Interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research and practice: Balancing expectations of the ‘old’ academy with the future model of universities as ‘problem solvers’

Academics are increasingly required to balance the expectations of the ‘old’ academy with a future model of universities as interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary ‘problem solvers’. This paper highlights changing expectations of academics in producing alternative research outcomes in collaborative, practice‐based research. Through a series of workshops with 20 researchers, preferred research outcomes and tensions in achieving these outcomes were identified. The tensions identified are presented as three dichotomies comprising the tension between: (a) ‘I versus We’ ‐ individual versus team expectations & outcomes. (b) Disciplinary outcomes versus inter‐/transdisciplinary outcomes. (c) Learning versus research objectives for the students and academics involved. These tensions reflect the authors' experiences of working in three international sustainability projects, drawing on lessons learned from these projects, with recommendations for universities seeking to implement interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary doctoral and postdoctoral programmes. Recommendations include the need for formal and informal leadership models, strong communication skills, empathy and willingness to learn from each other. A need for more systemic changes within university administration to better reward and value the breadth and depth of collaborative work, while facilitating open learning cultures and practice‐oriented learning opportunities and curricula across faculties was also identified.     

Relevant Features of Science: Values in Conservation Biology

The development of an understanding of the nature of science is generally assumed to be an important aspect of science communication with respect to the enhancement of scientific literacy. At present, a general characterization of the nature of science is still lacking and probably such a characterization will not be achievable. The overall aim of the work presented here is to develop a representative portrayal of the nature of science for science communication. In the present paper an exemplary case study on the topic of biodiversity conservation is presented with the aim of revealing what features of science might be potentially relevant for the public to develop a critical understanding of this important socio-scientific issue.     

The Impact of Tourette’s Syndrome in the School and the Family: Perspectives from Three Stakeholder Groups

This article analyzes the perceptions of Spanish health professionals, children with Tourette’s Syndrome (TS) and their parents about social, school and family problems related to the disorder. A qualitative research methodology was used involving Focus Groups (FGs) made up of children with TS (× 2 FGs), parents/caregivers of persons with TS (× 2 FGs) and health professionals (× 1 FG). The study highlights many of the principal areas of concern for persons with TS, parents/caregivers and health professionals that directly and indirectly add to the burden of living with the disorder. The results of the study point out that the stigma and social maladjustment in children with TS is caused in large part by a misunderstanding of the disorder by teachers and peers. Parents of children with TS especially emphasize tics, considering them to be the main cause of social maladaptation. The results suggest that interventions among parents, teachers and peers should be implemented towards a greater understanding of the disorder and its symptoms.     

Genomic designation: how genetics can delineate new, phenotypically diffuse medical categories

This paper reports and discusses 'genomic designation' as a way of classifying people. In genomic designation the object of biomedical analysis--and the concomitant medical category that is subject to scientific, clinical, and social action--is delineated on a genomic basis, while the phenotype is decentralized and tabulated post factum. Unlike prominent sociological concepts such as biosociality or geneticization, where genetic proclivities for or explanations of phenotypic categories affect social processes, genomic designation treats characteristics of the genome as the essential referent of new categories of illness. I outline the relevant sociological literature and the shift to what Nikolas Rose has called the 'molecular gaze' before explicating the concept ofgenomic designation and its half-century history. I use 22q13 Deletion/Phelan-McDermid syndrome as an example of genomic designation: investigations into the deletion of genetic material at site q13 on the 22nd chromosome preceded and made practicable the delineation of a syndrome more than a decade later, even though the associated phenotype is not distinct enough for diagnosis. Finally, I discuss the implications of this turn to 'rigidly designate' kinds of people according to observations made at the level of the genome and outline directions for future research.     

