Interdisciplinary Characteristics paper
Write a 1 page paper, double-spaced, about what INT characteristics
describe you best and explain why. How do you think these
characteristics help you professionally and personally?
What is at least 1 INT characteristic that you would like to
develop? Note: Look under “Helpful Notes and Recap: Insights from
INT Courses” for the characteristics of an interdisciplinarian
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Essential Features of Interdisciplinary Studies
The Five Characteristics of Interdisciplinary Studies, based on Klein and Newell’s 1996 definition are:- Means for addressing questions or solving complex problems.
- Draws on multiple disciplinary perspectives
- Works toward the integration of multiple disciplinary insights through the construction of a more comprehensive perspective.
- Goal is to construct a more comprehensive perspective in answering questions, solving complex problems, or obtaining a greater understanding.
- Results in correcting, complementing, and supplementing the limits of disciplinary approaches.
FULL INTERDISCIPLINARITY involves all five characteristics of interdisciplinarity included in the above list, inclusive of Klein and Newell’s definition: more than one perspective used from more than one discipline to create a more comprehensive perspective in solving or addressing a complex problem that can not be satisfactorily addressed using one of the traditional disciplines.PARTIAL INTERDISCIPLINARITY occurs when at least one element of full interdisciplinarity is included, such as the utilization of multiple perspectives. This usually occurs in a primary level of integration (for example when multiple perspective are given to students and they are left to integrate on their own).Students should also be familiar with the following terms (see the glossary for specifics)- discipline
- multidisciplinarity
- transdisciplinarity
- cross-disciplinarity