, Gloria; Coleman, David

2017-10-01

Team science has been recognized as critical to solving increasingly complex biomedical problems and advancing discoveries in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of human disease. In 2009, the Evans Center for Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research (ECIBR) was established in the Department of Medicine at Boston University School of Medicine as a new organizational paradigm to promote interdisciplinary team science. The ECIBR is made up of affinity research collaboratives (ARCs), consisting of investigators from different departments and disciplines who come together to study biomedical problems that are relevant to human disease and not under interdisciplinary investigation at the university. Importantly, research areas are identified by investigators according to their shared interests. ARC proposals are evaluated by a peer review process, and collaboratives are funded annually for up to three years.Initial outcomes of the first 12 ARCs show the value of this model in fostering successful biomedical collaborations that lead to publications, extramural grants, research networking, and training. The most successful ARCs have been developed into more sustainable organizational entities, including centers, research cores, translational research projects, and training programs.To further expand team science at Boston University, the Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research Office was established in 2015 to more fully engage the entire university, not just the medical campus, in interdisciplinary research using the ARC mechanism. This approach to promoting team science may be useful to other academic organizations seeking to expand interdisciplinary research at their institutions.

Interdisciplinary orthognathic treatment of high angle class III ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

For Class III adult patients, combined treatment strategy must be followed which includes either further dentoalveolar compensation or orthognathic surgery following decompensation of the teeth. This case report presents the interdisciplinary approach of a skeletal Class III malocclusion with increased vertical facial ...

Interdisciplinary collaboration as a prerequisite for inclusive education

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hedegaard-Sørensen, Lotte; Riis Jensen, Charlotte; Tofteng, Ditte Maria Børglum

2017-01-01

This article reports on findings from a research project on interdisciplinary collaboration between mainstream school teachers and special school teachers. The aim of the research project has been to examine the knowledge of special school teachers and how this knowledge can contribute...

Semantic Search in E-Discovery: An Interdisciplinary Approach

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Graus, D.; Ren, Z.; de Rijke, M.; van Dijk, D.; Henseler, H.; van der Knaap, N.

2013-01-01

We propose an interdisciplinary approach to applying and evaluating semantic search in the e-discovery setting. By combining expertise from the fields of law and criminology with that of information retrieval and extraction, we move beyond "algorithm-centric" evaluation, towards evaluating the

An interdisciplinary study in initial teacher training

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Virginia Larraz Rada

2014-07-01

Full Text Available This experiment of innovative university education shows the interdisciplinary work carried out in the studies of the Bachelor of Science in Education at the University of Andorra. The study was developed within two subjects: Communication Technology (TAC and Cultural Heritage Education in Andorra. The main objective of this experiment is to foster the use of technological resources and digital materials, with the aim of drawing cultural heritage closer to the classroom. Based on a previous study of documentation and an analysis of online educational materials, the students have to design an e-book, which is understood to be digital material in the curricular field of cultural heritage. This digital material is a didactic proposal that focuses on the construction of knowledge by primary school students. During the elaboration of the materials the instructors introduce follow-up activities. The results of the experiment show that, from an interdisciplinary approach, and a problem-solving, learning-centered methodology, specific and transferable abilities in initial teacher training can be studied and evaluated.

Occupational therapists in the interdisciplinary team setting.

Science.gov (United States)

Reed, S M

1984-01-01

The interdisciplinary team approach to patient care provides an answer to the fragmentation and confusion patients feel when dealing with our complex healthcare system. Even though the team approach has been in use for the past two decades, implementation of a successful team is very difficult and rarely sustained over a significant period of time. This is especially true in general hospitals and in physical rehabilitation programs that spring from general hospitals where the physician and the nurse are the traditional care group. Occupational therapists, as they establish roles on interdisciplinary teams as staff members and team leaders, will require a knowledge of what makes a team function effectively. They can use this knowledge to evaluate the status of their own team and contribute to changes that will insure its long-term success. Six key issues should be addressed during the planning stage of any new healthcare team to insure its continued viability. These issues are: program philosophy, client focus, role clarification, collaboration and information sharing, policies and procedures, and staff supportiveness.

[The department of interdisciplinary emergency medicine: organization, structure and process optimization].

Science.gov (United States)

Bernhard, Michael; Pietsch, Christian; Gries, André

2009-06-01

The essential tasks of a department of interdisciplinary emergency medicine are the initial triage and assessment of vital function as well as the subsequent organization und initiation of emergency treatment. A previously defined set of diagnostic and therapeutic measures is carried out before the patient is allocated to an in-hospital clinical service and is admitted to a ward. Moreover, diagnosis and treatment for outpatients are performed. "Time" is a critical factor to be considered for all organizational and structural aspects of a department of interdisciplinary emergency medicine.

Towards an interdisciplinary ICT applied ethics: language matters

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcelo Buzato

Full Text Available Abstract: This study seeks to support an interdisciplinary, theory-practice integrated work on the applied ethics of information and communication technologies (ICT. Current work on applied ICT ethics is of a disciplinary nature and seeks to apply traditional philosophical norms to novel situations that are not easily identified by analogy to previous cases. I propose an alternative view in which ICTs are seen as a moral environment and ethical agents are seen as human-computer hybrids (cyborgs whose experiences acquire ethical value ecologically. To implement such a view, I propose employing two different kinds of semiotics: a semiotics of meaning-making that is open to the environmental effects of cyborg acts across scales, and a material semiotics that allows for interdisciplinary practitioners to recognize the modes of existence involved in the ethical issues and work out better means-ends relationships among the modes pertinent to each discipline.

Interdisciplinary Approach in Engineering Education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anda Zeidmane

2011-04-01

Full Text Available The analysis of the scientific literature available on the types of general competences and their classification caused the authors to conclude that it is necessary to implement interdisciplinary approach in engineering education to develop competences necessary for engineers to make them competitive in the labour market. The attention should be paid to a professional foreign language, computer literacy and educational psychology recommendations. To improve professional foreign language skills, CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning method should be integrated in the study process of engineering education. In order to develop information literacy competence, it is important to create a single e-study environment. The academic staff, developing study subjects for engineering programmes, should focus on the study content and study methods. As regards the content, the compromise should be sought between fundamental acquisition of the knowledge of the subject matter, the know-how of the application of this knowledge as well as the use of brand new software in the calculations. The paper presents the examples of the application of the interdisciplinary approach in the universities, where the authors of the paper are affiliated: the LUA (Latvia University of Agriculture and the RTU (Riga Technical University, respectively.

Interdisciplinary periodontics: the multidisciplinary approach to the planning and treatment of complex cases.

Science.gov (United States)

Lyons, Karl M; Darby, Ivan

2017-06-01

Periodontics cannot be practiced in isolation as frequently many patients have multiple dental needs or medical health issues requiring management. In addition, pathology may manifest in the periodontal tissues, and the onset and progression of periodontitis can be affected by systemic conditions, such as diabetes, and vice versa. The focus of this volume of Periodontology 2000 is interdisciplinary periodontics, and the articles included discuss the interactions and the interrelationshipbetween periodontal tissues/periodontal diseases and endodontics, fixed prosthodontics, implant dentistry, esthetics, gerodontology, radiology, orthodontics, pediatric dentistry, oral and maxillofacial surgery, oral pathology, special needs dentistry and general medicine. Previous volumes of Periodontology 2000 have covered some of the interactions between periodontal diseases and other dental disciplines, especially implant dentistry, 'and the interaction between periodontal disease and systemic disease', but there has not been a volume on interdisciplinary periodontics. The intention therefore is to show how and why periodontics should be interdisciplinary, as well as the benefits of an interdisciplinary approach; in addition, the potential consequences of using a discipline in isolation are discussed. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Measurement properties and implementation of a checklist to assess leadership skills during interdisciplinary rounds in the intensive care unit

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ten Have, Elsbeth C M; Nap, Raoul E; Tulleken, Jaap E

2015-01-01

The implementation of interdisciplinary teams in the intensive care unit (ICU) has focused attention on leadership behavior. A daily recurrent situation in ICUs in which both leadership behavior and interdisciplinary teamwork are integrated concerns the interdisciplinary rounds (IDRs). Although IDRs

Sexed Sentiments: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Gender and Emotion

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ruberg, W. G.; Steenbergh, K.

2011-01-01

Sexed Sentiments provides a gender perspective on the recent turn to affect in criticism. It presents new work by scholars from different disciplines working on gender and emotion, a field par excellence where an interdisciplinary focus is fruitful. This collection presents essays from disciplines

Interdisciplinary Team Teaching versus Departmentalization in Middle Schools.

Science.gov (United States)

Alspaugh, John W.; Harting, Roger D.

1998-01-01

Studied the effects of interdisciplinary teaming versus departmentalization on student achievement in middle schools. Found no significant differences for reading, math, science, and social studies achievement. Results suggest that team teaching merits further investigation as a potential strategy for mediating the student achievement loss…

Opportunities and challenges of interdisciplinary research career development: implementation of a women's health research training program.

Science.gov (United States)

Domino, Steven E; Smith, Yolanda R; Johnson, Timothy R B

2007-03-01

A key component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Roadmap for Medical Research is the development of interdisciplinary research teams. How best to teach and foster interdisciplinary research skills has not been determined. An effort at promoting interdisciplinary research was initiated by the Office of Research on Women's Health (ORWH) at NIH in 1999. The following year, 12 academic centers were funded to support 56 scholar positions for 2-5 years under Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women's Health (BIRCWH). A second cohort of 12 centers, called BIRCWH II, was funded in 2002. In this paper, we present the experience of the University of Michigan BIRCWH program, including a practical approach to dealing with the challenges and opportunities of interdisciplinary research training. Scholars are mentored not only by their primary research advisor but also by a three-person mentor team as well as by their peers. All scholars and a core of supportive faculty meet regularly to discuss interdisciplinary research career development and approaches to apply knowledge in new ways. Of the original cohort of 10 scholars at the University of Michigan, 7 have achieved independent research funding. Challenges include arranging times to meet, developing a common language and knowledge base, dealing proactively with expectations and misunderstandings, focusing on a conceptual model, and providing timely feedback.

Interdisciplinary Care Model Independently Decreases Use of Critical Care Services After Corrective Surgery for Adult Degenerative Scoliosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Adogwa, Owoicho; Elsamadicy, Aladine A; Sergesketter, Amanda R; Ongele, Michael; Vuong, Victoria; Khalid, Syed; Moreno, Jessica; Cheng, Joseph; Karikari, Isaac O; Bagley, Carlos A

2018-03-01

Interdisciplinary management of elderly patients requiring spine surgery has been shown to improve short- and long-term outcomes. The aim of this study was to determine whether an interdisciplinary team approach mitigates use of intensive care unit (ICU) resources. A unique comanagement model for elderly patients undergoing lumbar fusion surgery was implemented at a major academic medical center. The Peri-operative Optimization of Senior Health Program (POSH) was launched with the aim of improving outcomes in elderly patients (>65 years old) undergoing complex lumbar spine surgery. In this model, a geriatrician evaluates elderly patients preoperatively, comanages daily throughout hospital course, and coordinates multidisciplinary rehabilitation, along with the neurosurgical team. We retrospectively reviewed the first 100 cases after the initiation of the POSH protocol and compared them with the immediately preceding 25 cases to assess the rates of ICU transfer and independent predictors of ICU admission. A total of 125 patients undergoing lumbar decompression and fusion surgery were enrolled in this pilot program. Baseline characteristics and intraoperative variables, as well as number of fusion levels and duration of surgery, were similar between both cohorts. There was a significant difference in the use of ICU services (ICU admission rates) between both cohorts, with the non-POSH cohort having a 3-fold increase compared with the POSH cohort (P < 0.0001). In a multivariate analysis, lack of an interdisciplinary comanagement team approach was an independent predictor for ICU transfers in elderly patients undergoing corrective surgery (odds ratio 8.51, 95% confidence interval 2.972-24.37, P < 0.0001). Our study suggests that an interdisciplinary comanagement model between geriatrics and neurosurgery is independently associated with reduced use of critical care services. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Interdisciplinary preceptor teams to improve the clinical nurse leader student experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, Penny; Schmidt, Debra; Howington, Lynnette

2014-01-01

The Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) role was introduced by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) in 2003 (AACN, 2003). There are now over 2,500 certified CNLs in the United States. Still some areas of the country have no CNLs in practice; this was true of north central Texas until May 2010 when Texas Christian University (TCU) had its first graduating class. Lack of CNLs to serve as preceptors for the practicum courses in the CNL program was one concern, although AACN does offer options when CNLs are not available. TCU's CNL teaching team developed the interdisciplinary preceptor team (IPT) model to strengthen the practicum component of CNL education at TCU. One advantage of the IPT model is the match it provides with several CNL competencies: lateral integration of care via interdisciplinary teams, member and leader of health care teams, skillful communication within teams, and implementation of an interdisciplinary approach to safe, quality, patient care. Components of the IPT model are discussed with specific information about preceptor selection, team development, and examples of feedback from preceptors and students. © 2014.

Predictors of food decision making: A systematic interdisciplinary mapping (SIM) review.

Science.gov (United States)

Symmank, Claudia; Mai, Robert; Hoffmann, Stefan; Stok, F Marijn; Renner, Britta; Lien, Nanna; Rohm, Harald

2017-03-01

The number of publications on consumer food decision making and its predictors and correlates has been steadily increasing over the last three decades. Given that different scientific disciplines illuminate this topic from different perspectives, it is necessary to develop an interdisciplinary overview. The aim of this study is to conduct a systematic interdisciplinary mapping (SIM) review by using rapid review techniques to explore the state-of-the-art, and to identify hot topics and research gaps in this field. This interdisciplinary review includes 1,820 publications in 485 different journals and other types of publications from more than ten disciplines (including nutritional science, medicine/health science, psychology, food science and technology, business research, etc.) across a period of 60 years. The identified predictors of food decision making were categorized in line with the recently proposed DONE (Determinants Of Nutrition and Eating behavior) framework. After applying qualitative and quantitative analyses, this study reveals that most of the research emphasizes biological, psychological, and product-related predictors, whereas policy-related influences on food choice are scarcely considered. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Conceptual analysis of interdisciplinary scientific work

OpenAIRE

Beers , P.J.; Bots , P.W.G.

2007-01-01

The main advantage to interdisciplinary professional practice is that it can produce novel product designs and problem solutions. However, it requires knowledge sharing and integration to leverage this potential. This paper reports on a study with a method of conceptual analysis to elicit, analyse and compare conceptual models used by individual researchers, with the ultimate aim to facilitate researchers in sharing and integrating their conceptual notions. We build on an earlier study by ext...

Conducting interdisciplinary research to promote healthy and safe employment in health care: promises and pitfalls.

Science.gov (United States)

Slatin, Craig; Galizzi, Monica; Melillo, Karen Devereaux; Mawn, Barbara

2004-01-01

Due to the complexity of human health, emphasis is increasingly being placed on the need for and conduct of multidisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary health research. Yet many academic and research organizations--and the discipline-specific associations and journals--may not yet be prepared to adopt changes necessary to optimally support interdisciplinary work. This article presents an ongoing interdisciplinary research project's efforts to investigate mechanisms and pathways that lead to occupational health disparities among healthcare workers. It describes the promises and pitfalls encountered during the research,and outlines effective strategies that emerged as a result. Lessons learned include: conflict resolution regarding theoretical and methodological differences; establishing a sense of intellectual ownership of the research, as well as guidelines for multiple authorship; and development and utilization of protocols, communication systems, and tools. This experience suggests a need for the establishment of supportive structures and processes to promote successful interdisciplinary research.

A multidimensional approach to examine student interdisciplinary learning in science and engineering in higher education

Science.gov (United States)

Spelt, Elisabeth Jacoba Hendrika; Luning, Pieternelleke Arianne; van Boekel, Martinus A. J. S.; Mulder, Martin

2017-11-01

Preparing science and engineering students to work in interdisciplinary teams necessitates research on teaching and learning of interdisciplinary thinking. A multidimensional approach was taken to examine student interdisciplinary learning in a master course on food quality management. The collected 615 student experiences were analysed for the cognitive, emotional, and social learning dimensions using the learning theory of Illeris. Of these 615 experiences, the analysis showed that students reported 214, 194, and 207 times on, respectively, the emotional, the cognitive, and the social dimension. Per learning dimension, key learning experiences featuring interdisciplinary learning were identified such as 'frustrations in selecting and matching disciplinary knowledge to complex problems' (emotional), 'understanding how to apply theoretical models or concepts to real-world situations' (cognitive), and 'socially engaging with peers to recognise similarities in perceptions and experiences' (social). Furthermore, the results showed that students appreciated the cognitive dimension relatively more than the emotional and social dimensions.

AN APPROACH TO MANAGING UNIVERSITY STUDENTS’ SELF-STUDY BASED ON INTERDISCIPLINARY E-PROJECTS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yu. V. Krasavina

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction. There are two tendencies considerably allocated in educational process of the modern higher school: the increasing amount of time for independent work of students and the active introduction of the information and communication technologies (ICT which is followed by its continuous updating and improvement. The article contributes to the problem of managing competency-based and professionally-oriented self-study for future teachers; the suggested method combines the advantages of project-based learning and the use of ICT.Aim. The objective of the paper is to assess the efficacy of interdisciplinary e-project-based approach to managing university students’ self-study.Methods. To evaluate the efficacy of such innovative method as interdisciplinary e-projects, we use quantitative and qualitative assessment. A set of quantitative pre- and post-surveys are administered for students in order to evaluate their learning outcomes and competencies development. Students’ motivation and attitudes were evaluated through questionnaires, interviews and discussions. An expert group appraisal method was used to define assessment components. Results. The groups of didactic properties and ICT didactic functions are allocated and analysed. Types of educational projects are presented. Definition and characteristic of the interdisciplinary e-project are given. Results of the pedagogical experiment conducted in M. T. Kalashnikov Izhevsk State University are described; the technology of development among students of foreign-language and information-communication competences as the most important professional ones is approved.Scientific novelty. The method of interdisciplinary e-projects is offered; it involves a set of the educational-informative techniques and procedures realized in the electronic environment and directed to the solution of the interdisciplinary problem connected with types and tasks of vocational activity

The concept of psychical trauma: a bridge in interdisciplinary space.

Science.gov (United States)

Tutté, Juan Carlos

2004-08-01

The concept of trauma currently occupies a central position in interdisciplinary dialogue. Using the concept of psychical trauma as a bridge, the author attempts an interdisciplinary dialogue with psychiatry, biology and neuroscience. Beginning with the concept of psychical trauma in Freud, the author reviews the evolution of Freud's thinking, and links it with the ideas of Ferenczi and post-Freudian psychoanalytical authors. From a different framework, he considers the present state of research on post-traumatic stress disorder in current psychiatric nosography and attempts an interdisciplinary approximation to the concept of psychical trauma. Interesting ideas like the traumatic situation, trauma spectrum and psychopathological spectrum emerge, which enable a better understanding of the concept of psychical trauma through its relatedness, as a bridge connecting a broad psychopathological range extending from normality to psychosis. The ensuing possible relative loss of nosographical rigour is more than compensated by the resulting increased understanding and enlarged therapeutic possibilities. In the second part of the paper, the author attempts a dialogue with neuroscience, taking into account new advances in current research on emotion and memory, and making them compatible with the psychoanalytical concept of trauma. In this sense, the paper underlines the importance of emotion and crucially of memory, regarded as a fundamental axis of the subject explored in this paper. Here a substantial distinction which is pertinent for analytical work appears: declarative memories versus non-declarative or procedural memories. In a concluding discussion the author argues that, taking into account the implications of these current notions regarding a number of theoretical and technical aspects, psychoanalysis currently holds a privileged position, both in its potential for prevention and regarding the treatment of patients, in so far as, through interdisciplinary dialogue

An Interdisciplinary Rendezvous between Mathematics, Literature and Literacy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bremholm, Jesper; Thomas Jankvist, Uffe; Rørbech, Helle

2017-01-01

’s aesthetic arguments for the value of pure mathematics (A Mathematician’s Apology from 1940) as the textual basis of a potential interdisciplinary collaboration between the subjects of mathematics and Danish (i.e. Language 1). Through the perspective of literacy, it points out didactic potentials...

