Disciplinary Paradigms Research Articles

Metaconvergence as a methodological strategy of education in information culture

The aim of the study is to formulate a methodological education strategy that is adequate to the modern socio-cultural situation, which will allow, when using the achievements of digital technologies, to maintain the humanistic dimension of the student’s consciousness. The scientific novelty of the research lies in the proposed methodological educational strategy – meta convergence. Metaconvergence is a way of realizing an educational co-being that initiates the reproduction of cultural matrices in the “sphere of one’s own” subject of education. Metaconvergence, forming the ontological prerequisites of knowledge, makes it possible to organize pedagogical communication in a special way, which is capable of synthesizing educational, personal and cultural dimensions into a single tissue. The research methods were phenomenological and systemic approaches. The phenomenological method made it possible to structure the problem of the methodology of education in the context of the premiselessness, as well as to thematize education in terms of the ability to form meaning within the boundaries of the subject knowledge. The use of the procedures of the systemic method made it possible to build the realizable tasks of the educational process into a system, the core of which is the concept of metaconvergence as a methodological educational strategy. As a result the use of the declared methodological educational strategy, educational tasks of the humanitarian, communicative, motivational and axiological spectrum are solved. It is shown that meta convergence makes it possible to overcome the boundaries of disciplinary paradigms and to approve the need for a humanitarian attitude at an interdisciplinary level.

Paradigmatic upgrading of social innovation studies

The guiding idea of this analysis concerns the development of social innovation theory on the paradigmatic basis of the social interaction concept. The aims of the discussion are three-fold. First, the central task is to elaborate on a multidimensional concept of social innovation, defined as organized social change. Second, the development of the social innovation concept is used to evaluate the heuristic potentials of the sociological paradigm of social interaction. Third, the paradigm of social interaction and its capacities to guide the structuration, functioning and development of knowledge about social innovations are put under close scrutiny. The conclusion is that the suggested disciplinary paradigm of sociology and the new concept of social innovation facilitate the explanatory approach to relevant social phenomena, the overcoming of theoretical and methodological dilemmas in sociology and the systematic building up of cumulative sociological knowledge.

Towards Implementing Transdisciplinarity in Post-Soviet Academic Systems: An Investigation of the Societal Role of Universities in Armenia

The concept of transdisciplinarity (TD) has been introduced to find solutions for complex sustainability challenges via knowledge co-production by scientists and societal actors. The understanding of the societal role of universities is a critical factor when implementing transdisciplinarity in the academic systems of Post-Soviet countries, given their historic development. Using Armenia as a case, we adopted a qualitative research approach by analyzing legal documents, conducting semi-structured expert interviews and focus group discussions with a range of stakeholders. We identified discrepancies of expectations between stakeholders as challenges for a joint understanding of the societal role of universities, as well as differently perceived competences and motivations, which can lead to trust deficits. The results are discussed according to four main features of transdisciplinarity: focusing on real-life problems, transcending and integrating disciplinary paradigms, ensuring participatory research and teaching, and searching for unity of knowledge beyond disciplines. Findings show that no formal obstacles exist for implementing transdisciplinarity in two Armenian universities and that the societal understanding of the role of universities could be expanded. Yet, while society is in principle ready for collaboration, the initiative is expected to come from academia. A particular responsibility will lie with teachers from the younger generation to become key-agents for change.

Rapid Resource Change and Visitor-Use Management: Social-ecological Connections at the Bonneville Salt Flats.

Parks and protected areas are complex, and managers often need integrated social-ecological science-based information that illuminates the dynamic interactions between the biophysical and social processes. However, modeling and determining social-ecological connections are difficult due to disciplinary paradigms, divergent research questions, and data sets representing different scales. During this investigation, researchers sought to evaluate social-ecological linkages at a large salt pan (Bonneville Salt Flats) in western Utah (US). Specifically, the investigation evaluated how the changing level and location of salt-crust moisture and ponding water influenced visitors' spatial distribution of use and important elements of their experience. The findings indicate that visitors travel more distance, spend more time recreating, and use the Salt Flats in higher densities during dry conditions. However, the results also highlight that importance levels ascribed to specific aspects of the visitor experience remained relatively stable regardless of changes in salt-crust moisture and ponding water. Illuminating such linkages is important because most natural resource issues in society, including resources at the Bonneville Salt Flats, are not solely ecological or social in nature but characterized by deeper enmeshment between the two.

