Post on 18-Dec-2015
Transcending Disciplinary Transcending Disciplinary Boundaries in Designing Boundaries in Designing Environmental CurriculaEnvironmental Curricula
Will Focht, DirectorWill Focht, Director
Environmental InstituteEnvironmental Institute
Oklahoma State UniversityOklahoma State University
The ProblemThe Problem
Environmental curricula vary widely Environmental curricula vary widely
(“pedagogical anarchy”), which poses (“pedagogical anarchy”), which poses
several threats to legitimacyseveral threats to legitimacy IdentityIdentity: lack of unity and coherence: lack of unity and coherence Program QualityProgram Quality: lack of widely accepted criteria : lack of widely accepted criteria
for program review and accreditationfor program review and accreditation Professional StandingProfessional Standing: dozens of certifications: dozens of certifications Student SupportStudent Support: recruit/employment challenge: recruit/employment challenge Institutional SupportInstitutional Support: turf, budgets, staffing: turf, budgets, staffing Constituent SupportConstituent Support: confused expectations: confused expectations
CausesCauses Ontological dualismOntological dualism
Nature versus societyNature versus society Pedagogical dualismsPedagogical dualisms
Curricular breadth versus depthCurricular breadth versus depth Principles/fundamentals versus applicationsPrinciples/fundamentals versus applications Environmental studies versus science Environmental studies versus science
Disciplinary fragmentationDisciplinary fragmentation Institutional inertiaInstitutional inertia Insufficient constituent demand and Insufficient constituent demand and
support for changesupport for change Insufficient imagination and courageInsufficient imagination and courage
““Solution” DissensusSolution” Dissensus
Common mission and focus?Common mission and focus? Common core curriculum?Common core curriculum?
Disciplinary contentDisciplinary content SkillsSkills Experiences (e.g., internships)Experiences (e.g., internships)
Depth versus breadth?Depth versus breadth? Specializations?Specializations? Research component?Research component?
CEDD StudyCEDD Study
Survey of CEDD members in 2003Survey of CEDD members in 2003 61 respondents to online survey61 respondents to online survey 42 respondents to Q study42 respondents to Q study
Workshop in 2004Workshop in 2004 40 participants40 participants
Report due in AprilReport due in April Workshop results followWorkshop results follow
Skills and disciplinary contentSkills and disciplinary content
Disciplinary GroupsDisciplinary Groups Applied SciencesApplied Sciences
Engineering, Management, Computer ScienceEngineering, Management, Computer Science HumanitiesHumanities
Philosophy Philosophy (ethics)(ethics), History, Literature, Languages, History, Literature, Languages MathematicsMathematics
Algebra, Calculus, StatisticsAlgebra, Calculus, Statistics Natural SciencesNatural Sciences
LifeLife (biology, microbiology) (biology, microbiology) PhysicalPhysical (physics, chemistry, geology) (physics, chemistry, geology) InterdisciplinaryInterdisciplinary (biochemistry, toxicology) (biochemistry, toxicology) TransdisciplinaryTransdisciplinary (ecology, geography) (ecology, geography)
Social Sciences Social Sciences BehavioralBehavioral (psychology, sociology, economics) (psychology, sociology, economics) PolicyPolicy (law, political science, public administration) (law, political science, public administration)
Skill SetsSkill Sets
IntellectualIntellectual Analytic Analytic (reductionist thinking)(reductionist thinking) Synthetic Synthetic (systems thinking)(systems thinking) Discernment Discernment (critical thinking)(critical thinking) ComputationalComputational (quantitative, data management) (quantitative, data management)
CommunicativeCommunicative Written, OralWritten, Oral
ResearchResearch Literature, Field, LaboratoryLiterature, Field, Laboratory
InterpersonalInterpersonal Leadership Leadership (managerial),(managerial), Collaborative Collaborative
(teamwork),(teamwork), Facilitative Facilitative (conflict management)(conflict management)
CEDD WorkshopCEDD Workshop
Explore possibility for consensus on Explore possibility for consensus on
core competenciescore competencies Disciplinary contentDisciplinary content
SkillsSkills