Dewey, Democracy, and Interdisciplinary Learning: A Scottish Perspective

Science.gov (United States)

Thorburn, Malcolm

2017-01-01

Interest in progressive education ideas has often been accompanied by advocacy for greater use of interdisciplinary and holistic learning approaches, as these are considered beneficial in conceptual, curriculum, and pedagogical terms. The paper reviews the possibilities for progress on this basis and contextualises the paper around three…

Interdisciplinary collaboration as a prerequisite for inclusive education

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hedegaard-Sørensen, Lotte; Riis Jensen, Charlotte; Tofteng, Ditte Maria Børglum

2017-01-01

to the development of an inclusive learning environment in mainstream schools. Not as a simple task of transferring knowledge, but as a process of transforming knowledge through interdisciplinary collaboration and co-teaching. The design of the study is inspired by the notion of participation within action research...

The need for interdisciplinary research in personality studies

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Van Oers, K.

2007-01-01

The target paper demonstrates the value of evolutionary genetics for personality research. Apart from a summing-up of concepts, the authors validate their theory with evidence from studies on both human- and animal personality. In this commentary, I want to show the need for inter-disciplinary

Information literacy and abstracting: interdisciplinary issues for linguists and information professionals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tibor Koltay

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Information literacy is a complex phenomenon that requires a multifaceted interdisciplinary approach as it is related to verbal communication, literacy, functional literacy and academic literacy, including issues of plagiarism. It also includes text authoring in a full range of genres, among others abstracts. Abstracting is a well-known act of verbal communication, and abstracts are a genre of written communication. The essence of abstracting is summarizing information making use of critical reading. Abstracting thus can be regarded as one of the instances of exercising information literacy on a higher level. Both information literacy and abstracting are of prime professional interest for linguists (among others in the field of ESP and information professionals.

The Geology and Sociology of Consumption: Team-Teaching Sustainability in an Interdisciplinary First-Year Seminar

Science.gov (United States)

Walsh, Emily O.; Davis, Emily Calhoun

2017-01-01

The complex consequences of current consumption practices, such as climate change and ecosystem degradation, necessitate increased interdisciplinary exploration. In order to raise student awareness of these consumption-related issues, we designed a first-year team-taught seminar on sustainability. This innovative interdisciplinary course links…

Funding and remuneration of interdisciplinary primary care teams in Canada: a conceptual framework and application.

Science.gov (United States)

Wranik, W Dominika; Haydt, Susan M; Katz, Alan; Levy, Adrian R; Korchagina, Maryna; Edwards, Jeanette M; Bower, Ian

2017-05-15

Reliance on interdisciplinary teams in the delivery of primary care is on the rise. Funding bodies strive to design financial environments that support collaboration between providers. At present, the design of financial arrangements has been fragmented and not based on evidence. The root of the problem is a lack of systematic evidence demonstrating the superiority of any particular financial arrangement, or a solid understanding of options. In this study we develop a framework for the conceptualization and analysis of financial arrangements in interdisciplinary primary care teams. We use qualitative data from three sources: (i) interviews with 19 primary care decision makers representing 215 clinics in three Canadian provinces, (ii) a research roundtable with 14 primary care decision makers and/or researchers, and (iii) policy documents. Transcripts from interviews and the roundtable were coded thematically and a framework synthesis approach was applied. Our conceptual framework differentiates between team level funding and provider level remuneration, and characterizes the interplay and consonance between them. Particularly the notions of hierarchy, segregation, and dependence of provider incomes, and the link between funding and team activities are introduced as new clarifying concepts, and their implications explored. The framework is applied to the analysis of collaboration incentives, which appear strongest when provider incomes are interdependent, funding is linked to the team as a whole, and accountability does not have multiple lines. Emergent implementation issues discussed by respondents include: (i) centrality of budget negotiations; (ii) approaches to patient rostering; (iii) unclear funding sources for space and equipment; and (iv) challenges with community engagement. The creation of patient rosters is perceived as a surprisingly contentious issue, and the challenges of funding for space and equipment remain unresolved. The development and

Ubiquitous computing in the workplace what ethical issues? : an interdisciplinary perspective

CERN Document Server

Nihan, Céline

2015-01-01

This book provides an interdisciplinary collection of views on the ethical challenges and opportunities of workplaces in the Internet of things. Current developments within Ubiquitous computing (ubicomp) systems designed for the workplace are introduced and philosophical, organizational and socio-ethical considerations of ubicomp in workplaces are provided. Suggestions regarding the rules that should be respected in order to favor an adequate implementation of ubicomp in the workplace are offered, considering both intra-organizational but also wider societal concerns. The interdisciplinary collection of contributions invites the reader to engage in the discussion of ubicomp in everyday working environments.      

A Novel Interdisciplinary Approach to Socio-Technical Complexity

Science.gov (United States)

Bassetti, Chiara

The chapter presents a novel interdisciplinary approach that integrates micro-sociological analysis into computer-vision and pattern-recognition modeling and algorithms, the purpose being to tackle socio-technical complexity at a systemic yet micro-grounded level. The approach is empirically-grounded and both theoretically- and analytically-driven, yet systemic and multidimensional, semi-supervised and computable, and oriented towards large scale applications. The chapter describes the proposed approach especially as for its sociological foundations, and as applied to the analysis of a particular setting --i.e. sport-spectator crowds. Crowds, better defined as large gatherings, are almost ever-present in our societies, and capturing their dynamics is crucial. From social sciences to public safety management and emergency response, modeling and predicting large gatherings' presence and dynamics, thus possibly preventing critical situations and being able to properly react to them, is fundamental. This is where semi/automated technologies can make the difference. The work presented in this chapter is intended as a scientific step towards such an objective.

Bridges and Barriers to Developing and Conducting Interdisciplinary Graduate-Student Team Research

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wayde Cameron. Morse

2007-12-01

Full Text Available Understanding complex socio-environmental problems requires specialists from multiple disciplines to integrate research efforts. Programs such as the National Science Foundation's Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship facilitate integrated research efforts and change the way academic institutions train future leaders and scientists. The University of Idaho and the Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center in Costa Rica collaborate on a joint research program focusing on biodiversity conservation and sustainable production in fragmented landscapes. We first present a spectrum of integration ranging from disciplinary to transdisciplinary across seven aspects of the research process. We then describe our experiences and lessons learned conducting interdisciplinary graduate student team research. Using our program as a case study, we examine the individual, disciplinary, and programmatic bridges and barriers to conducting interdisciplinary research that emerged during our student team research projects. We conclude with a set of recommendations for exploiting the bridges and overcoming the barriers to conducting interdisciplinary research, especially as part of graduate education programs.

An innovative approach to interdisciplinary occupational safety and health education.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosen, Mitchel A; Caravanos, Jack; Milek, Debra; Udasin, Iris

2011-07-01

The New York and New Jersey Education and Research Center (ERC) provides a range of graduate continuing education for occupational safety and health (OSH) professionals in training. A key element of the education is to provide interdisciplinary training to industrial hygienists, ergonomists, occupational medicine physicians and other health and safety trainees to prepare them for the collaboration required to solve the complex occupational health and safety problems they will face in their careers. This center has developed an innovative interdisciplinary training approach that provides an historical aspect, while allowing the graduate students to identify solutions to occupational issues from a multi-disciplinary approach. The ERC developed a tour that brings students to sites of historical and/or contemporary significance in the occupational safety and health and environmental fields. The ERC has conducted five tours, and has included 85 students and residents as participants. 80% of participants rated the tour as providing a high amount of OSH knowledge gained. 98% of the participants felt the goal of providing interdisciplinary education was achieved. This tour has been successful in bridging the OSH fields to better understand how occupational and environmental exposures have occurred, in order to prevent future exposures so that workplace conditions and health can be improved. Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

The Paradigm of Critical Realism: Approach to an Interdisciplinary Methodology

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M. A. Tavana

2015-02-01

Full Text Available The debate of method of recognition in humanities, social and nature science is one of the apprehensions of Scientists in Wisdom Domain –especially in the modern world. This apprehension, before all things was of appearing in the paradigm of methodoligical between the advocates of the paradigms of positivism with having a share of the natural science. They used to values of naturalism in social and human studies. Additionally, testing and observation and repetition are present as the main terms of recognition. In front, the difference between human studies and natural science is important for the advocates of hermeneutic paradigm. Also, they speak about the methodology of interpretation (understanding of human and social phenomenon. But, in the second half of 20th century another paradigms was established as the Critical realism. This paradigm is tried to parther from the methodoloigcal binary and has a share from the recognition of ontological positivism and epistemological hermeneutics attain to a procedure of interdisciplinary about recognition. So, on the basis of this subject, this article mentioned this question that: would the critical realism receive as the methodology in interdisciplinary? Method of the Article is postulate. This article reasoned that multilayer ontology and epistemology redounded to multilayer methodology that could build up the knowledge of interdisciplinary.

Interdisciplinary education in palliative care: impact on attitudes of students in medicine, nursing, pharmacy, social work, and chaplaincy.

Science.gov (United States)

Schrader, Susan L; Brechtelsbauer, David; Heins, Jodi; Holland, Peter; Schroeder, Pamela A

2012-10-01

Interdisciplinary education among health professions has been recommended, and related evaluation can be found in the literature. However questions remain on how effective interdisciplinary education is and what impact it has. The objective of this study was to determine changes in student attitudes and perceptions upon completion of a 5-week interdisciplinary palliative care seminar. Pre-test and post-test instruments were administered at three five-week Interdisciplinary Palliative Care Seminars in Sioux Falls, SD during 2009-2010. The central hypotheses were that, at the conclusion of the seminar, students will have greater familiarity with their role in a team and more understanding of the roles of other disciplines in palliative care, and will identify positive contributions to professional practice and patient care using the team approach. Both quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed. Participating students in medicine, nursing, pharmacy, social work, and chaplaincy (N = 88) completed surveys. Quantitative data suggest that interdisciplinary education enhances students' understanding of their discipline and the work of other disciplines. Data show students perceive the team approach as enhancing patient outcomes, goal setting, and communication among colleagues. Qualitative data reinforced the importance of interdisciplinary education while revealing strains among disciplines in hierarchy and valuing. Playing one's part in the team strengthens students' confidence and comfort in interdisciplinary settings. Yet, the hazard of experiencing the limitations of teamwork in action must be acknowledged for some.

Introducing Undergraduates to Economics in an Interdisciplinary Setting.

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Caviglia-Harris, Jill L.

2003-01-01

Outlines a model for teaching economics that incorporates introductory economics concepts into an interdisciplinary class that includes three disciplines focused on a central theme. Covers the principles of microeconomics and the fundamentals of environmental economics. Links these topics to those covered in the ecology and philosophy sections of…

The Effects of Interdisciplinary Instruction on Simulation Performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Clark, Robert A.; Gjerde, Kathy A. Paulson; Skinner, Deborah

2003-01-01

Examines implications of specific subject matter intervention by faculty members in economics and marketing on the choices made by students and the consequences of those choices in an online finance simulation. Findings, although mixed, suggest that interdisciplinary intervention in an online finance simulation has the potential to improve the…

Researching Lifelong Learning Participation through an Interdisciplinary Lens

Science.gov (United States)

Boeren, Ellen

2017-01-01

This paper explores the interdisciplinary nature of studies in the field of lifelong learning participation. Until recently, participation studies have been presented in a rather fragmented way, often drawing on insights from separate disciplines such as sociology or psychology. The complex nature of lifelong learning participation, however, urges…

Teaching an Interdisciplinary Gerontological Course to Pharmacy Students

Science.gov (United States)

Sumner, Edward D.

1978-01-01

An interdisciplinary course on gerontology has been developed and offered as an elective at the Medical University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy. Instruction is provided in the physical, psychological, and social influences with ambulatory and institutionalized geriatrics patients. A course outline and course objectives are included. (SW)

Improvements in CanMEDS competencies for medical students in an interdisciplinary and voluntary setting

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Vildbrad MD

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Mads Dam Vildbrad, Johanne Marie Lyhne International Medical Cooperation Committee, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark Background: To practice medicine, doctors must master leadership, communication, team management, and collaboration, in addition to medical knowledge. The CanMEDS framework describes seven roles of a doctor, but the six nonmedical expert roles are de-emphasized in the academic medical curriculum. Innovative opportunities are needed for medical students to develop as participants in a world of interdisciplinary health care. Methods: We founded a volunteer-based, interdisciplinary, student-run project called SUNDdag (HEALTHday with 60 students from 12 different educational backgrounds. To evaluate the learning outcomes of the project, we conducted a cross-sectional study using an anonymous, self-administered questionnaire. Results: Students joined the project due to it being health-promoting, volunteer-based, and interdisciplinary. The medical students reported a significant increase of skills in all seven roles except for “medical expert”. They reported an increased understanding of the non-health-related students' skills. Conclusion: In their future careers, medical students must collaborate with health care professionals in a team-based approach to patient care and with non-health-related professionals in administrative tasks. Interdisciplinary volunteer-based initiatives like SUNDdag are potential platforms for medical students to improve their CanMEDS competencies. We encourage students to initiate similar projects and we encourage faculties to support volunteer-based, interdisciplinary initiatives due to their favorable cost-benefit ratio. Keywords: medical education, voluntarism, interprofessional education, medical students

Connecting art and science: An interdisciplinary strategy and its impact on the affective domain of community college human anatomy students

Science.gov (United States)

Petti, Kevin

Educational objectives are often described within the framework of a three-domain taxonomy: cognitive, affective and psychomotor. While most of the research on educational objectives has focused on the cognitive domain, the research that has been conducted on the affective domain, which speaks to emotions, attitudes, and values, has identified a number of positive outcomes. One approach to enhancing the affective domain is that of interdisciplinary education. Science education research in the realm of interdisciplinary education and affective outcomes is limited; especially research conducted on community college students of human anatomy. This project investigated the relationship between an interdisciplinary teaching strategy and the affective domain in science education by utilizing an interdisciplinary lecture in a human anatomy class. Subjects were anatomy students in a California community college who listened to a one-hour lecture describing the cultural, historical and scientific significance of selected pieces of art depicting human dissection in European medieval and Renaissance universities. The focus was on how these renderings represent the state of anatomy education during their respective eras. After listening to the lecture, subjects were administered a 35-question survey that was composed of 14 demographic questions and 21 Likert-style statements that asked respondents to rate the extent to which the intervention influenced their affective domain. Descriptive statistics were then used to determine which component of the affective domain was most influenced, and multiple regression analysis was used to examine the extent to which individual differences along the affective continuum were explained by select demographic measures such as gender, race/ethnicity, education level, and previous exposure to science courses. Results indicate that the interdisciplinary intervention had a positive impact on every component of the affective domain hierarchy

How to cope with the demands of the new ''Approbation Regulation'' (AR) by radiology-related interdisciplinary courses. The Erlangen model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grunewald, M.; Kuefner, M.A.; Ketelsen, D.; Alibek, S.; Bautz, W.A.; Greess, H.; Neuhuber, W.N.

2007-01-01

To create radiology-related interdisciplinary programs for the undergraduate education in terms of the new ''Approbation Regulation''. Medical students developed in collaboration with radiologists and clinical partners virtual, radiology-related interdisciplinary training courses for different fields. Students and teachers evaluated the acceptance of the programs' structure and content as well as the possibility to replace the radiologist partly during interdisciplinary lessons. Six target group oriented virtual, radiology-related interdisciplinary training courses were developed which will relieve the implementation of the new AR's demands for more interdisciplinary education in small groups and the dreaded shortage of personnel. By the use of web- and CDRom-based interdisciplinary course models different fields of medicine and diagnostic radiology can be bridged in the sense of the new AR's demands as well as manpower in radiology can be saved. (orig.) [de

Managing the Interoperability and Privacy of e-Health Systems as an Interdisciplinary Challenge

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexandru Soceanu

2016-10-01

Full Text Available The growing number of patients with chronic diseases, the ageing population worldwide, the rapid increase in hospital costs and in the cost of care personnel as well as the achieving medical objectives "increase the patient quality of life and survival" face Europe with a huge challenge. One of the solutions for reaching these challenges in the future is the deployment of complex eHealth systems in support of all the healthcare aspects on the way between patient home and healthcare provider. In the last decade the European Commission (EC in cooperation with healthcare associations and standardization institutes announced large frameworks for supporting research and development of various components of the future eHealth systems. This may be considered as an immediate interdisciplinary opportunity for European researchers and developers to create jointly the spine of future healthcare systems. After a short introduction to eHealth architecture, interoperability, security and privacy the talk refers to the interdisciplinary solutions which approach these healthcare huge overall challenge. Two case studies will be addressed: a interdisciplinary partnership for conducting jointly European research concerning remote control and management of future wearable dialysis devices, and b ERASMUS supported international education programs for creating future interdisciplinary expert networks working on developing and implementing a better healthcare system.

Literature search strategies for interdisciplinary research a sourcebook for scientists and engineers

CERN Document Server

Ackerson, Linda G

2006-01-01

The amount of published literature can be overwhelming for scientists and researchers moving from a broad disciplinary research area to a more specialized one, particularly in fields that use information from more than one discipline. Without a focused inquiry, the researcher may find too little information or may be overcome by too much. Striking the correct balance of information is the focus of Literature Search Strategies for Interdisciplinary Research. This useful reference tool studies diverse interdisciplinary areas revealing the general and individual qualities that dictate the strateg

Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Gerontology and Geriatrics in Latin America: Conceptual Approaches and Health Care Teams

Science.gov (United States)

Gomez, Fernando; Curcio, Carmen Lucia

2013-01-01

The underlying rationale to support interdisciplinary collaboration in geriatrics and gerontology is based on the complexity of elderly care. The most important characteristic about interdisciplinary health care teams for older people in Latin America is their subjective-basis framework. In other regions, teams are organized according to a…

A Place for Materials Science: Laboratory Buildings and Interdisciplinary Research at the University of Pennsylvania

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Hyungsub; Shields, Brit

2015-01-01

The Laboratory for Research on the Structure of Matter (LRSM), University of Pennsylvania, was built in 1965 as part of the Advanced Research Projects Agency's (ARPA) Interdisciplinary Laboratories (IDL) program intended to foster interdisciplinary research and training in materials science. The process that led to the construction of the…

Interdisciplinary treatment for an adult with a unilateral cleft lip and palate.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Qiao Ling; Conley, R Scott; Wu, Tuojiang; Li, Huang

2014-08-01

A young man, age 18 years 4 months, with a concave profile, a skeletal maxillary deficiency, and a severe alveolar cleft with an unesthetic appearance of the maxillary anterior teeth was referred for orthodontic treatment. After a detailed review of his pretreatment records, both surgical and nonsurgical treatment plans were presented to the patient, who opted for a nonsurgical interdisciplinary approach. His complex 3-dimensional malocclusion required palatal expansion, dental extractions, and periodontal and prosthodontic consultations and treatment, in addition to comprehensive orthodontic therapy. MBT (Xinya, HangZhou, China) 0.022 × 0.028-in appliances combined with a mini-implant to enhance the orthodontic anchorage were used to level, align, and establish a Class I relationship. After the orthodontic treatment, a combined restorative and periodontal approach was used to enhance the patient's esthetic and functional outcomes. Both the final result and the 1-year follow-up records demonstrate that the treatment goals of establishing proper occlusion, normal function, a balanced profile, better esthetics, and a stable outcome were achieved. The purpose of this case report is to demonstrate that an interdisciplinary treatment protocol can significantly improve the transverse discrepancies and achieve a satisfactory occlusion with a balanced profile in patients with cleft lip and palate. Copyright © 2014 American Association of Orthodontists. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Paradigmatic approaches to studying environment and human health: (Forgotten) implications for interdisciplinary research

OpenAIRE

Phoenix, Cassandra; Osborne, Nicholas J.; Redshaw, Clare; Moran, Rebecca; Stahl-timmins, Will; Depledge, Michael H.; Fleming, Lora E.; Wheeler, Benedict W.