Philosophy of Gongcheng (Engineering): A Chinese Field Philosophy Case Study

ABSTRACT Under the influence of natural science, twentieth century philosophy departed from its Socratic heritage and increasingly isolated itself within the discipline. This new disciplinary way of doing philosophy produced a greater amount of professional knowledge and expertise, but it also separated philosophy from its broader social context. Since the mid-20th century, various efforts were made under a variety of banners to reconnect philosophical thinking with society, with field philosophy representing the most genuine break from the disciplinary paradigm. It advocates collaborative work and rejects philosophic jargon. It also shares much in common with a parallel Chinese approach called ‘philosophy of gongcheng.’ The philosophy of gongcheng is mostly initiated by top-level engineers, especially academicians with real political power, with the aim of enhancing the real-world engineering practices. This paper traces the roots of philosophy of jishu in China to reevaluate the appearance of philosophy of gongcheng, and exposes the differences between these two parallel transdisciplinary approaches. Working with engineers deepens the understanding of engineering practices and provides some fresh insights on previous philosophical theories. Both field philosophy and philosophy of engineering need to ask, is there only one way to do philosophy?

Building Interdisciplinary Partnerships for Community-Engaged Environmental Health Research in Appalachian Virginia.

This article describes a collaboration among a group of university faculty, undergraduate students, local governments, local residents, and U.S. Army staff to address long-standing concerns about the environmental health effects of an Army ammunition plant. The authors describe community-responsive scientific pilot studies that examined potential environmental contamination and a related undergraduate research course that documented residents’ concerns, contextualized those concerns, and developed recommendations. We make a case for the value of resource-intensive university–community partnerships that promote the production of knowledge through collaborations across disciplinary paradigms (natural/physical sciences, social sciences, health sciences, and humanities) in response to questions raised by local residents. Our experience also suggests that enacting this type of research through a university class may help promote researchers’ adoption of “epistemological pluralism”, and thereby facilitate the movement of a study from being “multidisciplinary” to “transdisciplinary”.

PLANES URBANOS Y DISPUTAS LOCALES ALREDEDOR DE LOS PREDIOS FERROVIARIOS: LA HISTORIA DE BAHÍA BLANCA, ENTRE GRANDES ANHELOS Y MODESTAS ACTUACIONES

<p>Durante el siglo XX Bahía Blanca fue un caso peculiar en la reestructuración ferroviaria argentina. Si bien la ciudad había sido un importante núcleo ferroportuario, la racionalización de infraestructuras —a cargo del Ministerio de Transporte e iniciada en 1948— estuvo concentrada en otras ciudades del país. Por ello, en la historia urbana y urbanística de Bahía Blanca la sensación de un desarrollo incompleto contrasta con grandes aspiraciones inalcanzadas. El objetivo del artículo es comparar imaginarios y realidades en torno a los predios ferroviarios desafectados, analizando documentos de la prensa y de los planes urbanos. Dicha tarea ha sido concebida en referencia a la historia del urbanismo en la Argentina y a sus paradigmas disciplinares.</p>

Trayectorias personales de aprendizaje y currículo flexible: La perspectiva de los estudiantes universitarios de psicología

El objetivo del estudio es desvelar el proceso de construcción de trayectorias personales de aprendizaje y la perspectiva estudiantil respecto al currículo flexible. Se empleó una metodología cualitativa fenomenológica y se entrevistó a 20 estudiantes y egresados de una licenciatura en psicología. Los resultados evidencian que los estudiantes se inclinan por un currículo flexible que les permita preespecializarse conforme a sus intereses respecto a diversos campos de intervención y paradigmas disciplinares de su preferencia. Rechazan trayectorias preestablecidas y obligatorias que desde su perspectiva trastocan su plan de carrera.

