Session Information
Contribution
Description: Facing a rapidly changing society and reforms in education policy such as the Bologna-Process arises new challenges and dramatic for universities. In respect of learning students need to be acquainted with the convertibility of complex systems to be able to understand society and their development. To be able to cope with complex problems different modes of knowledge are needed. Existing structures of knowledge generating and delivering at universities are hardly able to satisfy expectations. Didactical concepts must be proved and new methods like e-learning must be integrated.
With the study program "Learning Sustainability" the process of knowledge production and the use of knowledge in interdisciplinary interrelations is taken into account. This case study is focussed on the question: How could the integration of different resources of knowledge in interdisciplinary settings be facilitated?
Thompson Klein (Klein 1996) recommends an iterative procedure for the process of knowledge integration, in which interdisciplinary synthesis attempts alternate with disciplinary assessments. One possible solution would be to clarify all those technical terms that are necessary for the analysis of a certain problem area in such a process. The explanations need to be made accessible for all participants, resulting in the creation of a "common ground".
In our ase study, students of different disciplines who take part in the study program exchange their views on the different possible perspectives concerning one specific topic via a virtual learning platform. There are many promising internet-based approaches which may help to overcome the knowledge divergence arising from interdisciplinary co-operation. One example for the process of knowledge integration is the software-tool "WIKI", a "discussion and collaboration server" whose specific strength is to collect and combine information. This tool may be used as "Team Communication Tool" to externalise implicit knowledge as well as for the joint development of knowledge and of a culture of "knowledge sharing". WIKI may be described as virtual encyclopaedia in which any user may get actively involved. By using this platform for interdisciplinary co-operation projects, the process of "grounding" can be enhanced appropriately. A term may be defined from different perspectives. In addition, all participants will notice which aspects are added and omitted respectively. This may result in a definition that will be acceptable to all participants, or the different discipline-specific definitions will be shown in a traceable way. Thus, WIKI may be used as "discussion server" or structured knowledge base.
Methodology: Research is designed as an explorative case study. Using the methodology of grounded theory it is implemented in a multidimensional and polyperspective way. Different methods of data gathering such as an ex ante questionnaire, learning records and interviews on the individual level as well as focus groups are used and combined for triangulation both of methods and data.
Conclusions: The case study focuses on processes of knowledge integration in an interdisciplinary context.
Findings aim at two main aspects:
Using innovative methods of knowledge sharing and developing such as a wiki helps dealing with collaborative knowledge and the processes of transformation, (re-)shaping and development of a shared basis.
Developing knowledge in an interdisciplinary setting especially asks for possibilities of reflection and rethinking.
Search the ECER Programme
- Search for keywords and phrases in "Text Search"
- Restrict in which part of the abstracts to search in "Where to search"
- Search for authors and in the respective field.
- For planning your conference attendance you may want to use the conference app, which will be issued some weeks before the conference
- If you are a session chair, best look up your chairing duties in the conference system (Conftool) or the app.