2013-01-01

Interdisciplinary research is increasingly promoted in a wide range of fields, especially so in the study of relationships between the environment and human health. However, many projects and research teams struggle to address exactly how researchers from a multitude of disciplinary and methodological backgrounds can best work together to maximize the value of this approach to research. In this paper, we briefly review the role of interdisciplinary research, and emphasise that it is not only ...

Technological Augmentation of Human Cognition: An Interdisciplinary Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC.

A series of five interdisciplinary conferences held over a two-year period explored new teaching and training concepts and methodologies which offer powerful, symbiotic means of augmenting human cognition. The basic discussion points of the conferences are summarized. It was felt that the conferences were significant in that they brought together…

Integration, Language, and Practice: Wittgenstein and Interdisciplinary Communication

Science.gov (United States)

Piso, Zachary

2015-01-01

The dominant account of interdisciplinary integration mobilizes linguistic metaphors such as bilingualism or the learning of new languages. While there is something right about these linguistic metaphors, I urge caution about philosophical confusions that can arise in the absence of careful scrutiny of how our language relates to the world.…

Mathematics in Literature and Cinema: An Interdisciplinary Course

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Chabrán, H. Rafael; Kozek, Mark

2016-01-01

We describe our team-taught, interdisciplinary course "Numb3rs in Lett3rs & Fi1ms: Mathematics in Literature and Cinema," which explores mathematics in the context of modern literature and cinema. Our goal with this course is to advance collaborations between mathematics and the written/theatre-based creative arts.

6. The Interdisciplinary Dimension of the Vocalchoral Culture of the Pupil in the Music School

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Glebov Ana

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Process in the context of the vocal-choral culture of the students of the music school. The concept of interdisciplinary is considered as a symbiosis of two or more academic disciplines in the formation of the vocal-choral culture of pupils in the musical-artistic field. In this case, interdisciplinary occurs in integrating the knowledge, capabilities and aptitudes formed, taking into account significant specific factors. Thus, the interdisciplinary approach is carried out through such disciplines as solfeggio, history of music, instrument, ensemble, but also the integration into the vocal-choral of the method of interiorizing the music through the philosophical, musical and psycho-pedagogical aspects.

Into the Curriculum. Interdisciplinary: Celebrating Our Animal Friends: An Across-the-Curriculum Unit for Middle Level Students [and] Music: Program Notes [and] Reading-Language Arts: Letters: Written, Licked, and Stamped [and] Science: Plants in Families [and] Science: Physics and Holiday Toys (Gravity) [and] Social Studies: Learning about Geography through Children's Literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Gillen, Rose; And Others

1995-01-01

Presents six curriculum guides for elementary and secondary education. Subjects include interdisciplinary instruction, music, reading/language arts, science, and social studies. Each guide provides library media skills objectives, curriculum objectives, grade levels, resources, instructional roles, activity and procedures for completion, a…

Interdisciplinary glossary — particle accelerators and medicine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dmitrieva, V V; Dyubkov, V S; Nikitaev, V G; Ulin, S E

2016-01-01

A general concept of a new interdisciplinary glossary, which includes particle accelerator terminology used in medicine, as well as relevant medical concepts, is presented. Its structure and usage rules are described. An example, illustrating the quickly searching technique of relevant information in this Glossary, is considered. A website address, where one can get an access to the Glossary, is specified. Glossary can be refined and supplemented. (paper)

Course Descriptions in Environmental Studies Part Two: Interdisciplinary Courses.

Science.gov (United States)

Dunlap, Riley; And Others

1984-01-01

Presents descriptions (syllabi, outlines, goals) of interdisciplinary environmental studies courses. Topic areas of these courses include: environmental sociology; human ecology (politics, institutions, and the environment); humans and the environment in historical perspective; environmental management; humans, hazards, and disasters; and other…

Equity and geography: the case of child mortality in Papua New Guinea.

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Anna E Bauze

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Recent assessments show continued decline in child mortality in Papua New Guinea (PNG, yet complete subnational analyses remain rare. This study aims to estimate under-five mortality in PNG at national and subnational levels to examine the importance of geographical inequities in health outcomes and track progress towards Millennium Development Goal (MDG 4. METHODOLOGY: We performed retrospective data validation of the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS 2006 using 2000 Census data, then applied advanced indirect methods to estimate under-five mortality rates between 1976 and 2000. FINDINGS: The DHS 2006 was found to be unreliable. Hence we used the 2000 Census to estimate under-five mortality rates at national and subnational levels. During the period under study, PNG experienced a slow reduction in national under-five mortality from approximately 103 to 78 deaths per 1,000 live births. Subnational analyses revealed significant disparities between rural and urban populations as well as inter- and intra-regional variations. Some of the provinces that performed the best (worst in terms of under-five mortality included the districts that performed worst (best, with district-level under-five mortality rates correlating strongly with poverty levels and access to services. CONCLUSIONS: The evidence from PNG demonstrates substantial within-province heterogeneity, suggesting that under-five mortality needs to be addressed at subnational levels. This is especially relevant in countries, like PNG, where responsibility for health services is devolved to provinces and districts. This study presents the first comprehensive estimates of under-five mortality at the district level for PNG. The results demonstrate that for countries that rely on few data sources even greater importance must be given to the quality of future population surveys and to the exploration of alternative options of birth and death surveillance.

Equity and geography: the case of child mortality in Papua New Guinea.

Science.gov (United States)

Bauze, Anna E; Tran, Linda N; Nguyen, Kim-Huong; Firth, Sonja; Jimenez-Soto, Eliana; Dwyer-Lindgren, Laura; Hodge, Andrew; Lopez, Alan D

2012-01-01

Recent assessments show continued decline in child mortality in Papua New Guinea (PNG), yet complete subnational analyses remain rare. This study aims to estimate under-five mortality in PNG at national and subnational levels to examine the importance of geographical inequities in health outcomes and track progress towards Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 4. We performed retrospective data validation of the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) 2006 using 2000 Census data, then applied advanced indirect methods to estimate under-five mortality rates between 1976 and 2000. The DHS 2006 was found to be unreliable. Hence we used the 2000 Census to estimate under-five mortality rates at national and subnational levels. During the period under study, PNG experienced a slow reduction in national under-five mortality from approximately 103 to 78 deaths per 1,000 live births. Subnational analyses revealed significant disparities between rural and urban populations as well as inter- and intra-regional variations. Some of the provinces that performed the best (worst) in terms of under-five mortality included the districts that performed worst (best), with district-level under-five mortality rates correlating strongly with poverty levels and access to services. The evidence from PNG demonstrates substantial within-province heterogeneity, suggesting that under-five mortality needs to be addressed at subnational levels. This is especially relevant in countries, like PNG, where responsibility for health services is devolved to provinces and districts. This study presents the first comprehensive estimates of under-five mortality at the district level for PNG. The results demonstrate that for countries that rely on few data sources even greater importance must be given to the quality of future population surveys and to the exploration of alternative options of birth and death surveillance.

Strategic Planning for Interdisciplinary Science: a Geoscience Success Story

Science.gov (United States)

Harshvardhan, D.; Harbor, J. M.

2003-12-01

The Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at Purdue University has engaged in a continuous strategic planning exercise for several years, including annual retreats since 1997 as an integral part of the process. The daylong Saturday retreat at the beginning of the fall semester has been used to flesh out the faculty hiring plan for the coming year based on the prior years' plans. The finalized strategic plan is built around the choice of three signature areas, two in disciplinary fields, (i) geodynamics and active tectonics, (ii) multi-scale atmospheric interactions and one interdisciplinary area, (iii) atmosphere/surface interactions. Our experience with strategic planning and the inherently interdisciplinary nature of geoscience helped us recently when our School of Science, which consists of seven departments, announced a competition for 60 new faculty positions that would be assigned based on the following criteria, listed in order of priority - (i) scientific merit and potential for societal impact, (ii) multidisciplinary nature of topic - level of participation and leveraging potential, (iii) alignment with Purdue's strategic plan - discovery, learning, engagement, (iv) existence of critical mass at Purdue and availability of faculty and student candidate pools, (v) corporate and federal sponsor interest. Some fifty white papers promoting diverse fields were submitted to the school and seven were chosen after a school-wide retreat. The department fared exceedingly well and we now have significant representation on three of the seven school areas of coalescence - (i) climate change, (ii) computational science and (iii) science education research. We are now in the process of drawing up hiring plans and developing strategies for allocation and reallocation of resources such as laboratory space and faculty startup to accommodate the 20% growth in faculty strength that is expected over the next five years.

Wanted: interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary, and knowledge translation and exchange training for students of public health.

Science.gov (United States)

Mishra, Lipi; Banerjee, Ananya T; MacLennan, Mary E; Gorczynski, Paul F; Zinszer, Kate A

2011-01-01

Students vocalized their concern with public health training programs in Canada at the 2010 CPHA Centennial Conference. Given these concerns, we reviewed the objectives and curricula of public health graduate (master's) programs in Canada. Our objective was to understand to what extent public and population health graduate programs in Canada support interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary and knowledge translation and exchange (KTE) training. This was achieved through a review of all public and population health master's programs in Canada identified from the public health graduate programs listed on the Public Health Agency of Canada website (n = 33) plus an additional four programs that were not originally captured on the list. Of the 37 programs reviewed, 28 (76%) stated that interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary or cross-disciplinary training opportunities are of value to their program, with 12 programs (32%) providing multidisciplinary or interdisciplinary training opportunities in their curriculum. Only 14 (38%) of the 37 programs provided value statements of KTE activities in their program goals or course objectives, with 10 (27%) programs offering KTE training in their curriculum. This review provides a glimpse into how public health programs in Canada value and support interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary collaboration as well as KTE activities.

Ovarian cancer in an interdisciplinary context

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Seibæk, Lene; Søgaard, Charlotte

quality of treatment.   Patients/ Methods We developed an interdisciplinary programme including patient data from the records of doctors, nurses, anaesthetists and observations. This programme was applied on a population of 65 women with ovarian malignancies. Subsequently analyses were performed.......   Results This study has had implications concerning organisation, quality of treatment and psychosocial support. The study identified correlations not previously discovered between the different elements of the programme. Correlations e.g. between patient information, pain, nausea and mobilisation were...

Medieval Day at Reynolds: An Interdisciplinary Learning Event

Science.gov (United States)

Morrison, Nancy S.

2012-01-01

Medieval Day at Reynolds turned a typical Friday class day into an interdisciplinary learning event, which joined faculty and students into a community of learners. From classrooms issued tales of Viking and Mongol conquests, religious crusaders, deadly plague, and majestic cathedrals and art, all told by costumed faculty members with expertise in…

Ethics of Tax Law Compliance: An Interdisciplinary Perspective

Science.gov (United States)

Cummings, Richard G.; Longo, Peter J.; Rioux, Jean W.

2012-01-01

The first semester Tax I student seems to be interested in the ethical issue of why citizens should report their income and only take legitimate tax deductions when it is unlikely that anyone will ever know. This paper addresses this issue from an interdisciplinary approach of accounting, philosophy, and political science. The accounting…

Heuristic thinking: interdisciplinary perspectives on medical error

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Annegret F. Hannawa

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Approximately 43 million adverse events occur across the globe each year at a cost of at least 23 million disability-adjusted life years and $132 billion in excess health care spending, ranking this safety burden among the top 10 medical causes of disability in the world.1 These findings are likely to be an understatement of the actual severity of the problem, given that the numbers merely reflect seven types of adverse events and completely neglect ambulatory care, and of course they only cover reported incidents. Furthermore, they do not include statistics on children and incidents from India and China, which host more than a third of the world’s population. Best estimates imply that about two thirds of these incidents are preventable. Thus, from a public health perspective, medical errors are a seri- ous global health burden, in fact ahead of high-profile health problems like AIDS and cancer. Interventions to date have not reduced medical errors to satisfactory rates. Even today, far too often, hand hygiene is not practiced properly (even in developed countries, surgical procedures take place in underequipped operating theaters, and checklists are missing or remain uncompleted. The healthcare system seems to be failing in managing its errors − it is costing too much, and the complexity of care causes severe safety hazards that too often harm rather than help patients. In response to this evolving discussion, the International Society for Quality in Healthcare recently nominated an Innovations Team that is now developing new strategies. One of the emerging themes is that the medical field cannot resolve this problem on its own. Instead, interdisciplinary collaborations are needed to advance effective, evidence-based interventions that will eventually result in competent changes. In March 2013, the Institute of Communication and Health at the University of Lugano organized a conference on Communicating Medical Error (COME 2013 in

How nature works complexity in interdisciplinary research and applications

CERN Document Server

Sanayei, Ali; Zenil, Hector; Rössler, Otto

2014-01-01

This book is based on the outcome of the “2012 Interdisciplinary Symposium on Complex Systems” held at the island of Kos.  The book consists of 12 selected papers of the symposium starting with a comprehensive overview and classification of complexity problems, continuing by chapters about complexity, its observation, modeling and its applications to solving various problems including real-life applications. More exactly, readers will have an encounter with the structural complexity of vortex flows, the use of chaotic dynamics within evolutionary algorithms, complexity in synthetic biology, types of complexity hidden inside evolutionary dynamics and possible controlling methods, complexity of rugged landscapes, and more. All selected papers represent innovative ideas, philosophical overviews and state-of-the-art discussions on aspects of complexity.  The book will be useful as instructional material for senior undergraduate and entry-level graduate students in computer science, physics, applied mathemat...

The "Goldberg Variations" and Ian McEwan's Saturday - a study of interdisciplinary analogies

OpenAIRE

Lykka, Inga Hild

2014-01-01

This thesis examines the musical influence on Ian McEwan’s fiction, in particular that of the Goldberg Variations’ influence on his novel Saturday. This involves an interdisciplinary analysis that compares the two arts, and sheds light on both possibilities and difficulties with regards to which musical features are likely to occur in literature or not. The analysis is founded on previous interdisciplinary studies of music and literature in general, studies of representations of the Goldberg ...

Multi-level computational methods for interdisciplinary research in the HathiTrust Digital Library.

Science.gov (United States)

Murdock, Jaimie; Allen, Colin; Börner, Katy; Light, Robert; McAlister, Simon; Ravenscroft, Andrew; Rose, Robert; Rose, Doori; Otsuka, Jun; Bourget, David; Lawrence, John; Reed, Chris

2017-01-01

We show how faceted search using a combination of traditional classification systems and mixed-membership topic models can go beyond keyword search to inform resource discovery, hypothesis formulation, and argument extraction for interdisciplinary research. Our test domain is the history and philosophy of scientific work on animal mind and cognition. The methods can be generalized to other research areas and ultimately support a system for semi-automatic identification of argument structures. We provide a case study for the application of the methods to the problem of identifying and extracting arguments about anthropomorphism during a critical period in the development of comparative psychology. We show how a combination of classification systems and mixed-membership models trained over large digital libraries can inform resource discovery in this domain. Through a novel approach of "drill-down" topic modeling-simultaneously reducing both the size of the corpus and the unit of analysis-we are able to reduce a large collection of fulltext volumes to a much smaller set of pages within six focal volumes containing arguments of interest to historians and philosophers of comparative psychology. The volumes identified in this way did not appear among the first ten results of the keyword search in the HathiTrust digital library and the pages bear the kind of "close reading" needed to generate original interpretations that is the heart of scholarly work in the humanities. Zooming back out, we provide a way to place the books onto a map of science originally constructed from very different data and for different purposes. The multilevel approach advances understanding of the intellectual and societal contexts in which writings are interpreted.

[Interdisciplinary healthcare centres--a way of organising healthcare in the future from a health insurer's perspective].

Science.gov (United States)

Hecke, Torsten L; Hoyer, Jens Martin

2009-01-01

The German healthcare system modernization act enables healthcare providers to fund interdisciplinary healthcare centres. The Techniker Krankenkasse (TK) is a statutory health sickness fund that has contracted with some of the interdisciplinary healthcare centres named ATRIO-MED to achieve high-quality medical care and healthcare management. A range of patient-centred services is described in the cooperation agreement; in addition to central medical patient records one of the core competencies includes integrated pathways for defined diagnosis. The concept of the interdisciplinary healthcare centre is highly accepted among patients. It will serve as a platform for future TK healthcare policies.

Interdisciplinary approach to the management of medical supplies in the nursing home setting

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Juan Francisco Peris Martí

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Given the impact of pressure ulcers in institutionalized elderly people, an interdisciplinary approach to the care of ulcers and the management of medical supplies is essential. The aim of this study is to describe and evaluate the management of medical supplies by an interdisciplinary team in order to promote their rational use in the nursing home setting. Methods: An interdisciplinary team was set up, coordinated by a Pharmacy Unit including representatives of 18 elderly nursing homes (1,599 beds. Team interventions were assessed in terms of improvements in the management of wound care supplies. In addition, a retrospective descriptive study was carried out on those patients with pressure ulcers, in order to consider future interventions. Results: The team interventions led to a selection of 15% of the 180 wound care supplies from the public tender process. The monthly savings in wound dressing material purchases was at least 17%. Furthermore, a reduction in consumption greater than 50% was found in 7 centres. The prevalence of ulcers was 5.59%. A fourth of these ulcers were originated outside nursing homes. Conclusions: The creation of an interdisciplinary team, in which the pharmacist gets closer to patient needs, and where nurses share responsibility for the selection and management of medical supplies, leads to positive results and represents an opportunity for improvement in elderly care.

Advancing MCH Interdisciplinary/Interprofessional Leadership Training and Practice Through a Learning Collaborative.

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McHugh, Meaghan C; Margolis, Lewis H; Rosenberg, Angela; Humphreys, Elizabeth

2016-11-01

Purpose The Interdisciplinary Leadership Learning Collaborative (ILLC), under the sponsorship of AUCD and the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, brought together six teams, composed of 14 MCHB and UCEDD training programs to enhance their leadership training. Description Using adult learning principles, interactive training methods, and skill-focused learning, the ILLC built upon the evidence-based Interdisciplinary Leadership Development Program of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The program began with a 4-day on-site intensive and then continued through monthly conference calls, a mid-term on-site workshop, and a summary virtual workshop to present programmatic accomplishments and share plans for sustainability. Coaching/consultation for the teams around particular challenges was also part of the program. Assessment All teams reported enhancements in intentional leadership training, threading of leadership concepts across clinical, didactic, and workshop settings, and new collaborative partnerships for leadership training. Teams also identified a number of strategies to increase sustainability of their intentional leadership training efforts. Conclusion for Practice The learning collaborative is a productive model to address the growing need for interdisciplinary MCH leaders.