The Sustainability of Stem Integration Knowledge Concept Among Malaysian Scientists

In today’s educational scenario, STEM integration has becoming a panacea for addressing the global technological revolution. With the United States of America as the pioneer in this disciplinary integration paradigm, many countries are trying to embrace STEM integration approach in their respective educational system. Disciplinary integration approach is a complex approach yet offers many advantages in enhancing students’ interest in STEM-based careers. However, it also brings some hindrances such as the collation of each discipline to function and how this should be implemented without losing each of the disciplines. Based on this concern, the approach complexities were viewed in relation to the STEM knowledge (ontology), ways of STEM learning (epistemology) and STEM values (axiology). Since STEM implementation in Malaysian education system is still in the infancy stage, various aspects need to be taken into account rather than just literally adapting the commonly perceived concept. The exploration of STEM integration knowledge concept was done by applying phenomenological case study approach. Seven scientists from multi-disciplinary research practices participated in this study by sharing their experiences through semi-structured interviews, observations, written articles and biographies. By applying grounded theory strategy analysis, four sustainable STEM knowledge concepts emerged. Overall findings suggest that STEM integration knowledge concept is crucial and may assist in facing the new industrial revolution for Malaysia.

Methodological basis of management of diversification and integration development of enterprises in conditions of non-technological reproduction

The complexity, dynamicity, and unexpectedness of conditions for functioning of contemporary enterprises strengthen requirements to effectiveness of their activities. This process demands for searching new directions of development. The efficient implementation of these directions stipulates the necessity for forming the specific methodology for managing such development based on peculiarities of existing conditions. A subject of the scientific article is the methodology for managing the development of an enterprise under the neo-technological reproduction. A purpose of research is to form the methodology for managing the diversification integrational development of an enterprise under the neo-technological reproduction grounded in the mutually reinforced unity of methodologies for the cognition, practical value, and evaluation. To achieve the purpose, the author has done the research by applying the following methods: analogy; abstraction; grouping; comparison, system analysis. The author suggests and proves the expediency of forming the methodology for managing the diversification integrational development of an enterprise under the neo-technological reproduction grounded in the mutually reinforced unity of methodologies for the cognition, practical value, and evaluation. The author substantiates the mutually reinforced influence of the main aspects of forming each of the indicated methodologies. The author describes peculiarities of building each of the methodologies, taking into account the content, structure, and purpose of their key elements under contemporary conditions of development. The author proves that development of a disciplinary paradigm depending on the level of complexity of the examined issues and ways managers can solve them is the ground for the mutually reinforced unity of the considered methodologies. The suggested approach to forming the methodology for managing the diversification integrational development of an enterprise under the neo-technological reproduction enables to determine and ensure the integrity of enterprise’s processes at the expense of managerial decisions made in accordance with the evaluation, which maximally takes into account relevant, accurate, and systematized information on processes and phenomena as the basis for up-to-date knowledge and views on managing the development of an enterprise under the neo-technological reproduction.

Chinese Educational Policy Research: The Arduous Formation of a Research Paradigm

Purpose: Through combing the 40 years’ history of the development of Chinese educational policy research, this article attempts to sort out the efforts and lessons learned by researchers in the field of education policy in China. Design/Approach/Methods: As one of the earliest scholars engaged in the study of Chinese education policy, based on the academic publications, symposia, and thematic research, the author has found efforts in four directions in the field: proposals for policy-oriented research and research-oriented policy, disciplinization-based endeavors, empirical research on theory-guided educational policy, and guidance on major educational policy research topics and a think tank for educational policy decisions. Findings: This article argues that there is now a correspondence among the ideas, themes, forms, and frameworks of the educational reform promulgated by the government in recent years that have appeared in educational policy research, but there is no clear demarcation of what makes an educational policy researcher; no stable academic community has been formed that might strive together toward the foundation of a disciplinary paradigm, the rational organization of academic ideas, and the establishment and handing over of a theoretical framework to a succeeding generation. Originality/Value: This article takes a step back to claim that a paradigm for Chinese educational policy research is still nascent in the arduous process of formulation.

