Hello Cornerstone students!
This week’s topic focus is on critical
thinking and interdisciplinary problem solving. There are various
approaches you can take when it comes to problem solving with an
interdisciplinary mindset. Interdisciplinary problem solving consists of
looking at problems from a different approach as those of your peers
with disciplinary majors. With an interdisciplinary problem solving
approach you are take on problems from aspects from various disciplines.
Errol Morris wrote an article about critical thinking and decision making in the New York Times. This article discusses critical thinking and the way we think about things.
Critical Thinking Questions
1. Do you think it requires critical thinking to effectively explain the degree, the advantages this degree brings to the table (vs. disciplinary degree), and how/why you chose this path?
Please read the Errol Morris piece in the New York Times Part 1.
2. How this can apply to the interdisciplinary model?
3. What insights have you gained from this reading?
4. How can you apply this to 'real' life situations.?
The word, critical, according to the Merriam Dictionary means: “exercising or involving careful judgment or judicious evaluation.” I think this is a needed skill to effectively explain what IDS is and how/why I would decide to pursue this degree. IDS is very unique compared to regular disciplinary degrees because you can incorporate different areas together that fit your unique goals. For an IDS degree to work for a chosen career they should be chosen with care and understood how/why that path would benefit you. Critical thinking skills help with thinking outside the box and IDS is exactly that—thinking outside the traditional disciplinary box to new territories.
ReplyDeleteErrol Morris’ article about the idea of “unknown unknowns” was very interesting. I think that with IDS worldview people will be able to see an issue or question from many different angles leading to dynamic, diverse solutions/ideas. A solution or idea may be missed if viewed through only disciplinary perspective, but if viewed through several disciplinary mindset then the answer may be able to be found. Thus through an IDS worldview our “unknown unknowns” may be penetrated because we are able to understand an issue from many different concepts and knowledge bodies. The insight I gained from this was that I should always pursue knowledge from many disciplines and integrate that knowledge so that I will not be stuck with the Dunning-Kruger Effect. To me IDS is a thirst for knowledge that will prevent damage to my expertise and imperfection in my knowledge or skill. As a lifelong student that will always pursue knowledge, hopefully the unknown unknowns will be less because I won’t be bound by disciplinary boundaries and perspectives, but liberated to reframe questions/issues so I can answer them.
I think the word "reframe" is great for Interdisciplinary studies because it does give us a totally new frame of reference to look at things through. I've tackled tough issues in several of my classes and the thinking that is required by an interdisciplinarian definitely has helped me come up with different ideas that people in my classes (who are usually only taking business classes) don't come up with.
Deleteyeah, I've been learning about "framing" in my communication classes. It is very interesting how our language shapes our view of the world and if we learn to see through other cultures' worldview (because of their language) we can see the world differently. And this is what I think IDS is like: Different languages are each different disciplines, and those who are bilingual or multilingual can see the world in a more complete perspective.
DeleteI agree with IDS being essentially "thinking out of the box." I enjoy this major because of that. I do not like there being set methods of thought being imposed upon me. I feel like with many different views, the best outcome can be achieved. This ties in exactly with your thoughts on Morris' article. I agree with not becoming stagnate in your knowledge as well. Always keep trying to find more.
DeleteCory Waite
I strongly agree with you Rachel.Most of my classes I had tough times, especially thinking. Critical thinking is a lot of thinking. WE should always pursue knowledge from many displines and integrate that knowledge, that will prevent damge to my expertise and imperfection in my knowledge or skill..
DeleteI agree with you rachel that IDS is a discpline that you have to think outside of the box and we will use critical thinking in IDS and I also agree with cory many different views the best outcome can be achieved
DeleteCritical thinking is essential to every problem we face in our personal and professional lives. In terms of explaining to a disciplinarian trained colleague what it means to have an interdisciplinary degree does require critical thinking because the interdisciplinarian must be very careful and precise in the explanation to not add more confusion. I would consider myself a pretty average example of an IDS student, and I must say I have spent the last two years since I declared my interdisciplinary degree improving my critical thinking skills. For myself, when discussing the advantages of my IDS degree and the path I have chosen, I believe critical thinking goes hand-in-hand with logical reasoning. Honing in on your critical thinking and having logical behind your thought process will make one's interdisciplinary work understandable in any problem you will face.
ReplyDeleteErrol Morris's report on the Dunning-Kruger Effect highlights a problem (proposed by David Dunning) and a method using many different perspectives and critical thinking to answer the complex question of stupidity; this is textbook interdisciplinary work. Though answering and explaining what is meant by "unknown unknowns" is what Morris focused on, I think most interdisciplinarians would agree that this article provided insight on their own journey of explaining what interdisciplinary work is to their peers and those that question. In that, this article related to my real life situation, graduation coming up, the main question I get (besides, "What is next?") is "What exactly is an interdisciplinary degree?" Just as Morris mentioned in his article about David Dunning's sociobiological work, the answer to the question is found in an analogy...
Anderson, you make a great point at the end by "answer to the question is found in an analogy". With that being said, if I were your colleage how would you explain your degree to me? Give me a real example. How would you explain it in analogy?