Feasibility of interdisciplinary community-based fall risk screening.

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Elliott, Sharon J; Ivanescu, Andrada; Leland, Natalie E; Fogo, Jennifer; Painter, Jane A; Trujillo, Leonard G

2012-01-01

This pilot study examined the feasibility of (1) conducting interdisciplinary fall risk screens at a communitywide adult fall prevention event and (2) collecting preliminary follow-up data from people screened at the event about balance confidence and home and activity modifications made after receiving educational information at the event. We conducted a pilot study with pre- and posttesting (4-mo follow-up) with 35 community-dwelling adults ≥55 yr old. Approximately half the participants were at risk for falls. Most participants who anticipated making environmental or activity changes to reduce fall risk initiated changes (n = 8/11; 72.7%) during the 4-mo follow-up period. We found no significant difference in participants' balance confidence between baseline (median = 62.81) and follow-up (median = 64.06) as measured by the Activities-specific Balance Confidence scale. Conducting interdisciplinary fall risk screens at an adult fall prevention event is feasible and can facilitate environmental and behavior changes to reduce fall risk. Copyright © 2012 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

[New guidelines on chronic pancreatitis : interdisciplinary treatment strategies].

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Lerch, M M; Bachmann, K A; Izbicki, J R

2013-02-01

Chronic pancreatitis is a common disorder associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Interdisciplinary consensus guidelines have recently updated the definitions and diagnostic criteria for chronic pancreatitis and provide a critical assessment of therapeutic procedures. Diagnostic imaging relies on endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) as the most sensitive technique, whereas computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)/magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) remain a frequent preoperative requirement. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is now used mostly as a therapeutic procedure except for the differential diagnosis of autoimmune pancreatitis. Complications of chronic pancreatitis, such as pseudocysts, duct stricture and intractable pain can be treated with endoscopic interventions as well as open surgery. In the treatment of pseudocysts endoscopic drainage procedures now prevail while pain treatment has greater long-term effectiveness following surgical procedures. Currently, endocopic as well as surgical treatment of chronic pancreatitis require an ever increasing degree of technical and medical expertise and are provided increasingly more often by interdisciplinary centres. Surgical treatment is superior to interventional therapy regarding the outcome of pain control and duodenum-preserving pancreatic head resection is presently the surgical procedure of choice.

Design guidelines for adapting scientific research articles: An example from an introductory level, interdisciplinary program on soft matter

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Langbeheim, Elon; Safran, Samuel A.; Yerushalmi, Edit

2013-01-01

We present design guidelines for using Adapted Primary Literature (APL) as part of current interdisciplinary topics to introductory physics students. APL is a text genre that allows students to comprehend a scientific article, while maintaining the core features of the communication among scientists, thus representing an authentic scientific discourse. We describe the adaptation of a research paper by Nobel Laureate Paul Flory on phase equilibrium in polymer-solvent mixtures that was presented to high school students in a project-based unit on soft matter. The adaptation followed two design strategies: a) Making explicit the interplay between the theory and experiment. b) Re-structuring the text to map the theory onto the students' prior knowledge. Specifically, we map the theory of polymer-solvent systems onto a model for binary mixtures of small molecules of equal size that was already studied in class.

Leadership styles in interdisciplinary health science education.

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Sasnett, Bonita; Clay, Maria

2008-12-01

The US Institute of Medicine recommends that all health professionals should deliver patient-centered care as members of interdisciplinary health science teams. The current application of the Bolman and Deal Leadership model to health sciences provides an interesting point of reference to compare leadership styles. This article reviews several applications of that model within academic health care and the aggregate recommendations for leaders of health care disciplines based on collective findings.

Learning Global Leadership via Liberation Projects: An Interdisciplinary Application

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Nguyen, Shelbee

2014-01-01

Global leadership programs framed within singular cultural contexts do not promote authentic leadership. Unilateral methods may exclude individual multicultural experiences or identities, and further, encourage a one-size fits all approach to leadership. An interdisciplinary global leadership course aims to promote authentic unlearning and…

PRACTICE OF DEVELOPMENT OF STUDENTS’ ADDITIONAL INTERDISCIPLINARY COMPETENCIES IN A MODERN UNIVERSITY

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E. G. Syryamkina

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of the article is to show the possibilities of formation ofnew approaches to the development of additional interdisciplinary competencies of university youth in modern conditions.Methods. The methods involve such theoretical methods as analysis of scientific literature and documents, generalization of empirical data.Results and scientific novelty. The article includes experience of many years in the sphere of development of students’ additional interdisciplinary competencies of the National Research Tomsk State University (TSU. The authors present cases of two TSU structural subdivisions: Center for Social and Professional Volunteering and Park of Social and Humanitarian Technologies. The effective educational technologies proposed by the authors are analysed. Transition from the theoretical (knowledge training of students to practically-oriented training is an actual trend today. A graduate of a modern university should have a broad vision, communication skills, desire for cooperation, self-development, creative application of gained knowledge and lifelong learning, in other words –the development of students’ additional interdisciplinary competencies. In this regard, the role of students’ extracurricular practical work in a university is increasing. This work requires organizational and educational support. The article gives description and analysis of effective educational forms of technologies for development of students’ additional interdisciplinary competencies within their extracurricular activities in the mentioned above structural units of the university.Practical significance. Higher educational establishments can use presented materials for improvement of an educational process.

A method of reflexive balancing in a pragmatic, interdisciplinary and reflexive bioethics.

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Ives, Jonathan

2014-07-01

In recent years there has been a wealth of literature arguing the need for empirical and interdisciplinary approaches to bioethics, based on the premise that an empirically informed ethical analysis is more grounded, contextually sensitive and therefore more relevant to clinical practice than an 'abstract' philosophical analysis. Bioethics has (arguably) always been an interdisciplinary field, and the rise of 'empirical' (bio)ethics need not be seen as an attempt to give a new name to the longstanding practice of interdisciplinary collaboration, but can perhaps best be understood as a substantive attempt to engage with the nature of that interdisciplinarity and to articulate the relationship between the many different disciplines (some of them empirical) that contribute to the field. It can also be described as an endeavour to explain how different disciplinary approaches can be integrated to effectively answer normative questions in bioethics, and fundamental to that endeavour is the need to think about how a robust methodology can be articulated that successfully marries apparently divergent epistemological and metaethical perspectives with method. This paper proposes 'Reflexive Bioethics' (RB) as a methodology for interdisciplinary and empirical bioethics, which utilizes a method of 'Reflexive Balancing' (RBL). RBL has been developed in response to criticisms of various forms of reflective equilibrium, and is built upon a pragmatic characterization of Bioethics and a 'quasi-moral foundationalism', which allows RBL to avoid some of the difficulties associated with RE and yet retain the flexible egalitarianism that makes it intuitively appealing to many. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

[Plastic surgery treatment techniques for interdisciplinary therapy of pressure sores].

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Müller, Karin; Becker, Frederic; Pfau, Matthias; Werdin, Frank

2017-06-01

Pressure sores in geriatric patients represent a challenge for all disciplines involved in the treatment process; however, the prerequisite for successful treatment is the elaboration of an interdisciplinary treatment concept. The treatment goals should be adapted to the individual needs of the patients including the life situation, general condition and local findings. In addition to general basic operative techniques, such as wound cleansing and conditioning, plastic and reconstructive surgery provides a wide range of highly specialized operative techniques for the treatment of these patients by which a definitive defect coverage can be achieved. The aim of this article is to raise awareness for these complex and highly specialized procedures for all disciplines participating in the treatment in order to improve the interdisciplinary cooperation and ultimately the quality of treatment.

Interdisciplinary Working Practices: Can Creative Dance Improve Math?

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Leandro, Cristina Rebelo; Monteiro, Elisabete; Melo, Filipe

2018-01-01

This study is integrated in the field of Dance in Education, focusing on the instrumentalist aspect of art. We focused on creative dance as a catalyst to learn Mathematics' contents. This interdisciplinary work can enhance the learning, as far as the understanding of Mathematics' concepts is achieved through the body and revealed by expressive and…

Functional Analysis in Interdisciplinary Applications

CERN Document Server

Nursultanov, Erlan; Ruzhansky, Michael; Sadybekov, Makhmud

2017-01-01

This volume presents current research in functional analysis and its applications to a variety of problems in mathematics and mathematical physics. The book contains over forty carefully refereed contributions to the conference “Functional Analysis in Interdisciplinary Applications” (Astana, Kazakhstan, October 2017). Topics covered include the theory of functions and functional spaces; differential equations and boundary value problems; the relationship between differential equations, integral operators and spectral theory; and mathematical methods in physical sciences. Presenting a wide range of topics and results, this book will appeal to anyone working in the subject area, including researchers and students interested to learn more about different aspects and applications of functional analysis.

“SEABUCKTHORNOLOGY” A POSSIBLE NEW INTERDISCIPLINARY SCIENCE

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Angel PROOROCU

2015-04-01

Full Text Available The purpose of the paper was to present a critical overview on the main opinions and research results on "seabuckthornology" as a new interdisciplinary science, as mentioned on various international conferences and other events hold in different countries where the author took part and expressed his opinions as expert in the field. The current opinion of many experts is that the sea buckthorn is the result of a long hard work in the field of research, practice, landscape architecture, production, soil science, animal and human health. It is an important plant of the 3rd millennium. The only problem many experts are facing is the fact that it is very difficult to put in order all multidisciplinary information from Botany, Geology, Marketing, Medicine, Biochemistry, Agronomy, Management etc. The solution is the elaboration of a statute of the interdisciplinary new science "seabuckthornology" and the creation of a multilingual data base, which should be updated permanently as at any moment a manufacturer having sea buckthorn oil production to find many offers from the entire world, obtaining all parameters and prices in few minutes, the address, fax, e-mail, phone number etc. In the actual world crises, a scientifically aboard of seabuckthorn may be a solution to health and environmental problems.

Criminologyof the future: interdisciplinary scientific connections

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Antonyan Yu.M.

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The results of interdisciplinary scientific connections of the modern criminology conditional on the open character of this science and the necessity of its further development are given. The narrow-purpose character of criminological researches is noted: trivial subject matter; the criminologists’ lack of psychological, psychiatric, economical, historical, biological, ethnological and other knowledge; insufficiency of complex interdisciplinary works and empirical studies. Different viewpoints on the type of criminologists’ education are analyzed. That emphasizes the necessity of cooperation between criminology and other sciences, such as: sociology, demography, culturology, psychology, economics, pedagogics, psychiatry, ethnology, history, biology, political science, philosophy and others. The phenomenon of criminology is argued: it studies a “bad”, criminal, immoral person unlike other sciences (it belongs to the number of sciences which object is person. The main parameter of criminology as a science is examined – its subject which allows to distinguish it from other legal disciplines especially from criminal law. New aspects of interconnection between criminology and criminal procedure, criminalistics, the theory of investigation activity and criminal executive law are shown. The stable connections with family law, banking law, financial law and administrative law are considered. The author emphasizes the significant potential of developing criminology in its connection with nonlegal sciences: sociology, psychiatry, economics, statistics, psychology (including criminal psychology, biology and philosophy. It is noted that prospects and progress of criminology are possible only in its cooperation with other sciences.

Interdisciplinary Professional Development Needs of Cooperative Extension Field Educators

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Sondgerath, Travis

2016-01-01

The study discussed in this article sought to identify cross-program professional development needs of county-based Extension professionals (field educators). The study instrument was completed by 105 county-based Extension professionals. Interdisciplinary topics, such as program evaluation and volunteer management, were identified as subjects of…

Realization of Interdisciplinary Communications of Fundamental Disciplines and Disciplines of Mathematical Cycle in the Preparation of Future Programmers

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Miсhaеl Lvov

2016-02-01

Full Text Available The article is devoted to interdisciplinary communication in the process of preparation of the future programmers and implementation of the basic principles of these relations in the study of disciplines of professional and practical training and math courses. The article deals with the role of interdisciplinary connections, as well as their function and significance for the formation of cognitive activity, independence and positive learning motivation. The focus is on methodological aspects of realization of interdisciplinary communications at studying basic disciplines of training future programmers and disciplines of mathematical cycle. In particular, the issues of realization of interdisciplinary communications during the study such disciplines as "Computer graphics, computational geometry," "Basics of algorithms and programming", "Programming Technologies" and the course "Analytical geometry and linear algebra", which included in to normative part of the training of programmers. This article describes the theoretical aspects of the implementation of interdisciplinary connections in the study of these disciplines, as well as examples of practical tasks with which these relationships can be implemented most effectively during training

Interdisciplinary Study of Numerical Methods and Power Plants Engineering

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Ioana OPRIS

2014-08-01

Full Text Available The development of technology, electronics and computing opened the way for a cross-disciplinary research that brings benefits by combining the achievements of different fields. To prepare the students for their future interdisciplinary approach,aninterdisciplinary teaching is adopted. This ensures their progress in knowledge, understanding and ability to navigate through different fields. Aiming these results, the Universities introduce new interdisciplinary courses which explore complex problems by studying subjects from different domains. The paper presents a problem encountered in designingpower plants. The method of solvingthe problem isused to explain the numerical methods and to exercise programming.The goal of understanding a numerical algorithm that solves a linear system of equations is achieved by using the knowledge of heat transfer to design the regenerative circuit of a thermal power plant. In this way, the outcomes from the prior courses (mathematics and physics are used to explain a new subject (numerical methods and to advance future ones (power plants.

Under-5 mortality in 2851 Chinese counties, 1996-2012: a subnational assessment of achieving MDG 4 goals in China.

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Wang, Yanping; Li, Xiaohong; Zhou, Maigeng; Luo, Shusheng; Liang, Juan; Liddell, Chelsea A; Coates, Matthew M; Gao, Yanqiu; Wang, Linhong; He, Chunhua; Kang, Chuyun; Liu, Shiwei; Dai, Li; Schumacher, Austin E; Fraser, Maya S; Wolock, Timothy M; Pain, Amanda; Levitz, Carly E; Singh, Lavanya; Coggeshall, Megan; Lind, Margaret; Li, Yichong; Li, Qi; Deng, Kui; Mu, Yi; Deng, Changfei; Yi, Ling; Liu, Zheng; Ma, Xia; Li, Hongtian; Mu, Dezhi; Zhu, Jun; Murray, Christopher J L; Wang, Haidong

2016-01-16

In the past two decades, the under-5 mortality rate in China has fallen substantially, but progress with regards to the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 4 at the subnational level has not been quantified. We aimed to estimate under-5 mortality rates in mainland China for the years 1970 to 2012. We estimated the under-5 mortality rate for 31 provinces in mainland China between 1970 and 2013 with data from censuses, surveys, surveillance sites, and disease surveillance points. We estimated under-5 mortality rates for 2851 counties in China from 1996 to 2012 with the reported child mortality numbers from the Annual Report System on Maternal and Child Health. We used a small area mortality estimation model, spatiotemporal smoothing, and Gaussian process regression to synthesise data and generate consistent provincial and county-level estimates. We compared progress at the county level with what was expected on the basis of income and educational attainment using an econometric model. We computed Gini coefficients to study the inequality of under-5 mortality rates across counties. In 2012, the lowest provincial level under-5 mortality rate in China was about five per 1000 livebirths, lower than in Canada, New Zealand, and the USA. The highest provincial level under-5 mortality rate in China was higher than that of Bangladesh. 29 provinces achieved a decrease in under-5 mortality rates twice as fast as the MDG 4 target rate; only two provinces will not achieve MDG 4 by 2015. Although some counties in China have under-5 mortality rates similar to those in the most developed nations in 2012, some have similar rates to those recorded in Burkina Faso and Cameroon. Despite wide differences, the inter-county Gini coefficient has been decreasing. Improvement in maternal education and the economic boom have contributed to the fall in child mortality; more than 60% of the counties in China had rates of decline in under-5 mortality rates significantly faster than expected. Fast

Health financing at district level in Malawi: an analysis of the distribution of funds at two points in time.

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Borghi, Josephine; Munthali, Spy; Million, Lameck B; Martinez-Alvarez, Melisa

2018-01-01

There is growing attention to tracking country level resource flows to health, but limited evidence on the sub-national allocation of funds. We examined district health financing in Malawi in 2006 and 2011, and equity in the allocation of funding, together with the association between financing and under five and neonatal mortality. We explored the process for receiving and allocating different funding sources at district level. We obtained domestic and external financing data from the Integrated Financial Management Information System (2006-11) and AidData (2000-12) databases. Out-of-pocket payment data came from two rounds of integrated household budget surveys (2005; 2010). Mortality data came from the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (2006) and Demographic and Health Survey (2010). We described district level health funding by source, ran correlations between funding and outcomes and generated concentration curves and indices. 41 semi-structured interviews were conducted at the national level and in 10 districts with finance and health managers. Per capita spending from all sources varied substantially across districts and doubled between 2006 and 2011 from 7181 Kwacha to 15 312 Kwacha. In 2011, external funding accounted for 74% of funds, with domestic funding accounting for 19% of expenditure, and out of pocket (OOP) funding accounting for 7%. All funding sources were concentrated among wealthier districts, with OOP being the most pro-rich, followed by domestic expenditure and external funding. Districts with higher levels of domestic and external funding had lower levels of post-neonatal mortality, and those with higher levels of out-of-pocket payments had higher levels of 1-59 month mortality in 2006. There was no association between changes in financing and outcomes. Districts reported delayed receipt of lower-than-budgeted funds, forcing them to scale-down activities and rely on external funding. Governments need to track how resources are allocated

The Advanced Interdisciplinary Research Laboratory: A Student Team Approach to the Fourth-Year Research Thesis Project Experience

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Piunno, Paul A. E.; Boyd, Cleo; Barzda, Virginijus; Gradinaru, Claudiu C.; Krull, Ulrich J.; Stefanovic, Sasa; Stewart, Bryan

2014-01-01

The advanced interdisciplinary research laboratory (AIRLab) represents a novel, effective, and motivational course designed from the interdisciplinary research interests of chemistry, physics, biology, and education development faculty members as an alternative to the independent thesis project experience. Student teams are assembled to work…

New perspectives on interdisciplinary earth science at the Dead Sea: The DESERVE project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kottmeier, Christoph; Agnon, Amotz; Al-Halbouni, Djamil; Alpert, Pinhas; Corsmeier, Ulrich; Dahm, Torsten; Eshel, Adam; Geyer, Stefan; Haas, Michael; Holohan, Eoghan; Kalthoff, Norbert; Kishcha, Pavel; Krawczyk, Charlotte; Lati, Joseph; Laronne, Jonathan B.; Lott, Friederike; Mallast, Ulf; Merz, Ralf; Metzger, Jutta; Mohsen, Ayman

2016-01-01

The Dead Sea region has faced substantial environmental challenges in recent decades, including water resource scarcity, ~ 1 m annual decreases in the water level, sinkhole development, ascending-brine freshwater pollution, and seismic disturbance risks. Natural processes are significantly affected by human interference as well as by climate change and tectonic developments over the long term. To get a deep understanding of processes and their interactions, innovative scientific approaches that integrate disciplinary research and education are required. The research project DESERVE (Helmholtz Virtual Institute Dead Sea Research Venue) addresses these challenges in an interdisciplinary approach that includes geophysics, hydrology, and meteorology. The project is implemented by a consortium of scientific institutions in neighboring countries of the Dead Sea (Israel, Jordan, Palestine Territories) and participating German Helmholtz Centres (KIT, GFZ, UFZ). A new monitoring network of meteorological, hydrological, and seismic/geodynamic stations has been established, and extensive field research and numerical simulations have been undertaken. For the first time, innovative measurement and modeling techniques have been applied to the extreme conditions of the Dead Sea and its surroundings. The preliminary results show the potential of these methods. First time ever performed eddy covariance measurements give insight into the governing factors of Dead Sea evaporation. High-resolution bathymetric investigations reveal a strong correlation between submarine springs and neo-tectonic patterns. Based on detailed studies of stratigraphy and borehole information, the extension of the subsurface drainage basin of the Dead Sea is now reliably estimated. Originality has been achieved in monitoring flash floods in an arid basin at its outlet and simultaneously in tributaries, supplemented by spatio-temporal rainfall data. Low-altitude, high resolution photogrammetry, allied to