Un “corazón” en el desierto. Indagaciones en torno a la propuesta urbana de la Villa el Chocón en la Patagonia argentina (1968/1972)

<p class="p1"><span class="s1">En los años cincuenta y sesenta del siglo XX se difundió una crítica disciplinar sobre la ciudad existente, rechazando los postulados funcionalistas aplicados en la entre-guerra, en beneficio de lecturas atentas a la percepción fenomenológica del espacio, a la mixtura de usos y a la escala humana. El artículo pretende indagar en torno a este cambio de paradigma disciplinar, adoptando a la Villa el Chocón en la Patagonia argentina, y particularmente a la propuesta para su centro cívico, como principal caso de estudio, siendo que este pequeño poblado pone en evidencia un nuevo abordaje proyectual. En particular, la hipótesis del trabajo plantea una proximidad conceptual de los autores de la mencionada obra con los postulados que fundamentaron el alejamiento del llamado Movimiento Moderno, así como una adhesión al lema “el corazón de la ciudad”, cuestiones debatidas en sede europea desde principios de la década de 1950. En atención a los objetivos planteados, el análisis histórico-crítico del caso seleccionado ha permitido identificar estas afinidades, diferenciadas tanto del racionalismo como estrategia predominante hasta el estallido de la Segunda Guerra Mundial, como el posterior abordaje sistémico e indeterminado que caracterizaría a gran parte de la producción arquitectónica de los años 1970 en Argentina.</span></p>

Reconciliation Through Relationality in Indigenous Legal Orders

Canada’s reconciliation with Indigenous peoples and groups in Canada is an ambitious goal with little in the way of clear direction. Canadian courts have provided limited direction in their decisions, yet the result of litigation has imposed a concept of reconciliation based on First Nations remaining subordinate to state authority and interests. Reconciliation will be confounded without gaining a shared understanding with Indigenous peoples. Different Indigenous groups will have their own interpretation of what reconciliation may require to be successful. One approach to seeking common understandings is for Canadians to learnhow relationality operates as a function of disparate Indigenous legal orders. While substantive research into Indigenous legal orders is relatively new in Canadian scholarship, there is much knowledge to be gleaned from interdisciplinary research, particularly in anthropology, from the early twentieth century. At the risk of presenting an abrupt shift in disciplinary paradigms in this article, the author follows a thread of relationality from Canadian courts through the lens of doctrinal jurisprudence into relationality within various Indigenous legal orders through anthropological study. Combined, the article offers a potential path to reconciliation through relationality within Indigenous legal orders.

ТРАДИЦИИ И ПАРАДИГМЫ ИССЛЕДОВАНИЯ ИДЕНТИЧНОСТИ

В статье рассматриваются дисциплинарные парадигмы, в контексте которых проблема идентичности исследовалась в гуманитарном дискурсе. Цель статьи состоит в анализе проблематической ситуации деструктивного плюрализма и фрагментации дисциплинарных и концептуальных подходов к исследованию идентичности в современном гуманитарном дискурсе, а также возможных путей его преодоления.Методом критического анализа существующих в литературе интерпретаций плюрализма концепций идентичности и подходов к ее исследованию, автор устанавливает, что проблематический характер этого плюрализма обусловлен реальным кризисом идентичности личности в обществе постмодерна. Современному постмодернистскому кризису идентичности соответствует фрагментация и плюрализм дисциплинарных подходов и внутридисциплинарных парадигм, применяемых в исследовании идентичности. Фрагментированный, дискретный плюрализм современных исследований идентичности нередко соединяется также с релятивизацией идентичности, абсолютизацией ее текучести и изменчивости в духе философских принципов постмодернизма.Реализация междисциплинарности на практике оказывается проблематичной, т.к. открывает, не только новые возможности, но и новые проблемы и ограничения. Гораздо более проблематичной, чем междисциплинарная интеграция, оказывается внутридисциплинарная концептуальная интеграция подходов к исследованию идентичности.Автор приходит к выводу о том, что возможны две основных модели преодоления деструктивного плюрализма и фрагментации исследований идентичности. Первая модель выдержана в контексте принципов постмодернистской философии и постнеклассических стандартов научной рациональности.Вторая модель преодоления деструктивного плюрализма и фрагментации исследований идентичности основана на принципах и стандартах гуманитарной классической научной рациональности. В основе второй модели лежит создание целостной интегральной концепции идентичности на базе продуктивной философской парадигмы и междисциплинарной интеграции существующих подходов.