DeleteAranderson,
DeleteDavid Dunning says "There have been many psychological studies that... we literally see the world the way we want to see it. But the Dunning-Kruger effect suggests that there is a problem beyond that... when your knowledge or expertise is imperfect, you really don’t know it."
I think that IDS is a way to correct seeing the world through a narrow disciplinary way that has us to see the world through one perspective. Through IDS glasses we can see the world through a more multifaceted comprehensive perspective. Although there are "unknown unknowns," that doesn't mean we can't one day discover some of the unknowns. This is what IDS is to me, a never ending desire and quest of knowledge.
Even if the problems are complex, interdisciplinarians aren't shy to take a stab at it.
Personally I believe that we use critical thinking daily in our personal life and also in our professional life. And yes you will need critical thinking to explain IDS. When explaining IDS you need to be confident and to the point. IDS is a very unique discipline that I believe prepares you for the real world this disciplines helps you to be very well rounded IDS prepares you with the tools that you need in the professional field.you are not just focused on one particular area and from my personal experience that is what you need especially in the health care field.
ReplyDeleteErrol Article was very interesting the "unknown unknown" and this article also gave me a insight that IDS is a solution solver it gets you to thinking and to seek knowledge on that certain situation I see IDS a challenge discipline we are not afraid of a challenge and we will try our best to seek knowledge and have a solution to the problem.
vinicia
Hi Vinicia,
DeleteI think you're absolutely right about IDS being a challenge discipline, but I think it only will benefit us in the future because we will have learned so much information from so many different areas of study that we will sort of have an advantage to those who only have one major area of study. I think it's almost as if we have the upper hand.
I agree critical thinking is used daily. I feel like as an IDS student though we should have a much greater, or more developed, critical thinking strategy due to the nature of our degree.
DeleteI totally agree with Amanda. The interdisciplinary field is so broad so there is so much we learn. We do have an upper hand because we are not focusing on one thing at a time. We are studying multiple areas so we know about other fields plus more. With all that we know critical thinking is going to play a big role in our everyday lives.
DeleteI agree with you Vic, we use critical thinking in our everyday lives. IDS is a challange displine that we are not afraid of challenging and we try our best to seek knowledge.
DeleteI think that it definitely takes some kind of critical thinking to be able to explain the interdisciplinary degree. But Vinicia is right when she says that you pretty much need critical thinking in everyday life. There are so many different obstacles that we face during our days that without critical thinking, we'd probably still be stuck at home staring at our ceilings. I've described IDS as a small stepping stone to greater things. Honestly, with all the different options for careers, it gets overwhelming. By being able to pick out a couple different things that interest me, I can expand my knowledge and find something that really suits me.
ReplyDeleteThe Errol Morris article was very different from the average article. I like his ideas of the unknown unknowns. I learned that there is so much that people think that they know, but actually have no clue what they're talking about. Trying to figure out these unknown unknowns can relate to IDS because we are constantly problem solving and trying to figure out how our areas of study relate to each other and to the outside world.
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DeleteYour description of interdisciplinary studies program is awesome, "a small stepping stone to greater things." I think that is a main reason we are all here...trying to figure out where life can take us.
DeleteI agree, the Dunner-Kruger effect that Morris explains was quite obscure. The topics that Morris brings up and the challenges that Dunning faces is very similar to the challenges we as IDS students face and will face in the future. Dunning is still trying to come up with the best description of his study, just as we strive to answer the world's question, "What is that Interdisciplinary Degree you speak of?"
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DeleteI find it so hard at times to explain my interdisciplinary degree. It does take a lot of critical thinking to explain this field. This field is so broad that you can't explain it with one simple answer.
DeleteAmanda I like your definition of IDS I agree it is a small tepping stone into greater things and I also do agree that we all are here to find out where life takes us because we never know where life may lead us. I do agree that the article face what we as IDS studebts will face.
Deletevinicia
1. I believe it does require critical thinking to be able to explain this degree. There are many concepts which are not easily discerned as compared to a standard one focus degree. With this in mind you need to always be able to find ways to explain your degree, such as in job interviews as we covered earlier. There are many different methods of describing it and we need to make sure we chose the appropriate manner based upon the situation we are in.
ReplyDeleteThe article was pretty interesting. I liked the idea of it being in an interview form. unknown unknowns are something we need to realize exist. I always say the most important thing you can do is ask questions. Knowing which questions to ask is critical to complete any given assignment. It is imperative that we do not get complacent and stop asking the questions. IDS is all about asking questions and finding ways to solve them. This can be applied to every day situations by making sure we keep searching for the unknown unknowns. As I said earlier. Never become complacent in your knowledge.
Sorry for the numerous deletes, I could not get a main reply article
DeleteCory Waite
Do you think that critical thinking is unique to describing IDS? I personally believe that some critical thinking is involved in explaining any specific discipline, just as portrayed in the Morris article. But, unique to an interdisciplinary work explanation is logical analogies. It is hard for a disciplinarian to understand what we do and why we chose the route we did. I have noticed that those that have focused on a single discipline are confused why I do not "focus" my studies. Our IDS programs are focused in their own right...we just have to make sure we logically explain our major with a critical mindset (understanding both sides of the argument).
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