New perspectives on interdisciplinary earth science at the Dead Sea: The DESERVE project

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kottmeier, Christoph, E-mail: Christoph.Kottmeier@kit.edu [Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Hermann von Helmholtz Platz 1, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen (Germany); Agnon, Amotz [The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem (Israel); Al-Halbouni, Djamil [GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Telegrafenberg, 14473 Potsdam (Germany); Alpert, Pinhas [Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv-Yafo (Israel); Corsmeier, Ulrich [Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Hermann von Helmholtz Platz 1, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen (Germany); Dahm, Torsten [GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Telegrafenberg, 14473 Potsdam (Germany); Eshel, Adam [Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv-Yafo (Israel); Geyer, Stefan [Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research GmbH — UFZ, Theodor-Lieser-Strasse 4, 06120 Halle (Germany); Haas, Michael; Holohan, Eoghan [GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Telegrafenberg, 14473 Potsdam (Germany); Kalthoff, Norbert [Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Hermann von Helmholtz Platz 1, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen (Germany); Kishcha, Pavel [Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv-Yafo (Israel); Krawczyk, Charlotte [Leibniz Institute for Applied Geophysics (LIAG), Stilleweg 2, 30655 Hannover (Germany); Lati, Joseph [Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv-Yafo (Israel); Laronne, Jonathan B. [Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Be' er Sheva (Israel); Lott, Friederike [Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Hermann von Helmholtz Platz 1, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen (Germany); Mallast, Ulf; Merz, Ralf [Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research GmbH — UFZ, Theodor-Lieser-Strasse 4, 06120 Halle (Germany); Metzger, Jutta [Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Hermann von Helmholtz Platz 1, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen (Germany); Mohsen, Ayman [An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine (Country Unknown); and others

2016-02-15

The Dead Sea region has faced substantial environmental challenges in recent decades, including water resource scarcity, ~ 1 m annual decreases in the water level, sinkhole development, ascending-brine freshwater pollution, and seismic disturbance risks. Natural processes are significantly affected by human interference as well as by climate change and tectonic developments over the long term. To get a deep understanding of processes and their interactions, innovative scientific approaches that integrate disciplinary research and education are required. The research project DESERVE (Helmholtz Virtual Institute Dead Sea Research Venue) addresses these challenges in an interdisciplinary approach that includes geophysics, hydrology, and meteorology. The project is implemented by a consortium of scientific institutions in neighboring countries of the Dead Sea (Israel, Jordan, Palestine Territories) and participating German Helmholtz Centres (KIT, GFZ, UFZ). A new monitoring network of meteorological, hydrological, and seismic/geodynamic stations has been established, and extensive field research and numerical simulations have been undertaken. For the first time, innovative measurement and modeling techniques have been applied to the extreme conditions of the Dead Sea and its surroundings. The preliminary results show the potential of these methods. First time ever performed eddy covariance measurements give insight into the governing factors of Dead Sea evaporation. High-resolution bathymetric investigations reveal a strong correlation between submarine springs and neo-tectonic patterns. Based on detailed studies of stratigraphy and borehole information, the extension of the subsurface drainage basin of the Dead Sea is now reliably estimated. Originality has been achieved in monitoring flash floods in an arid basin at its outlet and simultaneously in tributaries, supplemented by spatio-temporal rainfall data. Low-altitude, high resolution photogrammetry, allied to

Interdisciplinary methods and practices for integrating social sciences into studies on catchment evolution

Science.gov (United States)

Carr, G.

2017-12-01

Real world problems rarely regard disciplinary boundaries. This is particularly apparent in catchments, where knowledge and understanding from many different research disciplines is essential to address the water resource challenges facing society. People are an integral part of any catchment. Therefore a comprehensive understanding of catchment evolution needs to include the social system. Socio-hydrological models that can simulate the co-evolution of human-water systems, for example, with regards to floods and droughts, show great promise in their capacity to capture and understand such systems. Yet, to develop socio-hydrological models into more comprehensive analysis tools that adequately capture the social components of the system, researchers need to embrace interdisciplinary working and multi-disciplinary research teams. By exploring the development of interdisciplinary research in a water programme, several key practices have been identified that support interdisciplinary collaboration. These include clarification where researchers discuss and re-explain their research or position to expose all the assumptions being made until all involved understand it; harnessing differences where different opinions and types of knowledge are treated respectfully to minimise tensions and disputes; and boundary setting where defensible limits to the research enquiry are set with consideration for the restrictions (funds, skills, resources) through negotiation and discussion between the research team members. Focussing on these research practices while conducting interdisciplinary collaborative research into the human-water system, is anticipated to support the development of more integrated approaches and models.

Creating Interdisciplinary STEM Environments at the University of Nebraska at Omaha

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Shuster, R. D.; Grandgenett, N. F.

2010-12-01

Effective, integrated and interdisciplinary STEM environments depend upon strong faculty collaboration. During the past decade, the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) has put an emphasis on STEM faculty working together across departments, colleges, and the university system, as well as with local school systems. Supported by a University-wide Content and Pedagogy Committee and a new Office of STEM Education, faculty members have aggressively undertaken and evaluated various interdisciplinary STEM activities. This presentation will briefly describe three of these projects, including evaluation-related data and UNO support mechanisms. First, an interdisciplinary student research project has been developed involving our introductory geology and chemistry courses. The project includes collecting drinking water samples from around Omaha by geology students, the chemical analysis of drinking water by chemistry students, followed by water quality analysis of the chemical data by the geology students. Students learn about the scientific method, potential problems with project design, and limitations of interpretation of real data, while also applying knowledge learned in the class to this real world problem. This project reaches ~600 undergraduate students each year and requires close cooperation between faculty of the Chemistry and Geology programs. Evaluation data indicates that this project has had a positive impact on student attitude towards science in general and towards geology and chemistry in particular. The second project highlighted will be the Silicon Prairie Initiative for Robotics in Information Technology (SPIRIT). The SPIRIT project is a NSF funded collaboration between the UNO College of Education, the University of Nebraska at Lincoln College of Engineering, and local school systems. It strives to integrate the use of educational robotics and sensors in the teaching of STEM topics, particularly at the middle school and high school levels. The project

Interdisciplinary action of nurses to children with suspected sexual abuse

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Lia Leão Ciuffo

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Objective. Understanding the role of nurses as members of interdisciplinary teams in the care of children with suspected sexual abuse. Methodology. This is a qualitative research based on the sociological phenomenology of Alfred Schutz. In 2008 were interviewed eleven nurses who worked in reference institutions for the care of child victims of sexual abuse in Rio de Janeiro. Results. The category called 'Interacting with other professionals in child care' emerged from the analysis of performance of professionals. The intersubjective relations between the nurses and the interdisciplinary team will enable to understand the intent of care from the perspective of social, emotional and psychological needs of children and their families. Conclusion. Interdisciplinarity favored the development of actions based on acceptance, listening and agreements on possible solutions in the care of children with suspected sexual abuse.

Interdisciplinary Cooperation in the Exploration of appropriate sites for the Radioactive Waste Deposition

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Jozef Slavkovský

2007-01-01

Full Text Available The article deals with the interdisciplinary cooperation in the processes of exploration of appropriate sites for radioactive waste deposits. This work is based on trends in the environmental laws for radioactive wastes. For the exploration, a knowledge about the geological structures, properties of rocks and safety manipulation with radioactive wastes are necessary. The interdisciplinary cooperation is needed with geophysics to define the particularly hazardous areas of an earthquake shaking. In this article, a method of the seismic analysis by Ricker impuls and Gabor´s function are presented.

A multimethod analysis of shared decision-making in hospice interdisciplinary team meetings including family caregivers.

Science.gov (United States)

Washington, Karla T; Oliver, Debra Parker; Gage, L Ashley; Albright, David L; Demiris, George

2016-03-01

Much of the existing research on shared decision-making in hospice and palliative care focuses on the provider-patient dyad; little is known about shared decision-making that is inclusive of family members of patients with advanced disease. We sought to describe shared decision-making as it occurred in hospice interdisciplinary team meetings that included family caregivers as participants using video-conferencing technology. We conducted a multimethod study in which we used content and thematic analysis techniques to analyze video-recordings of hospice interdisciplinary team meetings (n = 100), individual interviews of family caregivers (n = 73) and hospice staff members (n = 78), and research field notes. Participants in the original studies from which data for this analysis were drawn were hospice family caregivers and staff members employed by one of five different community-based hospice agencies located in the Midwestern United States. Shared decision-making occurred infrequently in hospice interdisciplinary team meetings that included family caregivers. Barriers to shared decision-making included time constraints, communication skill deficits, unaddressed emotional needs, staff absences, and unclear role expectations. The hospice philosophy of care, current trends in healthcare delivery, the interdisciplinary nature of hospice teams, and the designation of a team leader/facilitator supported shared decision-making. The involvement of family caregivers in hospice interdisciplinary team meetings using video-conferencing technology creates a useful platform for shared decision-making; however, steps must be taken to transform family caregivers from meeting attendees to shared decision-makers. © The Author(s) 2015.

Organizational Influences on Interdisciplinary Interactions during Research and Design of Large-Scale Complex Engineered Systems

Science.gov (United States)

McGowan, Anna-Maria R.; Seifert, Colleen M.; Papalambros, Panos Y.

2012-01-01

The design of large-scale complex engineered systems (LaCES) such as an aircraft is inherently interdisciplinary. Multiple engineering disciplines, drawing from a team of hundreds to thousands of engineers and scientists, are woven together throughout the research, development, and systems engineering processes to realize one system. Though research and development (R&D) is typically focused in single disciplines, the interdependencies involved in LaCES require interdisciplinary R&D efforts. This study investigates the interdisciplinary interactions that take place during the R&D and early conceptual design phases in the design of LaCES. Our theoretical framework is informed by both engineering practices and social science research on complex organizations. This paper provides preliminary perspective on some of the organizational influences on interdisciplinary interactions based on organization theory (specifically sensemaking), data from a survey of LaCES experts, and the authors experience in the research and design. The analysis reveals couplings between the engineered system and the organization that creates it. Survey respondents noted the importance of interdisciplinary interactions and their significant benefit to the engineered system, such as innovation and problem mitigation. Substantial obstacles to interdisciplinarity are uncovered beyond engineering that include communication and organizational challenges. Addressing these challenges may ultimately foster greater efficiencies in the design and development of LaCES and improved system performance by assisting with the collective integration of interdependent knowledge bases early in the R&D effort. This research suggests that organizational and human dynamics heavily influence and even constrain the engineering effort for large-scale complex systems.

Translating concerns into action: a detailed qualitative evaluation of an interdisciplinary intervention on medical wards

Science.gov (United States)

Archer, Stephanie; Johnston, Maximillian J; Beveridge, Iain; Long, Susannah Jane; Athanasiou, Thanos; Sevdalis, Nick

2017-01-01

Objectives To understand how frontline reports of day-to-day care failings might be better translated into improvement. Design Qualitative evaluation of an interdisciplinary team intervention capitalising on the frontline experience of care delivery. Prospective clinical team surveillance (PCTS) involved structured interdisciplinary briefings to capture challenges in care delivery, facilitated organisational escalation of the issues they identified, and feedback. Eighteen months of ethnography and two focus groups were conducted with staff taking part in a trial of PCTS. Results PCTS fostered psychological safety—a confidence that the team would not embarrass or punish those who speak up. This was complemented by a hard edge of accountability, whereby team members would regulate their own behaviour in anticipation of future briefings. Frontline concerns were triaged to managers, or resolved autonomously by ward teams, reversing what had been well-established normalisations of deviance. Junior clinicians found a degree of catharsis in airing their concerns, and their teams became more proactive in addressing improvement opportunities. PCTS generated tangible organisational changes, and enabled managers to make a convincing case for investment. However, briefings were constrained by the need to preserve professional credibility, and staff found some comfort in avoiding accountability. At higher organisational levels, frontline concerns were subject to competition with other priorities, and their resolution was limited by the scale of the challenges they described. Conclusions Prospective safety strategies relying on staff-volunteered data produce acceptable, negotiated accounts, subject to the many interdisciplinary tensions that characterise ward work. Nonetheless, these strategies give managers access to the realities of frontline cares, and support frontline staff to make incremental changes in their daily work. These are goals for learning healthcare

Interdisciplinary island studies: connecting the social sciences, natural sciences and humanities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sietze J. Norder

2016-11-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we present the outline of an interdisciplinary undergraduate course entitled: “Islands: Models for our Planet – Metaphors for our World”, and will reflect on insights gained during its development and teaching in two consecutive academic years (2014-2015; 2015-2016. The main challenge faced during the development and teaching of this interdisciplinary course was to introduce a wide range of topics in a coherent way. For this reason, a theoretical framework was developed to guide students throughout their learning process and to structure the content of the course. The developed course materials are shared in the supplementary materials of this paper to facilitate colleagues around the world who are teaching a course in island studies.

Interdisciplinary Project Experiences: Collaboration between Majors and Non-Majors

Science.gov (United States)

Smarkusky, Debra L.; Toman, Sharon A.

2014-01-01

Students in computer science and information technology should be engaged in solving real-world problems received from government and industry as well as those that expose them to various areas of application. In this paper, we discuss interdisciplinary project experiences between majors and non-majors that offered a creative and innovative…

An interdisciplinary approach to design at the University of Pretoria ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This article investigates the implementation of an interdisciplinary approach to Design in Architecture, Landscape Architecture and Interior Architecture at the University of Pretoria, South Africa. Architecture, Landscape Architecture and Interior Architecture were previously offered as distinctive academic disciplines, located ...

Hydrology: The interdisciplinary science of water

Science.gov (United States)

Vogel, Richard M.; Lall, Upmanu; Cai, Ximing; Rajagopalan, Balaji; Weiskel, Peter K.; Hooper, Richard P.; Matalas, Nicholas C.

2015-01-01

We live in a world where biophysical and social processes are tightly coupled. Hydrologic systems change in response to a variety of natural and human forces such as climate variability and change, water use and water infrastructure, and land cover change. In turn, changes in hydrologic systems impact socioeconomic, ecological, and climate systems at a number of scales, leading to a coevolution of these interlinked systems. The Harvard Water Program, Hydrosociology, Integrated Water Resources Management, Ecohydrology, Hydromorphology, and Sociohydrology were all introduced to provide distinct, interdisciplinary perspectives on water problems to address the contemporary dynamics of human interaction with the hydrosphere and the evolution of the Earth’s hydrologic systems. Each of them addresses scientific, social, and engineering challenges related to how humans influence water systems and vice versa. There are now numerous examples in the literature of how holistic approaches can provide a structure and vision of the future of hydrology. We review selected examples, which taken together, describe the type of theoretical and applied integrated hydrologic analyses and associated curricular content required to address the societal issue of water resources sustainability. We describe a modern interdisciplinary science of hydrology needed to develop an in-depth understanding of the dynamics of the connectedness between human and natural systems and to determine effective solutions to resolve the complex water problems that the world faces today. Nearly, every theoretical hydrologic model introduced previously is in need of revision to accommodate how climate, land, vegetation, and socioeconomic factors interact, change, and evolve over time.

How journal rankings can suppress interdisciplinary research. A comparison between Innovation Studies and Business & Management

OpenAIRE

Rafols, Ismael; Leydesdorff, Loet; O'Hare, Alice; Nightingale, Paul; Stirling, Andy

2011-01-01

This study provides quantitative evidence on how the use of journal rankings can disadvantage interdisciplinary research in research evaluations. Using publication and citation data, it compares the degree of interdisciplinarity and the research performance of a number of Innovation Studies units with that of leading Business & Management schools in the UK. On the basis of various mappings and metrics, this study shows that: (i) Innovation Studies units are consistently more interdisciplinary...

Epilogue: The study of care in cross cultural, interdisciplinary ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

No abstract available for this article... Keywords: care in cross culture, interdisciplinary perspective. Research Review Supplement 16 (2004: 95-101). AJOL African Journals Online. HOW TO USE AJOL... for Researchers · for Librarians · for Authors · FAQ's · More about AJOL · AJOL's Partners · Terms and Conditions of Use ...

International Interdisciplinary Research Institute Project in Senegal

Science.gov (United States)

Gueye, Paul

2010-02-01

The project of an interdisciplinary research institute in Senegal was initiated in 1993 in Senegal (West Africa) and became a template for a similar project in the US in 1999. Since then, numerous meetings and presentations have been held at various national and international institutions, workshops and conferences. The current development of this partnership includes drafts for a full design of all systems at each facility, as well as the physics, applied health and educational programs to be implemented. The Senegal facility was conceived for scientific capacity building and equally to act as a focal point aimed at using the local scientific expertise. An anticipated outcome would be a contribution to the reduction of an ever-growing brain drain process suffered by the country, and the African continent in general. The development of the project led also to a strong African orientation of the facility: built for international collaboration, it is to be a pan-African endeavor and to serve primarily African countries. The facility received a presidential approval in a 2003 meeting and will develop an interdisciplinary program centered on a strong materials science research which will also allow for the establishment of an advanced analytical (physical chemistry) laboratory. A central part of the facility will be linked to state-of-the art accelerator mass spectrometry, cyclotron and low energy electromagnetic accelerator systems. )

Improvements in CanMEDS competencies for medical students in an interdisciplinary and voluntary setting

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lyhne, Mads Dam; Lyhne, Johanne Dam

2014-01-01

. Innovative opportunities are needed for medical students to develop as participants in a world of interdisciplinary health care. METHODS: We founded a volunteer-based, interdisciplinary, student-run project called SUNDdag (HEALTHday) with 60 students from 12 different educational backgrounds. To evaluate...... seven roles except for "medical expert". They reported an increased understanding of the non-health-related students' skills. CONCLUSION: In their future careers, medical students must collaborate with health care professionals in a team-based approach to patient care and with non...

Interdisciplinary research and education in the Vienna Doctoral Programme on Water Resource Systems: a framework for evaluation

Science.gov (United States)

Bloeschl, G.; Carr, G.; Loucks, D. P.

2017-12-01

Greater understanding of how interdisciplinary research and education evolves is critical for identifying and implementing appropriate programme management strategies. We propose a program evaluation framework that is based on social learning processes (individual learning, interdisciplinary research practices, and interaction between researchers with different backgrounds); social capital outcomes (ability to interact, interpersonal connectivity, and shared understanding); and knowledge and human capital outcomes (new knowledge that integrates multiple research fields). The framework is tested on established case study doctoral program: the Vienna Doctoral Program on Water Resource Systems. Data are collected via mixed qualitative/quantitative methods that include semi-structured interviews, publication co-author analysis, analysis of research proposals, categorisation of the interdisciplinarity of publications and graduate analysis. Through the evaluation and analysis, several interesting findings about how interdisciplinary research evolves and can be supported are identified. Firstly, different aspects of individual learning seem to contribute to a researcher's ability to interact with researchers from other research fields and work collaboratively. These include learning new material from different research fields, learning how to learn new material and learning how to integrate different material. Secondly, shared interdisciplinary research practices can be identified that may be common to other programs and support interaction and shared understanding between different researchers. They include clarification and questioning, harnessing differences and setting defensible research boundaries. Thirdly, intensive interaction between researchers from different backgrounds support connectivity between the researchers, further enabling cross-disciplinary collaborative work. The case study data suggest that social learning processes and social capital outcomes

The intelligent career framework as a basis for interdisciplinary inquiry

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Parker, P.; Khapova, S.N.; Arthur, M.B.