FOUCAULT E A EDUCAÇÃO: ENTRE O PODER DISCIPLINAR E AS TÉCNICAS DE SI (É POSSÍVEL EDUCAR PARA A LIBERDADE?)

Este texto trabalha dois conceitos teóricos relevantes de Foucault: poder disciplinar e técnicas de si. O objetivo é mostrar que a compreensão desses conceitos ajuda, certamente, a pensar o tipo de educação que se quer, pois a educação é peça importante dos dispositivos de poder-saber e das técnicas de si que formam a subjetividade humana. A hipótese é de que a educação escolar atrelada ao poder disciplinar produz subjetividades obedientes e dóceis; e a educação escolar atrelada às técnicas de si conduzem à formação de subjetividades autônomas. Para isso, busca-se uma articulação entre os conceitos de poder disciplinar e educação, e as técnicas de si e educação, como uma relação binária entre esses conceitos, de onde emerge um novo olhar para o contexto educacional a partir do trabalho teórico de Foucault. Isso permitiu apontar que é importante abrir mão do paradigma disciplinar no campo educacional e apostar mais em paradigmas que apontam para a liberdade, para a formação e para a autoformação, pois acredita-se na liberdade e jamais na sujeição, seja ela de que tipo for. 
 Recebido em: 18/07/2017.Aprovado em:10/06/2018.

Undergraduate geoscience education research: Evolution of an emerging field of discipline‐based education research

AbstractDiscipline‐based education research (DBER) conducted by faculty within geoscience departments can address identified needs in undergraduate geoscience education. This study explores the evolution of undergraduate geoscience education research (GER) from 1985 to 2016, primarily in terms of the types of published research and secondarily in terms of the insights this literature offers on the evolution of GER as a scholarly discipline. Stokes’ (1997) quadrant model of research types is used as a theoretical framework for the former and Kuhn's (1970) model of disciplinary paradigm for the latter. An exploratory sequential mixed‐methods approach to a systematic literature review of 1,760 articles is utilized. The period 1985–2000 is characterized by proto‐research as evidenced by the abundance of instructive and informational education articles rather than research articles. From 2000 to 2011, GER underwent a growth period characterized by the presence of applied, use‐inspired, and pure basic research. The period 2011–2016 appears to be a period of relative steady‐state conditions in the normalized number of GER publications per year. Existing gaps in knowledge about geoscience education, the evident unfamiliarity with education and social science research methodologies among authors of GER articles, and efforts to build consensus about what GER is and how to conduct it suggest that GER is preparadigmatic or at a low paradigm state. That is, GER is an immature discipline as far as the evolution of a discipline goes. A path forward is proposed for the continued evolutionary growth of GER. This study provides new perspectives on the emergence of GER as a discipline that can be used as a basis for studies on cross‐disciplinary DBER comparisons.

When food systems meet sustainability – Current narratives and implications for actions

Abstract The concept of food system has gained prominence in recent years amongst both scholars and policy-makers. Experts from diverse disciplines and backgrounds have in particular discussed the nature and origin of the “unsustainability” of our modern food systems. These efforts tend, however, to be framed within distinctive disciplinary narratives. In this paper we propose to explore these narratives and to shed light on the explicit -or implicit- epistemological assumptions, mental models, and disciplinary paradigms that underpin those. The analysis indicates that different views and interpretations prevail amongst experts about the nature of the “crisis”, and consequently about the research and priorities needed to “fix” the problem. We then explore how sustainability is included in these different narratives and the link to the question of healthy diets. The analysis reveals that the concept of sustainability, although widely used by all the different communities of practice, remains poorly defined, and applied in different ways and usually based on a relatively narrow interpretation. In so doing we argue that current attempts to equate or subsume healthy diets within sustainability in the context of food system may be misleading and need to be challenged. We stress that trade-offs between different dimensions of food system sustainability are unavoidable and need to be navigated in an explicit manner when developing or implementing sustainable food system initiatives. Building on this overall analysis, a framework structured around several entry points including outcomes, core activities, trade-offs and feedbacks is then proposed, which allows to identify key elements necessary to support the transition toward sustainable food systems.