Preliminary survey followed by Preliminary survey followed by
breakout discussions followed by breakout discussions followed by
plenary discussionplenary discussion
Skills RatingsSkills RatingsSkill 1 2 3 4 5 Median Mean Plenary
Critical Thought 10 30 5 4.8 5
Analytic/Reductionist 12 28 5 4.7 5
Systems Thinking 1 12 27 5 4.7 5
Written Communication 1 1 10 28 5 4.6 5
Synthetic/Integrative 1 14 25 5 4.6 5
Oral Communication 3 12 25 5 4.5 5
Literature Research 4 21 15 4 4.3 4.5
Lab Experience 4 11 15 10 4 3.8 4.5
Field Experience 1 12 15 12 4 3.4 4.5
Teamwork/Conflict Mgt 5 9 17 9 3 2.8 4
Project Management 1 3 12 21 3 4 3.6 3.5
Computation 14 18 8 4 3.2 Dissensus
Disciplinary RatingsDisciplinary RatingsDiscipline 1 2 3 4 5 Median Mean Plenary
Biology/Ecology 2 11 27 5 4.6 4.8
Chemistry 14 10 16 4 4.1 4.5
Statistics 3 14 10 13 4 3.8 4.5
Policy/Law/Public Admin 4 8 18 10 4 3.9 4.5
Ethical Principles 1 3 15 9 12 4 3.7 4.5
Geology/Earth Science 1 9 16 14 4 4.1 4.2
Sociology 4 9 18 8 1 3 2.8 2.9
Psychology 6 21 10 2 1 2 2.3 2.5
Mathematics 1 12 13 14 4 4.0 Dissensus
Economics 5 15 13 7 3.5 3.6 Dissensus
Physics 16 10 9 5 3 3.1 Dissensus
Toxicology 1 10 18 8 3 3 3.1 Dissensus
Engineering 10 25 4 1 3 2.9 Dissensus
History 2 17 13 6 2 3 2.7 Dissensus
FindingsFindings Consensus importance on most Consensus importance on most skillsskills
Very high = intellectual + communicationVery high = intellectual + communication High = researchHigh = research Mod = interpersonalMod = interpersonal
Consensus on some Consensus on some disciplinesdisciplines High = natural sciences + stat + policy + ethicsHigh = natural sciences + stat + policy + ethics Lower = behavioral sciencesLower = behavioral sciences
DissensusDissensus Computational skills (moderate to high)Computational skills (moderate to high) Math, physics, engineering, toxicology, Math, physics, engineering, toxicology,
economics, historyeconomics, history
Academic “Discipline”Academic “Discipline” ElementsElements
Branch of knowledgeBranch of knowledge that is that is formally taughtformally taught and and recognized by the recognized by the academic journalsacademic journals in which in which research is published, and the research is published, and the learned societieslearned societies to to which their practitioners belongwhich their practitioners belong
A subject area with A subject area with distinctdistinct research research methodsmethods, , terminologyterminology, and , and styles of communicationstyles of communication
A A canoncanon that defines the field and its that defines the field and its boundariesboundaries Is ES a discipline or disciplinary combination?Is ES a discipline or disciplinary combination? Confusion about disciplinary combinations Confusion about disciplinary combinations
inhibits communication about ES identity inhibits communication about ES identity Proposed nomenclature followsProposed nomenclature follows
Disciplinary ConstructionsDisciplinary Constructions
UnidisciplinaryUnidisciplinary
Unus (L.):Unus (L.): oneone
Symbols: Symbols: ● ●
Example: Example: chemistrychemistry
Best use:Best use: specialized expertise specialized expertise
Disciplinary ConstructionsDisciplinary Constructions
MultidisciplinaryMultidisciplinary
Multus (L.):Multus (L.): manymany
Symbols: Symbols: ● ● ● ● ● ●● ●
Example: Example: chemistry, biology,chemistry, biology, geology, geography geology, geography
Best use:Best use: comparative studies comparative studies
Disciplinary ConstructionsDisciplinary Constructions
InterdisciplinaryInterdisciplinary
Inter (L.):Inter (L.): betweenbetween
Symbol: Symbol:
Examples: Examples: biochemistry, biogeography, biochemistry, biogeography,
geochemistry, physical geochemistry, physical
geographygeography
Best use:Best use: studies at junctures studies at junctures
Disciplinary ConstructionsDisciplinary Constructions
TransdisciplinaryTransdisciplinary
Trans (L.):Trans (L.): acrossacross
Symbol: Symbol:
Example:Example: ecologyecology
Best use:Best use: study of systems study of systems
Disciplinary ConstructionsDisciplinary Constructions
MetadisciplinaryMetadisciplinary
Trans (Gr.): Trans (Gr.): above, beyondabove, beyond
Symbol: Symbol:
Example: Example: sustainabilitysustainability
Best use:Best use: system of systems system of systems
What Is ES?What Is ES?