2009-01-01

This paper examines how separate behavioral science disciplines can be brought together to more fully understand the dynamics of contemporary careers. We adopt one interdisciplinary framework - that of the "intelligent career" - and use it to examine how separate disciplinary approaches relate to

Interdisciplinary Entrepreneurial Leadership Education and the Development of Agricultural Innovators

Science.gov (United States)

Mars, Matthew M.

2015-01-01

This article qualitatively explores the potential of entrepreneurial leadership curricula to encourage interdisciplinary interest in agricultural issues and prompt diverse student engagement in agricultural leadership and innovation. The study focuses specifically on the activities and perspectives of 15 undergraduate students who completed an…

An exploration of knowledge integration problems in interdisciplinary research teams

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bayerl, P.S.; Steinheider, B.

2009-01-01

The integration of function-specific expertise into a shared knowledge base is a crucial, but complex process for success in interdisciplinary teams. This paper presents an empirically derived typology of knowledge integration problems and links their occurrence to degree of heterogeneity and

Crossing Borders: An Online Interdisciplinary Course in Health Informatics for Students From Two Countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Fossum, Mariann; Fruhling, Ann; Moe, Carl Erik; Thompson, Cheryl Bagley

2017-04-01

A cross-countries and interprofessional novel approach for delivering an international interdisciplinary graduate health informatics course online is presented. Included in this discussion are the challenges, lessons learned, and pedagogical recommendations from the experiences of teaching the course. Four professors from three different fields and from three universities collaborated in offering an international health informatics course for an interdisciplinary group of 18 US and seven Norwegian students. Highly motivated students and professors, an online technology infrastructure that supported asynchronously communication and course delivery, the ability to adapt the curriculum to meet the pedagogy requirements at all universities, and the support of higher administration for international collaboration were enablers for success. This project demonstrated the feasibility and advantages of an interdisciplinary, interprofessional, and cross-countries approach in teaching health informatics online. Students were able to establish relationships and conduct professional conversations across disciplines and international boundaries using content management software. This graduate course can be used as a part of informatics, computer science, and/or health science programs.

The development of a gender identity psychosocial clinic: treatment issues, logistical considerations, interdisciplinary cooperation, and future initiatives.

Science.gov (United States)

Leibowitz, Scott F; Spack, Norman P

2011-10-01

Few interdisciplinary treatment programs that tend to the needs of youth with gender nonconforming behaviors, expressions, and identities exist in academic medical centers with formal residency training programs. Despite this, the literature provides evidence that these youth have higher rates of poor psychosocial adjustment and suicide attempts. This article explores the logistical considerations involved in developing a specialized interdisciplinary service to these gender minority youth in accordance with the existing treatment guidelines.Demographic data will be presented and treatment issues will be explored. The impact that a specialized interdisciplinary treatment program has on clinical expansion, research development, education and training, and community outreach initiatives is discussed.

Interdisciplinary collaboration in gerontology and geriatrics in Latin America: conceptual approaches and health care teams.

Science.gov (United States)

Gomez, Fernando; Curcio, Carmen Lucia

2013-01-01

The underlying rationale to support interdisciplinary collaboration in geriatrics and gerontology is based on the complexity of elderly care. The most important characteristic about interdisciplinary health care teams for older people in Latin America is their subjective-basis framework. In other regions, teams are organized according to a theoretical knowledge basis with well-justified priorities, functions, and long-term goals, in Latin America teams are arranged according to subjective interests on solving their problems. Three distinct approaches of interdisciplinary collaboration in gerontology are proposed. The first approach is grounded in the scientific rationalism of European origin. Denominated "logical-rational approach," its core is to identify the significance of knowledge. The second approach is grounded in pragmatism and is more associated with a North American tradition. The core of this approach consists in enhancing the skills and competences of each participant; denominated "logical-instrumental approach." The third approach denominated "logical-subjective approach" has a Latin America origin. Its core consists in taking into account the internal and emotional dimensions of the team. These conceptual frameworks based in geographical contexts will permit establishing the differences and shared characteristics of interdisciplinary collaboration in geriatrics and gerontology to look for operational answers to solve the "complex problems" of older adults.

Interdisciplinary Team-Teaching Experience for a Computer and Nuclear Energy Course for Electrical and Computer Engineering Students

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Charles; Jackson, Deborah; Keiller, Peter

2016-01-01

A new, interdisciplinary, team-taught course has been designed to educate students in Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) so that they can respond to global and urgent issues concerning computer control systems in nuclear power plants. This paper discusses our experience and assessment of the interdisciplinary computer and nuclear energy…

Cocitation or Capacity-Building? Defining Success within an Interdisciplinary, Sustainability Science Team

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abby J. Roche

2017-10-01

Full Text Available To address gaps in knowledge and to tackle complex social–ecological problems, scientific research is moving toward studies that integrate multiple disciplines and ways of knowing to explore all parts of a system. Yet, how these efforts are being measured and how they are deemed successful is an up-and-coming and pertinent conversation within interdisciplinary research spheres. Using a grounded theory approach, this study addresses how members of a sustainability science-focused team at a Northeastern U.S. university funded by a large, National Science Foundation (NSF grant contend with deeply normative dimensions of interdisciplinary research team success. Based on semi-structured interviews (N = 24 with researchers (e.g., faculty and graduate students involved in this expansive, interdisciplinary team, this study uses participants’ narrative accounts to progress our understanding of success on sustainability science teams and addresses the tensions arising between differing visions of success present within the current literature, and perpetuated by U.S. funding agencies like NSF. Study findings reveal that team members are forming definitions of interdisciplinary success that both align with, and depart from, those appearing in the literature. More specifically, some respondents’ notions of team success appear to mirror currently recognized outcomes in traditional academic settings (i.e., purpose driven outcomes—citations, receipt of grant funding, etc.. At the same time, just as many other respondents describe success as involving elements of collaborative research not traditionally acknowledged as a forms of “success” in their own right (i.e., capacity building processes and outcomes—relationship formation, deep understandings of distinct epistemologies, etc.. Study results contribute to more open and informed discussions about how we gauge success within sustainability science collaborations, forming a foundation for

The Use of Mathematical Modeling in an Interdisciplinary Setting.

Science.gov (United States)

Harshbarger, Ronald J.; Upshaw, Jane

The University of South Carolina at Hilton Head offers a major in Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism Administration (HRTA). Many students in the HRTA major take both the HRTA Tourism course and a business calculus course. An interdisciplinary research project was designed in an effort to interest these students in the power of calculus as a…

INTERDISCIPLINARY MODULE IN PREVENTION AND HEALTH PROMOTION IN POPULATION HEALTH FOR OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY AND PHYSIOTHERAPY STUDENTS

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brandt, Jørgen

-operate towards appropriate solutions. The groups suggest and present preventive and health promotion solutions and strategies especially designed for this particular situation. The groups are supervised by an interdisciplinary team of occupational therapy and physiotherapy lecturers. In addition......PURPOSE: The purpose is to provide physiotherapy and occupational therapy students at the University College Cvu vita in Holstebro, Denmark, the opportunity to develop competences for interdisciplinary working situations concerning promotion of population health. RELEVANCE: The Danish Ministry...... of the Interior and Health participates in co-operation within the European Union on health areas, which focuses on efforts with respect to public health (Article 152 of the Treaty on EU). The curricula for both educations underline the importance of preparing the students for interdisciplinary co...

Promoting Diversity Through Polar Interdisciplinary Coordinated Education (Polar ICE)

Science.gov (United States)

McDonnell, J. D.; Hotaling, L. A.; Garza, C.; Van Dyk, P. B.; Hunter-thomson, K. I.; Middendorf, J.; Daniel, A.; Matsumoto, G. I.; Schofield, O.

2017-12-01

Polar Interdisciplinary Coordinated Education (ICE) is an education and outreach program designed to provide public access to the Antarctic and Arctic regions through polar data and interactions with the scientists. The program provides multi-faceted science communication training for early career scientists that consist of a face-to face workshop and opportunities to apply these skills. The key components of the scientist training workshop include cultural competency training, deconstructing/decoding science for non-expert audiences, the art of telling science stories, and networking with members of the education and outreach community and reflecting on communication skills. Scientists partner with educators to provide professional development for K-12 educators and support for student research symposia. Polar ICE has initiated a Polar Literacy initiative that provides both a grounding in big ideas in polar science and science communication training designed to underscore the importance of the Polar Regions to the public while promoting interdisciplinary collaborations between scientists and educators. Our ultimate objective is to promote STEM identity through professional development of scientists and educators while developing career awareness of STEM pathways in Polar science.

Interdisciplinary treatment of a patient with multiple missing teeth and periodontitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahn, Jae-Chan; Lee, Jae-Hong; Yoon, Joon-Ho; Lee, Ji-Yeon; Kim, Jung-Hoon

2018-02-01

A 49-year-old woman with several missing and periodontically compromised teeth was referred to the orthodontic department of National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital by the periodontic department for interdisciplinary treatment. Multiple posterior teeth had been extracted 10 days earlier. Her chief complaint was crowding of the anterior teeth, and she wanted to improve both esthetics and function. Orthodontic, periodontic, and prosthodontic treatments were undertaken in the proper timing and sequence with an interdisciplinary approach. As a result, improved periodontal health and a stable occlusion and vertical dimension were achieved. Although there were limited teeth and alveolar bone for anchorage, good esthetic and functional treatment results were obtained through the application of temporary anchorage devices and proper biomechanics. Copyright © 2017 American Association of Orthodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Identifying Inputs to Leadership Development within an Interdisciplinary Leadership Minor

Science.gov (United States)

McKim, Aaron J.; Sorensen, Tyson J.; Velez, Jonathan J.

2015-01-01

Researchers conducted a qualitative analysis of students' experiences while enrolled in an interdisciplinary leadership minor with the intent to determine programmatic inputs that spur leadership development. Based on students' reflections, three domains of programmatic inputs for leadership development within the minor were identified. These…

An Interdisciplinary Approach to Success for Underrepresented Students in STEM

Science.gov (United States)

Goonewardene, Anura U.; Offutt, Christine A.; Whitling, Jacqueline; Woodhouse, Donald

2016-01-01

To recruit underrepresented students with demonstrated financial need into STEM disciplines, Lock Haven University established the interdisciplinary Nano Scholars Program, offering National Science Foundation-funded scholarships, academic support, and social support. Small cohort sizes, a student-led science learning community (the Nano Club), and…

Implementing an Interdisciplinary Student Centric Approach to Work-Integrated Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Marchioro, Gary; Ryan, Maria M.; Perkins, Tim

2014-01-01

This paper describes the implementation of an innovative approach to work-integrated learning using interdisciplinary projects within a university Faculty of Business. Further, it discusses the implementation of integrated and authentic assessments involving academic units in the marketing, urban planning and business communication disciplines.…

Interdisciplinary research framework for identifying research needs. Case: bioenergy-biodiversity interlinkages

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Furman, E.; Peltola, T.; Varjopuro, R. (eds.)

2009-05-15

A loss of biological diversity continues in spite of the existing, and in some respects, rather elaborate and heavy attempts at management and protection. It has been argued that one of the reasons for the lack of success is the unmet and challenging knowledge needs. Meeting the needs requires integration of various sciences and expertise, since attempts to manage biodiversity gives rise also to many emerging, complex and political questions. Integration of the disciplines needs practices that are able to overcome practical, institutional and cultural obstacles. ALTER-Net, a European network for research on biological diversity under the 6th framework programme, has aimed to undertake further interdisciplinary research that will feed into the addressing of societal needs. This report describes how the integration of research progressed and succeeded during the five year life span of ALTER-Net. Initially the integration between disciplines was given as an overall goal, which did result in determining concrete practices of integration between the sciences, teams and partner organisations. The analysis shows that in spite of complications an interdisciplinary research approach can evolve in large research networks, but this can happen also through unanticipated channels. A large network allows room for several parallel processes of integration. The report depicts the development of and choices leading to the development of an interdisciplinary research framework for ALTER-Net, the IDR framework. The framework presents a method to enhance interdisciplinary syntheses of emerging policy-relevant issues and to further develop the identification of relevant topics as interdisciplinary research projects. The IDR framework was tested by focusing on the interlinkages between the bioenergy question and biodiversity. The report consists of a synthesis of pressing research needs pertaining to that topic. The report presents how the IDR framework was constructed using a method

Existence and functionality of emergency obstetric care services at district level in Kenya

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Echoka, Elizabeth; Kombe, Yeri; Dubourg, Dominique

2013-01-01

The knowledge on emergency obstetric care (EmOC) is limited in Kenya, where only partial data from sub-national studies exist. The EmOC process indicators have also not been integrated into routine health management information system to monitor progress in safe motherhood interventions both...

Regional Governance Matters

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Charron, Nicholas; Dijkstra, Lewis; Lapuente, Victor

2014-01-01

study presents novel data (European QoG Index – EQI) on the ‘quality of government’ (QoG) – understood as low corruption, impartial public services and rule of law – for national and sub-national levels in twenty-seven European Union countries. The EQI shows notable within-country variations: while...... high-performing regions in Italy and Spain (for example, Bolzano, País Vasco) rank amongst the best European Union regions, others perform well below the European Union average. The index is highly correlated with sub-national levels of socio-economic development and levels of social trust, yet...

The Biology and Chemistry of Brewing: An Interdisciplinary Course

Science.gov (United States)

Hooker, Paul D.; Deutschman, William A.; Avery, Brian J.

2014-01-01

For the past nine years, we have been offering an interdisciplinary course for science majors: The Biology and Chemistry of Brewing. This course is primarily laboratory- and inquiry-based; from a total of 24 h of student/instructor contact time, approximately 6 h are devoted to lecture, and the other 18 h are divided between laboratory exercises,…

Interdisciplinary collaboration and conflict about inclusion and children in difficulties

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Røn Larsen, Maja

My paper builds on the “sub-project C” concerned with: Legislation and administration as institutional conditions for interdisciplinary collaboration about children in difficulties in school. I have been doing the research together within, Stine Jørgensen, who is a researcher at the faculty of law...

An Innovative Interdisciplinary Approach to Providing Internships for College Seniors

Science.gov (United States)

Fuller, Kathy

2015-01-01

The undergraduate Business and Human Development (HD) Departments at California State University San Marcos (CSUSM), are collaborating in an innovative interdisciplinary approach to supporting internships with local businesses in order to provide college seniors with experiences in the area of career development known as the "Senior…

Knacktive: Answering a Call for More Interdisciplinary, Collaborative, Educational Experiences

Science.gov (United States)

Shadinger, David; Toomey, Deborah

2014-01-01

Knacktive is a one-term course that incorporates a highly select group of undergraduate students and replicates the intense teamwork atmosphere of a technology-oriented, professional marketing communication agency. As an interdisciplinary learning opportunity, Knacktive melds students from five disciplines--including art and graphic design,…

Position Paper: Designing Complex Systems to Support Interdisciplinary Cognitive Work

Science.gov (United States)

Greene, Melissa T.; Papalambros, Panos Y.; Mcgowan, Anna-Maria R.

2016-01-01

The paper argues that the field we can call cognitive science of interdisciplinary collaboration is an important area of study for improving design of Large-Scale Complex Systems (LaCES) and supporting cognitive work. The paper mostly raised questions that have been documented in earlier qualitative analysis studies, and provided possible avenues of exploration for addressing them. There are likely further contributions from additional disciplines beyond those mentioned in this paper that should be considered and integrated into such a cognitive science framework. Knowledge and awareness of various perspectives will help to inform the types of interventions available for improving LaCES design and functionality. For example, a cognitive interpretation of interdisciplinary collaborations in LaCES elucidated the need for a "translator" or "mediator" in helping subject matter experts to transcend language boundaries, mitigate single discipline bias, support integrative activities, and correct misaligned objectives. Additional research in this direction is likely to uncover similar gaps and opportunities for improvements in practice.

Critical Pedagogy and APA: A Resonant (and Timely) Interdisciplinary Blend.

Science.gov (United States)

Connolly, Maureen; Harvey, William J

2018-04-12

Critical pedagogy owes much of its emergence, development, and ongoing relevance to the work of Paulo Freire whose legacy remains relevant for a next generation of scholars who seek to explore issues of inclusion, oppression, social justice, and authentic expression. An interdisciplinary dialogue between critical pedagogy and adapted physical activity is timely, appropriate, and should focus on complex profiles of neurodiversity, mental illness, and mental health, with emphasis on pedagogic practices of practitioners in service delivery and teacher educators who prepare them for professional practice. A case-based scenario approach is used to present practitioner and teacher educator practices. Concrete examples are provided for analyzing and understanding deeper issues and challenges related to neurodiversity in a variety of embodied dimensions in educational and activity contexts. We work with Szostak's approach to interdisciplinary research and model an analysis strategy that integrates and applies the methodological features of interdisciplinarity, adapted physical activity, and critical pedagogy.

Interdisciplinary cooperation and studies in geoscience in the Carpathian Basin

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcel MINDRESCU

2012-06-01

Full Text Available An interdisciplinary approach to geoscience is particularly important in this vast research field, as the more innovative studies are increasingly crossing discipline boundaries and thus benefitting from multiple research methods and viewpoints. Grasping this concept has led us to encourage interdisciplinary cooperation by supporting and promoting the creation of “meeting places” able to provide a framework for researchers and scholars involved in geoscience research to find common grounds for discussion and collaboration. Most recently, this was achieved by organizing the 1st Workshop on “Interdisciplinarity in Geosciences in the Carpathian Basin” (IGCB held in the Department of Geography at the University of Suceava (Romania, between the 18th and 22nd October 2012. This event brought together both an international group of scientists and local researchers which created opportunities for collaboration in research topics such as geography, environment, geology and botany, biology and ecology in the Carpathian Basin.

Preparing for an interdisciplinary future: A perspective from early-career researchers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bridle, Helen; Vrieling, A.; Cardillo, Monica; Araya, Yoseph; Hinojosa, Leonith

2013-01-01

Increasingly, research is moving towards more interdisciplinary endeavours. Effective collaboration between people from different disciplines is necessary to maximize the potential benefits of interdisciplinarity for future research activity. This paper analyses an approach to fostering the skills

Diagnostic radiology on multiple injured patients: interdisciplinary management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Linsenmaier, U.; Pfeifer, K.J.; Kanz, K.G.; Mutschler, W.

2001-01-01

The presence of a radiologist within the admitting area of an emergency department and his capability as a member of the trauma team have a major impact on the role of diagnostic radiology in trauma care. The knowledge of clinical decision criteria, algorithms, and standards of patient care are essential for the acceptance within a trauma team. We present an interdisciplinary management concept of diagnostic radiology for trauma patients, which comprises basic diagnosis, organ diagnosis, radiological ABC, and algorithms of early clinical care. It is the result of a prospective study comprising over 2000 documented multiple injured patients. The radiologist on a trauma team should support trauma surgery and anesthesia in diagnostic and clinical work-up. The radiological ABC provides a structured approach for diagnostic imaging in all steps of the early clinical care of the multiple injured patient. Radiological ABC requires a reevaluation in cases of equivocal findings or difficulties in the clinical course. Direct communication of radiological findings with the trauma team enables quick clinical decisions. In addition, the radiologist can priority-oriented influence the therapy by using interventional procedures. The clinical radiologist is an active member of the interdisciplinary trauma team, not only providing diagnostic imaging but also participating in clinical decisions. (orig.) [de

Measurement properties and implementation of a checklist to assess leadership skills during interdisciplinary rounds in the intensive care unit.