Using Constructive Research to Structure the Path to Transdisciplinary Innovation and Its Application for Precision Public Health with Big Data Analytics

IntroductionTransdisciplinary research has been described by Pohl (2010) as combinations of four characteristic features of transdisciplinarity: 1) issues of social relevance; 2) transcending beyond and integrating disciplinary paradigms; 3) engaging in participatory research to link abstract and case-specific knowledge; and 4) knowledge unity through synthesis leading to

Bendradarbiavimo etnografijos galimybės atskleisti ir kurti vaikų pajėgumą konstruojant gilesnį supratimą apie perkeltųjų vaikų situaciją Kolumbijoje

Tyrimų apie vaikus reikšmingumą pripažįsta daugelio skirtingų mokslų sričių atstovai, tačiau ne visada tiriamų vaikų požiūris įtraukiamas į tyrimus. Tradiciškai konkrečios vaikų patirties suvokimas buvo formuojamas remiantis suaugusiųjų, kalbančių už vaikus, požiūriu, didesnio dėmesio nekreipiant į tai, ką gali pasakyti patys vaikai. Vis dėlto praėjusio šimtmečio devintojo dešimtmečio socialiniuose tyrimuose pradėtos taikyti naujos strategijos, kurias lėmė įvairių mokslo šakų, filosofinių paradigmų kaitos bei pasaulinių organizacijų nuostatų pokyčiai. Šios strategijos skatino kovoti su vaikų sampratos ignoravimu ir siekė įtraukti pačius vaikus ir remtis jų požiūriu į mokslinių tyrimų kūrimą ir vykdymą. Šiame straipsnyje pateikiama etnografinio tyrimo, atskleidžiančio vaikų dalyvavimo kuriant mokslo žinias svarbą, medžiaga. Tyrime nagrinėta, kaip ginkluoto konflikto metu perkeltieji vaikai kuria savo fizinio ir kultūrinio pasaulio prasmę smurto ir skurdo paveiktoje Kolumbijos srityje. Remiantis etnografiniais stebėjimais, interviu ir vaikų sukurtais fotonaratyvais, tyrime buvo plėtojama vaikų aktyvaus dalyvavimo moksliniame tyrime idėja. Šiame straipsnyje pabrėžiama, kad tyrimai bendradarbiaujant su vaikais suteikia jiems galimybę labiau dalyvauti formuojant juos supantį pasaulį. Tyrimų bendradarbiaujant koncepcijos aktualizavimas Kolumbijos kontekste taip pat galėtų stiprinti mokslinius tyrimus ir kaip konkrečią veiklą, skatinančią socialines transformacijas.

Boundary crossing and brokering between disciplines in pre-service mathematics teacher education

In many countries, pre-service teacher education programs are structured so that mathematics content is taught in the university’s mathematics department and mathematics pedagogy in the education department. Such program structures make it difficult to authentically interweave content with pedagogy in ways that acknowledge the roles of both mathematicians and mathematics educators in preparing future teachers. This article reports on a project that deliberately fostered collaboration between mathematicians and mathematics educators in six Australian universities in order to investigate the potential for learning at the boundaries between the two disciplinary communities. Data sources included two rounds of interviews with mathematicians and mathematics educators and annual reports prepared by each participating university over the three years of the project. The study identified interdisciplinary boundary practices that led to integration of content and pedagogy through new courses co-developed and co-taught by mathematicians and mathematics educators, and new approaches to building communities of pre-service teachers. It also developed an evidence-based classification of conditions that enable or hinder sustained collaboration across disciplinary boundaries, together with an empirical grounding for Akkerman and Bakker’s conceptualisation of transformation as a mechanism for learning at the boundary between communities. The study additionally highlighted the ambiguous nature of boundaries and implications for brokers who work there to connect disciplinary paradigms.