A combination of disciplines?A combination of disciplines? Multidisciplinary field of studyMultidisciplinary field of study
At junctures between disciplines?At junctures between disciplines? Interdisciplinary field of studyInterdisciplinary field of study
An integration of disciplines?An integration of disciplines? Transdisciplinary field of studyTransdisciplinary field of study
A single, systems-based, discipline?A single, systems-based, discipline? A metadisciplineA metadiscipline
A Metadiscipline?
ES studies a system of systems at the society-nature interface
Interdependent systems include: Ecological system (natural capital) Economic system (financial capital) Social system (social capital) Autonomous system (human capital) Political system (political capital)
What perspectives exist among ESPs?
CEDD Study on PerspectivesCEDD Study on Perspectives
Revealed using Q methodologyRevealed using Q methodology Obtain concourse of statementsObtain concourse of statements
Sort in quasi-normal distributionSort in quasi-normal distribution
From high negative salience through From high negative salience through
low salience to high positive saliencelow salience to high positive salience Factor analyze sorts to reveal common Factor analyze sorts to reveal common
perspectivesperspectives
Three orthogonal perspectives foundThree orthogonal perspectives found
Consensus among PerspectivesConsensus among Perspectives
Pragmatic RealismPragmatic Realism Environmental problems are both natural Environmental problems are both natural
and sociopolitical (at the interface of and sociopolitical (at the interface of society and nature)society and nature)
Solutions require transdisciplinary Solutions require transdisciplinary approaches within fuzzy boundariesapproaches within fuzzy boundaries
Tailoring to institutional strengths is Tailoring to institutional strengths is necessarynecessary
Science and technology are necessary Science and technology are necessary but not sufficientbut not sufficient
Environmental Citizen PerspectiveEnvironmental Citizen Perspective Orientation
Increase environmental awareness and scientific literacy (curricular infusion)
Favors Inclusion of social science, humanities & skills courses
with natural science in a transdisciplinary curriculum
Tailoring of curriculum to institutional strengths Disfavors
Professional orientation, certifications, undergrad tracking, boundaries, individualized curricula, and client involvement
Dominant among undergraduate liberal arts institutions with environmental studies programs
Environmental Problem Solver Environmental Problem Solver PerspectivePerspective
Orientation Systems-focused training, complex problem-
solving, and professional development Favors
Breadth over depth, institutionally tailored cores, program flexibility to deal with changing needs, internships, and client responsiveness
Disfavors Deep disciplinary strength, boundaries, universal
core Doctoral/research institutions dominate
Environmental Scientist PerspectiveEnvironmental Scientist Perspective
Orientation Anchor in a natural science discipline (more
likely to be housed in departments) Favors
Universal core grounded in natural sciences and engineering, boundaries, certification, accreditation
Disfavors Breadth over depth, emphasis in social science/
humanities, accommodation of all students
Dominant among master’s institutions
Q Factor Analysis #2Q Factor Analysis #2
Judgmental rotation performed to:Judgmental rotation performed to: Explore potential consensus (middle view Explore potential consensus (middle view
as opposed to end views)as opposed to end views)
Explore confounded perspectives on A&BExplore confounded perspectives on A&B
Add to understanding of perspectivesAdd to understanding of perspectives
Rotation angle = 44Rotation angle = 44°°
Environmental IntegratorEnvironmental IntegratorPerspectivePerspective
Orientation Synthesis of natural & social sciences and
humanities is important to understanding society-nature interactions
Favors Breadth over depth, institutionally tailored cores,
uncertainty measurement and reporting Disfavors
Undergrad tracking, universal core, certification guidelines
Dominant among both undergraduate and doctoral institutions
Responsive Professional vs Responsive Professional vs Science LiterateScience Literate Perspectives Perspectives
Bipolar Perspective!Bipolar Perspective! DisagreementsDisagreements
Breadth versus depth, program structuring, client Breadth versus depth, program structuring, client involvementinvolvement
Responsive Professional OrientationResponsive Professional Orientation Broad preparation for varied and changing Broad preparation for varied and changing