Science.gov (United States)

Ten Have, Elsbeth C M; Nap, Raoul E; Tulleken, Jaap E

2015-01-01

The implementation of interdisciplinary teams in the intensive care unit (ICU) has focused attention on leadership behavior. A daily recurrent situation in ICUs in which both leadership behavior and interdisciplinary teamwork are integrated concerns the interdisciplinary rounds (IDRs). Although IDRs are recommended to provide optimal interdisciplinary and patient-centered care, there are no checklists available for leading physicians. We tested the measurement properties and implementation of a checklist to assess the quality of leadership skills in interdisciplinary rounds. The measurement properties of the checklist, which included 10 essential quality indicators, were tested for interrater reliability and internal consistency and by factor analysis. The interrater reliability among 3 raters was good (κ, 0.85) and the internal consistency was acceptable (α, 0.74). Factor analysis showed all factor loadings on 1 domain (>0.65). The checklist was further implemented during videotaped IDRs which were led by senior physicians and in which 99 patients were discussed. Implementation of the checklist showed a wide range of "no" and "yes" scores among the senior physicians. These results may underline the need for such a checklist to ensure tasks are synchronized within the team.

Rural interdisciplinary mental health team building via satellite: a demonstration project.

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Cornish, Peter A; Church, Elizabeth; Callanan, Terrence; Bethune, Cheri; Robbins, Carl; Miller, Robert

2003-01-01

This paper reports on the results of a demonstration project that examined the role of telehealth/telemedicine (hereafter referred to as telehealth) in providing interdisciplinary mental health training and support to health professionals in a rural region of Atlantic Canada. Special emphasis was placed on addressing the question of how training might affect interdisciplinary collaboration among the rural health professionals. Five urban mental health professionals from three disciplines provided training and support via video-satellite and internet, print and video resources to 34 rural health and community professionals. In order to assess the rural community's needs and the impact of the interventions, questionnaires were administered and on-site interviews were conducted before and after the project. Throughout the project, field notes were recorded and satisfaction ratings were obtained. Satisfaction with the video-satellite presentations was high and stable, with the exception of one session when signal quality was very poor. Rural participants were most satisfied with opportunities for interaction and least satisfied with the variable quality of the video transmission signal. High staff turnover among rural professionals resulted in insufficient power to permit statistical analysis. Positive reports of the project impact included expanded knowledge and heightened sensitivity to mental health issues, increased cross-disciplinary connections, and greater cohesion among professionals. The results suggest that, with some refinements, telehealth technology can be used to facilitate mental health training and promote interdisciplinary collaboration among professionals in a rural setting.

Fostering the Self-Renewal of Teachers: An Underutilized Approach to Innovating Interdisciplinary Education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David J. Waters

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Our goal is to call teachers’ attention to the need for selfrenewal, challenging them to consider it a necessary approach to innovating interdisciplinary education. Our prescription for sustained self-renewal: Each teacher assembles a gallery of intellectual heroes — gifted and articulate thinkers — to serve as their own life-long teachers. In this paper, we share our experience teaching a "skills course" to interdisciplinary graduate students in Purdue University’s Center on Aging and the Life Course. The course, titled "To See and To Seize Opportunities", exposes scholars-in-training to an array of skills and attitudes that foster self-renewal and peak performance. Leading educators must work hard to create better opportunities for self-renewal. By envisioning even our best teachers as unfinished and under construction, we open up a new dialogue situating the self-renewal of teachers at the very core of educational excellence across a broad range of disciplines. To innovate interdisciplinary education, we believe it is time for a curricular re-think, emphasizing the importance of a transdisciplinary skills course in which teachers and their students can explore transformative ideas on personal development and self-renewal — in the classroom together.

Interdisciplinary matrix in economics: two applications to the transition from socialism to capitalism.

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Jakimowicz, Aleksander

2009-10-01

The 7-fold interdisciplinary matrix is introduced. This integrated methodological point of view is original, although it is based on ideas of others in various ways. The name for this new approach draws on the Kuhnian notion of a disciplinary matrix. There are four components of the Kuhnian matrix on which the existence of scientific communities hinges: symbolic generalizations, models, values, and exemplars. In this context the term "paradigm" should refer to exemplars. The interdisciplinary matrix is composed of seven elements: cybernetics, catastrophe theory, fractal geometry, deterministic chaos, artificial intelligence, theory of complexity, and humanistic values. Scientific developments have recently brought substantial changes in the structure of scientific communities. Transferability of ideas and thoughts contributed to the creation of scientific communities, which unite representatives of various professions. When researching into certain phenomena we no longer need to develop theories for them from scratch, as we can draw on the achievements in other disciplines. Two examples of the employment of the interdisciplinary matrix in macroeconomics are elaborated here: the investment cycle model in socialist economy, and the model of economic transformation based on chaotic hysteresis.

Interdisciplinary Critical Inquiry: Teaching about the Social Construction of Madness

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Connor-Greene, Patricia A.

2006-01-01

Theories and treatments of mental illness reflect the social, philosophical, and historical context in which they developed. This article describes ways to invite students to grapple with complex questions about "madness" from an interdisciplinary perspective. Looking at the construct of madness through multiple lenses (e.g., literature,…

Higher Education Beyond Faculties: Interdisciplinary Education in Care and Technology.

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Sponselee, Anne-Mie A G; Van Hoof, Joost

2017-01-01

A Centre of Healthcare and Technology of a Dutch University of Applied Sciences, is presented - and illustrated by project examples - to show how the transitions in the sectors of health care and technology can result in interdisciplinary education in care and technology by means of higher education beyond faculties.

Drug Design, Development, and Delivery: An Interdisciplinary Course on Pharmaceuticals

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Prausnitz, Mark R.; Bommarius, Andreas S.

2011-01-01

We developed a new interdisciplinary course on pharmaceuticals to address needs of undergraduate and graduate students in chemical engineering and other departments. This course introduces drug design, development, and delivery in an integrated fashion that provides scientific depth in context with broader impacts in business, policy, and ethics.…

Overcoming parochialism: interdisciplinary training of the generalist team.

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Benson, J A

1997-01-01

The work force that will staff most health care systems of the future will include a complex array of professionals working together in teams. The traditional inpatient model of patient care has been only multidisciplinary--nurses, medical social workers, dietitians, pharmacists, and physicians, all interested in each patient, but with divided responsibilities, training formats, and faculties--whereas interdisciplinary teams openly share decision making, expectations for care, goals for the team, and mutual respect.

Philosophy, history and sociology of science: interdisciplinary relations and complex social identities.

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Riesch, Hauke

2014-12-01

Sociology and philosophy of science have an uneasy relationship, while the marriage of history and philosophy of science has--on the surface at least--been more successful I will take a sociological look at the history of the relationships between philosophy and history as well as philosophy and sociology of science. Interdisciplinary relations between these disciplines will be analysed through social identity complexity theory in oider to draw out some conclusions on how the disciplines interact and how they might develop. I will use the relationships between the disciplines as a pointer for a more general social theory of interdisciplinarity which will then be used to sound a caution on how interdisciplinary relations between the three disciplines might be managed.

Strategies in Interventional Radiology: Formation of an Interdisciplinary Center of Vascular Anomalies - Chances and Challenges for Effective and Efficient Patient Management.

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Sadick, Maliha; Dally, Franz Josef; Schönberg, Stefan O; Stroszczynski, Christian; Wohlgemuth, Walter A

2017-10-01

Background  Radiology is an interdisciplinary field dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of numerous diseases and is involved in the development of multimodal treatment concepts. Method  Interdisciplinary case management, a broad spectrum of diagnostic imaging facilities and dedicated endovascular radiological treatment options are valuable tools that allow radiology to set up an interdisciplinary center for vascular anomalies. Results  Image-based diagnosis combined with endovascular treatment options is an essential tool for the treatment of patients with highly complex vascular diseases. These vascular anomalies can affect numerous parts of the body so that a multidisciplinary treatment approach is required for optimal patient care. Conclusion  This paper discusses the possibilities and challenges regarding effective and efficient patient management in connection with the formation of an interdisciplinary center for vascular anomalies with strengthening of the clinical role of radiologists. Key points   · Vascular anomalies, which include vascular tumors and malformations, are complex to diagnose and treat.. · There are far more patients with vascular anomalies requiring therapy than interdisciplinary centers for vascular anomalies - there is currently a shortage of dedicated interdisciplinary centers for vascular anomalies in Germany that can provide dedicated care for affected patients.. · Radiology includes a broad spectrum of diagnostic and minimally invasive therapeutic tools which allow the formation of an interdisciplinary center for vascular anomalies for effective, efficient and comprehensive patient management.. Citation Format · Sadick M, Dally FJ, Schönberg SO et al. Strategies in Interventional Radiology: Formation of an Interdisciplinary Center of Vascular Anomalies - Chances and Challenges for Effective and Efficient Patient Management. Fortschr Röntgenstr 2017; 189: 957 - 966. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New

Relevance: An Interdisciplinary and Information Science Perspective

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Howard Greisdorf

2000-01-01

Full Text Available Although relevance has represented a key concept in the field of information science for evaluating information retrieval effectiveness, the broader context established by interdisciplinary frameworks could provide greater depth and breadth to on-going research in the field. This work provides an overview of the nature of relevance in the field of information science with a cursory view of how cross-disciplinary approaches to relevance could represent avenues for further investigation into the evaluative characteristics of relevance as a means for enhanced understanding of human information behavior.

Geoarchaeology: interdisciplinary explanations for the archaeological research

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Acevedo, Benjamin

2014-01-01

Geoarchaeological research carried out in Costa Rica and some Central American countries are described. The link between geology and archaeology is described as an interdisciplinary field of research within the earth sciences, with the purpose of to solve problems referring to the life of the pre-Columbian societies of Central American regions and until of postconquest period. The topics developed in the geoarchaeological works have been on geophysical prospecting in archaeological sites, provenance analysis and characterization of raw materials, analysis of processes and technologies of production, detailed reading of materials under study, among others [es

Chronicles of laboratory workshops and interdisciplinary teaching

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Møller, Signe Juhl; Omar, Ghada Said Mohammed

2016-01-01

, exploring open ending activities within practice-based learning in a teaching setting, an in-progress research project, studying students interdisciplinary and inter-sectorial collaborations through practice related issues in a module on Maternal and Child Health will be presented. Doing so theory...... production within the social and humanistic sciences as a case, this presentation wishes to explore practiced-based research to draw out what this research strategy might offer to the conventional modes of research. Hence this will provide an interpretation of a case of practiced-based research. Furthermore...

Predictors of food decision making : A systematic interdisciplinary mapping (SIM) review

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Symmank, Claudia; Mai, Robert; Hoffmann, Stefan; Stok, F Marijn|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/318869705; Renner, Britta; Lien, Nanna; Rohm, Harald

The number of publications on consumer food decision making and its predictors and correlates has been steadily increasing over the last three decades. Given that different scientific disciplines illuminate this topic from different perspectives, it is necessary to develop an interdisciplinary

Qualitative evaluation of the implementation of the Interdisciplinary Management Tool: a reflective tool to enhance interdisciplinary teamwork using Structured, Facilitated Action Research for Implementation.

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Nancarrow, Susan A; Smith, Tony; Ariss, Steven; Enderby, Pamela M

2015-07-01

Reflective practice is used increasingly to enhance team functioning and service effectiveness; however, there is little evidence of its use in interdisciplinary teams. This paper presents the qualitative evaluation of the Interdisciplinary Management Tool (IMT), an evidence-based change tool designed to enhance interdisciplinary teamwork through structured team reflection. The IMT incorporates three components: an evidence-based resource guide; a reflective implementation framework based on Structured, Facilitated Action Research for Implementation methodology; and formative and summative evaluation components. The IMT was implemented with intermediate care teams supported by independent facilitators in England. Each intervention lasted 6 months and was evaluated over a 12-month period. Data sources include interviews, a focus group with facilitators, questionnaires completed by team members and documentary feedback from structured team reports. Data were analysed qualitatively using the Framework approach. The IMT was implemented with 10 teams, including 253 staff from more than 10 different disciplines. Team challenges included lack of clear vision; communication issues; limited career progression opportunities; inefficient resource use; need for role clarity and service development. The IMT successfully engaged staff in the change process, and resulted in teams developing creative strategies to address the issues identified. Participants valued dedicated time to focus on the processes of team functioning; however, some were uncomfortable with a focus on teamwork at the expense of delivering direct patient care. The IMT is a relatively low-cost, structured, reflective way to enhance team function. It empowers individuals to understand and value their own, and others' roles and responsibilities within the team; identify barriers to effective teamwork, and develop and implement appropriate solutions to these. To be successful, teams need protected time to take

'Walk with Us…' Student Peer-Mentoring in Interdisciplinary Cancer Education.

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Al-Maqrashi, Zainab; Al-Lawati, Yasser; Al-Sadi, Amira; Al-Wahaiby, Malak; Lakhtakia, Ritu

2017-02-27

'Walk with us…' reflects on a series of innovative educational journeys that have offered value addition in cancer education of health professions students. It provides an insight into interdisciplinary peer education through extra-curricular pathways. It taps on student creativity and inspirational techniques in health education that stimulate student-centered learning.

Expanding the Reach of Physics-Engaging Students in Interdisciplinary Research Involving complex, real-world situation

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Bililign, Solomon

2014-03-01

Physics plays a very important role in most interdisciplinary efforts and can provide a solid foundation for students. Retention of students in STEM areas can be facilitated by enhanced interdisciplinary education and research since students are strongly attracted to research with societal relevance and show increasing enthusiasm about problems that have practical consequences. One such area of research is a collaborative Earth System Science. The Earth System is dynamic and complex. It is comprised of diverse components that interact. By providing students the opportunities to work in interdisciplinary groups on a problem that reflects a complex, real-world situation they can see the linkages between components of the Earth system that encompass climate and all its components (weather precipitation, temperature, etc.) and technology development and deployment of sensors and sensor networks and social impacts. By involving students in the creation of their own personalized professional development plan, students are more focused and engaged and are more likely to remain in the program.

Negotiating geophysical hazards in Nepal: An interdisciplinary approach

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Oven, Katie; Petley, Dave; Rosser, Nick; Dunn, Chris; Rigg, Jonathan

2010-05-01

It is widely accepted that the impact of natural hazards reflects not only the nature of geophysical processes but also the social conditions that prevail. The need for collaborative research to address these complex interactions between the natural and human systems is well recognised, however moving from theory to practice presents a number of significant challenges. How researchers frame problems; develop their research questions; select the methodologies to explore these questions; and privilege certain knowledges over others, can be seen to vary between physical and social science. Drawing on a case study examining the vulnerability of rural communities to landslides in the Upper Bhote Koshi Valley, Central Nepal, this paper explores how these barriers can be overcome and the benefits of undertaking interdisciplinary research within the natural hazards field. This research investigates the different framings of landslide risk and vulnerability from different stakeholder and disciplinary perspectives. Specifically, we ask: 1. Who is vulnerable to landslide hazard? 2. Why do people occupy landslide prone areas? 3. How do ‘at risk' rural communities perceive and respond to landslide hazard and risk? The findings, based on a series of participatory methodologies, challenge a number of assumptions made regarding landslide vulnerability in mountain communities. Within the Upper Bhote Koshi Valley clear transitions in settlement patterns, rural livelihoods and thus the occupation of landslide prone areas have been seen over time. For the majority of households, their decision to occupy these areas is driven by the economic and social benefits associated with the Arniko Highway which runs through the valley, linking Nepal with Tibet. Landslide vulnerability therefore emerges not just from societal marginalisation but also from situations of relative prosperity. The findings suggest that occupants of landslide prone areas have a good understanding of landslide hazard

Five Strategic Imperatives for Interdisciplinary Study in Mass Communications/Media Studies in the U.S. and U.K.

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Petrausch, Robert J.

2005-01-01

Interdisciplinary study can allow students to share ideas with scholars in allied fields and broaden their knowledge of global issues. Mass communication/media studies programs in the U.S. and U.K. can serve as models to lead students into successful learning through interdisciplinary study. This paper outlines five strategic imperatives for the…

Teaching and learning of interdisciplinary thinking in higher education in engineering

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Spelt, E.J.H.

2015-01-01

The present thesis research aim was to gain insight in the pedagogical content knowledge for interdisciplinary thinking to enhance student learning across higher education in engineering. In accordance to Boix Mansilla (2010) and Shulman (1987), pedagogical content knowledge was considered in the

Impact of a Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Educational Program for Interdisciplinary Teams.

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Murgu, Septimiu; Rabito, Robb; Lasko, Greg; Jackson, Chad; Mino-Kenudson, Mari; Ettinger, David S; Ramalingam, Suresh S; Edell, Eric S

2018-04-01

Successful implementation of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) evidence-based guideline recommendations requires effective educational programs that target all clinicians from interdisciplinary teams. This study describes and evaluates the Engaging an Interdisciplinary Team for NSCLC (GAIN 3.0) experiential learning-based educational curriculum. GAIN 3.0 was designed to enhance interdisciplinary collaboration for effective NSCLC diagnosis, assessment, and treatment. The program used a flipped classroom model that included an e-learning component prior to a live 6-hour interactive program. The interactive program included hands-on simulations, small group workshops, gamification, and case discussions. Participants included academic and community members of multidisciplinary lung cancer teams. Assessments included an online baseline survey, a pretest and posttest, a program evaluation, a long-term survey (LTS), and on-site faculty evaluation of participants. Of 416 attendees to 13 live GAIN 3.0 programs (nine in the United States and four in Europe), 304 (73%) completed the pretest and 187 (45%) completed the posttest. Out of a perfect score of 12 points, program participants had a mean test score of 6.3 ± 2.1 on the pretest (52%) and 7.8 ± 2.1 on the posttest (65%) (P = .03). There was an overall knowledge increase of 13% from pretest to posttest. Most LTS respondents (65%) rated the GAIN 3.0 live programs as "high impact." On the LTS, the areas with the greatest gains in participants who had very high confidence were communication across disciplines, use of a team-based approach, and personalized treatment. GAIN 3.0 was a highly successful interdisciplinary activity that improved participants' knowledge, competence, and likely the clinical care provided to patients with NSCLC. Copyright © 2017 American College of Chest Physicians. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Analysis of the Interdisciplinary Nature of Library and Information Science

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Prebor, Gila

2010-01-01

Library and information science (LIS) is highly interdisciplinary by nature and is affected by the incessant evolution of technologies. A recent study surveying research trends in the years 2002-6 at various information science departments worldwide has found that a clear trend was identified in Masters theses and doctoral dissertations of social…

Tribes and tribulations: interdisciplinary eHealth in providing services for people with a traumatic brain injury (TBI).

