The research mode that has gained prominence under the designation "transdisciplinary research" (TDR) has given rise to a multitude of definitions and critiques. While some posit that this research mode enables the sciences to address the mounting societal expectations to confront and potentially resolve significant societal challenges,…

There is a need for innovative approaches in the classroom to increase student preparedness to address and solve some of today's complex social problems. Interdisciplinary courses can be one way to accomplish this. This is an exploratory study to examine if an interdisciplinary web-based video series is associated with improvements in…

Systematic inquiry is an inherent part of social work practice. Despite this fact, social work students and practitioners continue to view research as difficult, intimidating and irrelevant. This disconnect is compounded by a lack of rigorous study on how best to teach research concepts to social work students. One way to bridge this gap is to…

This paper examines shifts in the knowledge production policy agenda at Japanese research universities -- a transition from discipline-based academic tradition towards interdisciplinary forms of knowledge production -- through a case study of a leading interdisciplinary research institute. We examine this transition through the case of Tohoku…

Higher education institutions are continually seeking to recruit nontraditional adult students yet struggle at the same time to meet their needs effectively. The following case study offers strategies to address this situation by documenting the pedagogical design and initial outcomes of an interdisciplinary, nineteen-month leadership-themed…

The most pressing social problems facing humanity in the 21st century are what systems theorist Russell Ackoff referred to as "messes"--complex dynamic systems of problems that interact and reinforce each other over time. In this article, the authors argue that the lack of progress in managing messes is in part due to the predominance of…

This article reviews the literature on challenges faced by engineering faculty in educating their students on community-engaged, sustainable technical solutions in developing countries. We review a number of approaches to increasing teaching modules on social and community components of international development education, from adding capstone…

The underlying assumption to this paper is that learners' ability to appreciate the relevance of school science and its importance to socio-economic development of their communities to a large extent depends on the quality of instruction they receive from their teachers. A popular conundrum is that no country is greater than the calibre of its…

Discusses the convergence method of analyzing social problems. (RK)

The three problems approaches outlined for an introductory, interdisciplinary course provide opportunities to apply the methodological tools and perspectives of the social studies. Organization of each course, advantages and disadvantages, unique objectives, approaches, and methodology for a social problem approach, case study approach, and a…

Discusses the case study approach and describes an advanced graduate seminar organized around this method. Suggests that cases may be used to place historical developments in the field of psychology in the broader context of political, sociological, philosophical, and theological issues.

This paper discusses the need for teaching about aging as part of the school curriculum; examines some of the important issues about aging in American society; relates aging to the various disciplines of the social sciences; and suggests teaching strategies, learning activities, and resources materials for grades K-12. The first chapter answers…

The "ISSS Annual Conference Proceedings" is a peer-reviewed professional publication published once a year following the annual conference. (Individual papers contain references.) [For the 2009 proceedings, see ED504973.]