Temperament Characteristics and Science Achievement: A longitudinal study of elementary students in Taiwan

Based on data collected from 211 elementary school children in central Taiwan over four years, the role of temperament in science achievement was examined with multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) with repeated measures design. The results revealed that the students’ science achievement is stable over time. The task orientation characteristics (i.e., distractibility, hyperactivity, and persistence) identified by previous research as important in mathematics and reading achievement are not consistent with the findings of this study that although the impacts of distractibility and persistence are significant, the simple effect of activity level on science achievement was not significant. However, the interaction effect of activity level and persistence is significant. Further break down analyses conducted to pursuit the interaction effect revealed that: (1) persistence has a consistent significant positive effects on all children over the years, except for the ones with high activity level (the upper 25th percentile); and (2) activity level has significant negative effects on high persistence (the upper 25th percentile) children only, and the interaction effect of activity level increases over time—the older the child the more significant the influence. Also, the tendency of approach/withdraw has significant impact on science achievement The educational implications of the findings include: (1) teachers of high activity students with high persistence may need to consider the match between children’s interests and contents of instruction; (2) a good match between children’s individual differences in distractibility, persistence, and approach need to be considered in contents, expectations, and interactions of the instruction.     

Exploring one student’s explanations at different ages: the case of Sharon

This study describes the types of explanations one student, Sharon, gives and prefers at different ages. Sharon is interviewed in the second grade regarding multiplication of one-digit numbers, in the fifth grade regarding even and odd numbers, and in the sixth grade regarding equivalent fractions. In the tenth grade, she revisits each of these concepts again. The study investigates the different forms Sharon’s explanations take at different ages as well as how she perceives the nature of mathematical explanations at different ages. Sharon’s explanations are also used to investigate her conceptualization of the number zero, a concept which runs across the curriculum at different ages. Finally, the study explores a method for investigating the long-term mathematical development of one student. Implications for future research are discussed.     

On the need to strengthen political-critical thinking in history education

The past twenty years have seen a dramatic change in the research of history education and its meaning in the Western academic world. Basically, there are three productive research directions: (1) a growing interest in cultural studies; (2) an exploration of various educational paths towards shaping a historical consciousness; and (3) cognitive and psychological research. Situated within the second group, but drawing on knowledge that has been gathered in all three research areas, this article focuses on the need to foster a political-critical dimension in the context of history education. The author proposes the implementation of a pedagogy of subversion in history teaching practices. Seeking to unsettle the students’ mind and ignite their intellect, this pedagogy supports the strengthening of political-moral thinking through the use of particular history content and teaching practices that take into account youthful rebellion and typical juvenile desire to fix the world. Adolescent resistance to education can thus be harnessed as a content tool, providing an object for the student to contend with personally as part of his or her maturation and individuation process. The desired outcome of such pedagogical practices is the development of an effective historical consciousness that enhances autonomous thinking, reflective skills and empathetic capabilities among young people. The future use of these capabilities is the ultimate aim of all education towards democratic citizenship.     

Improving the reading of bisyllabic words that involve context-sensitive spelling rules: focus on successes or on failures?

The effect of two training procedures on the improvement of reading accuracy in poor readers was examined in relation to their initial reading level. A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 60 poor readers. Poor readers were assigned to a control group that received no training, or one of two training conditions. One training concentrated on the words the children read correctly (successes), the other on the words they read incorrectly (failures). They repeatedly read bisyllabic Dutch words, half of the training words involving context-sensitive spelling rules (vowel degemination or consonant gemination). Some children repeatedly read their successes, others their failures. The training used a computerized flashcards format. The exposure duration of the words was varied to maintain the accuracy rate at a constant level. In general, children who received training improved their reading accuracy and reading speed of trained words, and reading accuracy of untrained words, more than the control group. Which training focus is superior, depends on the reading level of the child and the type of words used. For children with a low initial reading level, to improve reading accuracy of bisyllabic words that follow context-sensitive spelling rules, a training focus on failures was superior over a training focus on successes. For children with a high initial reading level, improvement of reading speed was largest in a training on successes. Evidently, the improvement of word reading skills depends both on the children’s level of reading competence and on the type of training.