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Hines, M; Brunner, M; Poon, S; Lam, M; Tran, V; Yu, D; Togher, L; Shaw, T; Power, E

2017-11-21

eHealth has potential for supporting interdisciplinary care in contemporary traumatic brain injury (TBI) rehabilitation practice, yet little is known about whether this potential is being realised, or what needs to be done to further support its implementation. The purpose of this study was to explore health professionals' experiences of, and attitudes towards eHealth technologies to support interdisciplinary practice within rehabilitation for people after TBI. A qualitative study using narrative analysis was conducted. One individual interview and three focus groups were conducted with health professionals (n = 17) working in TBI rehabilitation in public and private healthcare settings across regional and metropolitan New South Wales, Australia. Narrative analysis revealed that participants held largely favourable views about eHealth and its potential to support interdisciplinary practice in TBI rehabilitation. However, participants encountered various issues related to (a) the design of, and access to electronic medical records, (b) technology, (c) eHealth implementation, and (d) information and communication technology processes that disconnected them from the work they needed to accomplish. In response, health professionals attempted to make the most of unsatisfactory eHealth systems and processes, but were still mostly unsuccessful in optimising the quality, efficiency, and client-centredness of their work. Attention to sources of disconnection experienced by health professionals, specifically design of, and access to electronic health records, eHealth resourcing, and policies and procedures related to eHealth and interdisciplinary practice are required if the potential of eHealth for supporting interdisciplinary practice is to be realised.

Interdisciplinary Medication Adherence Program: The Example of a University Community Pharmacy in Switzerland.

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Lelubre, Mélanie; Kamal, Susan; Genre, Noëllie; Celio, Jennifer; Gorgerat, Séverine; Hugentobler Hampai, Denise; Bourdin, Aline; Berger, Jerôme; Bugnon, Olivier; Schneider, Marie

2015-01-01

The Community Pharmacy of the Department of Ambulatory Care and Community Medicine (Policlinique Médicale Universitaire, PMU), University of Lausanne, developed and implemented an interdisciplinary medication adherence program. The program aims to support and reinforce medication adherence through a multifactorial and interdisciplinary intervention. Motivational interviewing is combined with medication adherence electronic monitors (MEMS, Aardex MWV) and a report to patient, physician, nurse, and other pharmacists. This program has become a routine activity and was extended for use with all chronic diseases. From 2004 to 2014, there were 819 patient inclusions, and 268 patients were in follow-up in 2014. This paper aims to present the organization and program's context, statistical data, published research, and future perspectives.

Anthropology and Geosciences: Training and Collaboration Advancing Interdisciplinary Research of Human-environment Interaction

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Brondizio, E.; Moran, E.

2005-05-01

Over the past thirteen years the Anthropological Center for Training and Research on Global Environmental Change (ACT) at Indiana University has pioneered the use of anthropological and environmental research approaches to address issues of land use change, and population-environment interaction, particularly in the Amazon. Our research and training objectives focus on how particular local populations manage resources and how those activities may be studied by integrating time-tested ethnographic methods, survey instruments, ecological field studies, and the spatial and temporal perspectives of remote sensing and Geographical Information Systems. The globalization of the environment crisis bears the risk of the research and training at universities being purely global or large scale in nature. This would fail to take into account the highly variable local causes of human activities or to discover sustainable solutions to the use, conservation, and restoration of human ecosystems. Our approach combines institutional and international collaboration, formal and hands-on laboratory and field activities developed within an interdisciplinary environment, but based on the strength of disciplinary programs. Over the past years, we have particularly emphasized collaboration between American and Brazilian scholars and students and intense work with local farmers and communities both during data collection and field research, as well as in returning data and results using different formats. In this paper, we address our experience, the challenges and advantages of theoretical and methodological development for students approaching interdisciplinary problems, innovations in linking levels of analysis, and new opportunities for international and collaborative training and research on human-environment interaction.

A Spatio-Temporal Enhanced Metadata Model for Interdisciplinary Instant Point Observations in Smart Cities

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Nengcheng Chen

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Due to the incomprehensive and inconsistent description of spatial and temporal information for city data observed by sensors in various fields, it is a great challenge to share the massive, multi-source and heterogeneous interdisciplinary instant point observation data resources. In this paper, a spatio-temporal enhanced metadata model for point observation data sharing was proposed. The proposed Data Meta-Model (DMM focused on the spatio-temporal characteristics and formulated a ten-tuple information description structure to provide a unified and spatio-temporal enhanced description of the point observation data. To verify the feasibility of the point observation data sharing based on DMM, a prototype system was established, and the performance improvement of Sensor Observation Service (SOS for the instant access and insertion of point observation data was realized through the proposed MongoSOS, which is a Not Only SQL (NoSQL SOS based on the MongoDB database and has the capability of distributed storage. For example, the response time of the access and insertion for navigation and positioning data can be realized at the millisecond level. Case studies were conducted, including the gas concentrations monitoring for the gas leak emergency response and the smart city public vehicle monitoring based on BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS used for recording the dynamic observation information. The results demonstrated the versatility and extensibility of the DMM, and the spatio-temporal enhanced sharing for interdisciplinary instant point observations in smart cities.

Intracranial aneurysms: optimized diagnostic tools call for thorough interdisciplinary treatment strategies.

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Mueller, Oliver M; Schlamann, Marc; Mueller, Daniela; Sandalcioglu, I Erol; Forsting, Michael; Sure, Ulrich

2011-09-01

Intracranial aneurysms (IAs) require deliberately selected treatment strategies as they are incrementally found prior to rupture and deleterious subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH). Multiple and recurrent aneurysms necessitate both neurointerventionalists and neurosurgeons to optimize aneurysmal occlusion in an interdisciplinary effort. The present study was conducted to condense essential strategies from a single neurovascular centre with regard to the lessons learned. Medical charts of 321 consecutive patients treated for IAs at our centre from September 2008 until December 2010 were retrospectively analysed for clinical presentation of the aneurysms, multiplicity and treatment pathways. In addition, a selective Medline search was performed. A total of 321 patients with 492 aneurysms underwent occlusion of their symptomatic aneurysm: 132 (41.1%) individuals were treated surgically, 189 (58.2%) interventionally; 138 patients presented with a SAH, of these 44.2% were clipped and 55.8% were coiled. Aneurysms of the middle cerebral artery were primarily occluded surgically (88), whereas most of the aneurysms of the internal carotid artery and anterior communicating artery (114) were treated endovascularly. Multiple aneurysms (range 2-5 aneurysms/individual) were diagnosed in 98 patients (30.2%). During the study period 12 patients with recurrent aneurysms were allocated to another treatment modality (previously clip to coil and vice versa). Our data show that successful interdisciplinary occlusion of IAs is based on both neurosurgical and neurointerventional therapy. In particular, multiple and recurrent aneurysms require tailored individual approaches to aneurysmal occlusion. This is achieved by a consequent interdisciplinary pondering of the optimal strategy to occlude IAs in order to prevent SAH.

The UNC-CH MCH Leadership Training Consortium: building the capacity to develop interdisciplinary MCH leaders.

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Dodds, Janice; Vann, William; Lee, Jessica; Rosenberg, Angela; Rounds, Kathleen; Roth, Marcia; Wells, Marlyn; Evens, Emily; Margolis, Lewis H

2010-07-01

This article describes the UNC-CH MCH Leadership Consortium, a collaboration among five MCHB-funded training programs, and delineates the evolution of the leadership curriculum developed by the Consortium to cultivate interdisciplinary MCH leaders. In response to a suggestion by the MCHB, five MCHB-funded training programs--nutrition, pediatric dentistry, social work, LEND, and public health--created a consortium with four goals shared by these diverse MCH disciplines: (1) train MCH professionals for field leadership; (2) address the special health and social needs of women, infants, children and adolescents, with emphasis on a public health population-based approach; (3) foster interdisciplinary practice; and (4) assure competencies, such as family-centered and culturally competent practice, needed to serve effectively the MCH population. The consortium meets monthly. Its primary task to date has been to create a leadership curriculum for 20-30 master's, doctoral, and post-doctoral trainees to understand how to leverage personal leadership styles to make groups more effective, develop conflict/facilitation skills, and identify and enhance family-centered and culturally competent organizations. What began as an effort merely to understand shared interests around leadership development has evolved into an elaborate curriculum to address many MCH leadership competencies. The collaboration has also stimulated creative interdisciplinary research and practice opportunities for MCH trainees and faculty. MCHB-funded training programs should make a commitment to collaborate around developing leadership competencies that are shared across disciplines in order to enhance interdisciplinary leadership.

Improving children's oral health: an interdisciplinary research framework.

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Casamassimo, P S; Lee, J Y; Marazita, M L; Milgrom, P; Chi, D L; Divaris, K

2014-10-01

Despite the concerted efforts of research and professional and advocacy stakeholders, recent evidence suggests that improvements in the oral health of young children in the United States has not followed the prevailing trend of oral health improvement in other age groups. In fact, oral health disparities in the youngest children may be widening, yet efforts to translate advances in science and technology into meaningful improvements in populations' health have had limited success. Nevertheless, the great strides in genomics, biological, behavioral, social, and health services research in the past decade have strengthened the evidence base available to support initiatives and translational efforts. Concerted actions to accelerate this translation and implementation process are warranted; at the same time, policies that can help tackle the upstream determinants of oral health disparities are imperative. This article summarizes the proceedings from the symposium on the interdisciplinary continuum of pediatric oral health that was held during the 43rd annual meeting of the American Association for Dental Research, Charlotte, North Carolina, USA. This report showcases the latest contributions across the interdisciplinary continuum of pediatric oral health research and provides insights into future research priorities and necessary intersectoral synergies. Issues are discussed as related to the overwhelming dominance of social determinants on oral disease and the difficulty of translating science into action. © International & American Associations for Dental Research.

Addressing Global Environmental Challenges through Interdisciplinary Biogeochemical Research

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Paytan, A.

2013-12-01

Our planet is dynamic; energy and matter constantly move between the hydrosphere, atmosphere and lithosphere on time scales from seconds to millenia. These tight interactions - including those between organisms and their physical environment - are what make Earth habitable. However, as Rachel Carson wrote, 'Only within the moment of time represented by the present century has one species - man - acquired significant power to alter the nature of this world'. Globalization and explosive population growth have generated far-reaching environmental problems on a scale that humanity has never faced before. Fortunately, our species has also developed an unprecedented ability to provide science-based solutions. Since processes impacting the environment involve complex biological, physical, chemical and geological interactions and feedbacks, they require the integration of expertise from all these scientific disciplines as well as input from policy makers, social scientists, and economists. This talk presents four examples of current interdisciplinary research projects conducted in my lab, each one related to a theme from one of Carson's books (Under the Sea-wind, The Sea Around Us, The Edge of the Sea, and Silent Spring). These projects, and others like them, provide hope that we can move toward a sustainable relationship with the natural world by encouraging the best scientists to conduct interdisciplinary research with direct applications for environmental management and stewardship.

Analysis and visualisation of movement: an interdisciplinary review.

Science.gov (United States)

Demšar, Urška; Buchin, Kevin; Cagnacci, Francesca; Safi, Kamran; Speckmann, Bettina; Van de Weghe, Nico; Weiskopf, Daniel; Weibel, Robert

2015-01-01

The processes that cause and influence movement are one of the main points of enquiry in movement ecology. However, ecology is not the only discipline interested in movement: a number of information sciences are specialising in analysis and visualisation of movement data. The recent explosion in availability and complexity of movement data has resulted in a call in ecology for new appropriate methods that would be able to take full advantage of the increasingly complex and growing data volume. One way in which this could be done is to form interdisciplinary collaborations between ecologists and experts from information sciences that analyse movement. In this paper we present an overview of new movement analysis and visualisation methodologies resulting from such an interdisciplinary research network: the European COST Action "MOVE - Knowledge Discovery from Moving Objects" (http://www.move-cost.info). This international network evolved over four years and brought together some 140 researchers from different disciplines: those that collect movement data (out of which the movement ecology was the largest represented group) and those that specialise in developing methods for analysis and visualisation of such data (represented in MOVE by computational geometry, geographic information science, visualisation and visual analytics). We present MOVE achievements and at the same time put them in ecological context by exploring relevant ecological themes to which MOVE studies do or potentially could contribute.

INTERDISCIPLINARITY REVISITED: ANALYZING INTERDISCIPLINARY PRACTICE IN ONE OF BAHIA’S MANAGEMENT SCHOOLS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ricardo Costa da Silva Souza Caggy

2014-09-01

implementation process and structure required for the development of activities – interdisciplinary teaching shows itself as a tool able to improve student learning and performance, demonstrating the relevance of its use in higher education.

Social cost of carbon pricing of power sector CO2: accounting for leakage and other social implications from subnational policies

Science.gov (United States)

Bistline, John E.; Rose, Steven K.

2018-01-01

In environments where climate policy has partial coverage or unequal participation, carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions or economic activity may shift to locations and sectors where emissions are unregulated. This is referred to as leakage. Leakage can offset or augment emissions reductions associated with a policy, which has important environmental and economic implications. Although leakage has been studied at national levels, analysis of leakage for subnational policies is limited. This is despite greater market integration and many existing state and regional environmental regulations in the US. This study explores leakage potential, net emissions changes, and other social implications in the US energy system with regionally differentiated pricing of power sector CO2 emissions. We undertake an economic analysis using EPRI’s US-REGEN model, where power sector CO2 emissions are priced in individual US regions with a range of social cost of carbon (SCC) values. SCC estimates are being considered by policy-makers for valuing potential societal damages from CO2 emissions. In this study, we evaluate the emissions implications within the SCC pricing region, within the power sector outside the SCC region, and outside the power sector (i.e. in the rest of the energy system). Results indicate that CO2 leakage is possible within and outside the electric sector, ranging from negative 70% to over 80% in our scenarios, with primarily positive leakage outcomes. Typically ignored in policy analysis, leakage would affect CO2 reduction benefits. We also observe other potential societal effects within and across regions, such as higher electricity prices, changes in power sector investments, and overall consumption losses. Efforts to reduce leakage, such as constraining power imports into the SCC pricing region likely reduce leakage, but could also result in lower net emissions reductions, as well as larger price increases. Thus, it is important to look beyond leakage and consider a

Integrating Opportunities: Applied Interdisciplinary Research in Undergraduate Geography and Geology Education

Science.gov (United States)

Viertel, David C.; Burns, Diane M.

2012-01-01

Unique integrative learning approaches represent a fundamental opportunity for undergraduate students and faculty alike to combine interdisciplinary methods with applied spatial research. Geography and geoscience-related disciplines are particularly well-suited to adapt multiple methods within a holistic and reflective mentored research paradigm.…

Perspectives on open science and scientific data sharing : An interdisciplinary workshop”

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Destro Bisol, G.; Anagnostou, P.; Capocasa, M.; Bencivelli, S.; Cerroni, A.; Contreras, J.; Enke, N.; Fantini, B.; Greco, P.; Heeney, C.; Luzi, D.; Manghi, P.; Mascalzoni, D.; Molloy, J.; Parenti, F.; Wicherts, J.M.; Boulton, G.

2014-01-01

Looking at Open Science and Open Data from a broad perspective. This is the idea behind “Scientific data sharing: an interdisciplinary workshop”, an initiative designed to foster dialogue between scholars from different scientific domains which was organized by the Istituto Italiano di Antropologia

College-"Conocimiento": Toward an Interdisciplinary College Choice Framework for Latinx Students

Science.gov (United States)

Acevedo-Gil, Nancy

2017-01-01

This paper builds upon Perna's college choice model by integrating Anzaldúa's theory of "conocimiento" to propose an interdisciplinary college choice framework for Latinx students. Using previous literature, this paper proposes college-"conocimiento" as a framework that contextualizes Latinx student college choices within the…

Assessing Students' Disciplinary and Interdisciplinary Understanding of Global Carbon Cycling

Science.gov (United States)

You, Hye Sun; Marshall, Jill A.; Delgado, Cesar

2018-01-01

Global carbon cycling describes the movement of carbon through atmosphere, biosphere, geosphere, and hydrosphere; it lies at the heart of climate change and sustainability. To understand the global carbon cycle, students will require "interdisciplinary knowledge." While standards documents in science education have long promoted…

Framing the Universal Design of Information and Communication Technology: An Interdisciplinary Model for Research and Practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Giannoumis, G Anthony

2016-01-01

Research has yet to provide an interdisciplinary framework for examining ICT accessibility as it relates to Universal Design. This article assesses the conceptualizations and interdisciplinarity of ICT accessibility and Universal Design research. This article uses a grounded theory approach to pose a multilevel framework for Universal Design. The macro level, consists of scholarship that examines the context of Universal Design, and is typified by legal and sociological studies that investigate social norms and environments. The meso level, which consists of scholarship that examines activity in Universal Design as an approach to removing barriers for use and participation. The meso level is typified by studies of computer science and engineering that investigate the use of technology as a mechanism of participation. The micro level consists of scholarship that examines individuals and groups in Universal Design as an approach to understanding human characteristics. The micro level is typified by studies of human factors and psychology. This article argues that the multilevel framework for Universal Design may help remove the artificial separation between disciplines concerned with ICT accessibility and promote more fruitful research and development.

Strategies for effective collaborative manuscript development in interdisciplinary science teams

Science.gov (United States)

Oliver, Samantha K.; Fergus, C. Emi; Skaff, Nicholas K.; Wagner, Tyler; Tan, Pang-Ning; Cheruvelil, Kendra Spence; Soranno, Patricia A.

2018-01-01

Science is increasingly being conducted in large, interdisciplinary teams. As team size increases, challenges can arise during manuscript development, where achieving one team goal (e.g., inclusivity) may be in direct conflict with other goals (e.g., efficiency). Here, we present strategies for effective collaborative manuscript development that draw from our experiences in an interdisciplinary science team writing collaborative manuscripts for six years. These strategies are rooted in six guiding principles that were important to our team: to create a transparent, inclusive, and accountable research team that promotes and protects team members who have less power to influence decision‐making while fostering creativity and productivity. To help alleviate the conflicts that can arise in collaborative manuscript development, we present the following strategies: understand your team composition, create an authorship policy and discuss authorship early and often, openly announce manuscript ideas, identify and communicate the type of manuscript and lead author management style, and document and describe authorship contributions. These strategies can help reduce the probability of group conflict, uphold individual and team values, achieve fair authorship practices, and increase science productivity.

University of Idaho Water of the West Initiative: Development of a sustainable, interdisciplinary water resources program

Science.gov (United States)

Boll, J.; Cosens, B.; Fiedler, F.; Link, T.; Wilson, P.; Harris, C.; Tuller, M.; Johnson, G.; Kennedy, B.

2006-12-01

Recently, an interdisciplinary group of faculty from the University of Idaho was awarded a major internal grant for their project "Water of the West (WoW)" to launch an interdisciplinary Water Resources Graduate Education Program. This Water Resources program will facilitate research and education to influence both the scientific understanding of the resource and how it is managed, and advance the decision-making processes that are the means to address competing societal values. By educating students to integrate environmental sciences, socio-economic, and political issues, the WoW project advances the University's land grant mission to promote economic and social development in the state of Idaho. This will be accomplished through novel experiential interdisciplinary education activities; creation of interdisciplinary research efforts among water resources faculty; and focusing on urgent regional problems with an approach that will involve and provide information to local communities. The Water Resources Program will integrate physical and biological sciences, social science, law, policy and engineering to address problems associated with stewardship of our scarce water resources. As part of the WoW project, faculty will: (1) develop an integrative problem-solving framework; (2) develop activities to broaden WR education; (3) collaborate with the College of Law to offer a concurrent J.D. degree, (4) develop a virtual system of watersheds for teaching and research, and (5) attract graduate students for team-based education. The new program involves 50 faculty from six colleges and thirteen departments across the university. This university-wide initiative is strengthened by collaboration with the Idaho Water Resources Research Institute, and participation from off-campus Centers in Idaho Falls, Boise, Twin Falls, and Coeur d'Alene. We hope this presentation will attract university faculty, water resources professionals, and others for stimulating discussions on