professional demands but with program structureprofessional demands but with program structure boundaries, universal core, certification and boundaries, universal core, certification and
accreditation, and client involvementaccreditation, and client involvement Science Literate OrientationScience Literate Orientation
Strong natural science foundation tailored to Strong natural science foundation tailored to institutional constraints & individual student needsinstitutional constraints & individual student needs
Perspective GroupsPerspective Groups Monoliths:Monoliths: Environmental ScientistEnvironmental Scientist
Universal natural science coreUniversal natural science core Columnists:Columnists: Science LiterateScience Literate
Flexible natural science coreFlexible natural science core Spanners:Spanners: Environmental Integrator Environmental Integrator
Environmental CitizenEnvironmental Citizen Awareness and responsible actionAwareness and responsible action
Environmental Problem SolverEnvironmental Problem Solver Applied systems focusApplied systems focus
Responsive ProfessionalResponsive Professional Structured programs and professional Structured programs and professional
orientationorientation
Curricular MetaphorsCurricular Metaphors
MonolithMonolith
Common core Common core curriculum with curriculum with anchor in a single anchor in a single disciplinediscipline
Vertical curriculumVertical curriculum UnidisciplinaryUnidisciplinary
Curricular MetaphorsCurricular Metaphors
TreeTree Common core with Common core with
roots in one discipline roots in one discipline and branches reaching and branches reaching out to neighboring out to neighboring disciplinesdisciplines
Expanded vertical Expanded vertical curriculumcurriculum
Quasi-unidisciplinaryQuasi-unidisciplinary
Curricular MetaphorsCurricular Metaphors
Columns/GroveColumns/Grove
Students chooseStudents chooseto anchor in one of to anchor in one of several disciplinesseveral disciplines
Multiple vertical Multiple vertical optionsoptions
Unidisciplinary Unidisciplinary pluralismpluralism
Curricular MetaphorsCurricular Metaphors
Bricks and MortarBricks and Mortar
Courses chosen fromseveral disciplines
Horizontal curriculum
Multidisciplinary
Curricular MetaphorsCurricular Metaphors
Venn DiagramVenn Diagram
Common core that need Common core that need not be unidisciplinarynot be unidisciplinary
Specialization courses Specialization courses selected from predefined selected from predefined clustersclusters
Interdisciplinary (+)Interdisciplinary (+)
Curricular MetaphorsCurricular Metaphors
SpanSpan
Individual courses are integrated across disciplines
Horizontal curriculum
Transdisciplinary (+)
Evolution of a New MetaphorEvolution of a New Metaphor
Traditional ViewTraditional View
VerticalVertical curriculum curriculum based on depth in a based on depth in a discipline and discipline and associated skillsassociated skills
Criticism: too narrow Criticism: too narrow (carpenter analogy)(carpenter analogy)
Evolution of a New MetaphorEvolution of a New Metaphor
Competing ViewCompeting View
HorizontalHorizontal curriculum curriculum based on breadth based on breadth across disciplines and across disciplines and skillsskills
Criticism: too shallow, Criticism: too shallow, lack of focuslack of focus
Evolution of a New MetaphorEvolution of a New Metaphor
Post-Disciplinary View Post-Disciplinary View Trans/Meta-disciplinary Trans/Meta-disciplinary
curriculum based on curriculum based on bioregional themes, issues, bioregional themes, issues, or problems at various scalesor problems at various scales WatershedsWatersheds AirshedsAirsheds Land useLand use Energy useEnergy use Environmental mgt systemsEnvironmental mgt systems Global climate changeGlobal climate change Sustainable developmentSustainable development
Theme-Tailored CurriculaTheme-Tailored Curricula
Appropriate mix of disciplinary Appropriate mix of disciplinary breadth and depth depends on the breadth and depth depends on the theme, issue or problem addressedtheme, issue or problem addressed Non-linear distributions Non-linear distributions
Include thematic trans- and meta-Include thematic trans- and meta-disciplinary courses that link science disciplinary courses that link science and humanitiesand humanities
Consider integrative capstones, Consider integrative capstones, internships, and service learninginternships, and service learning
Linking Science & HumanitiesLinking Science & Humanities
NRC (1996): NRC (1996): Understanding Risk:Understanding Risk:Informing Decisions in a Democratic SocietyInforming Decisions in a Democratic Society
Informs
Frames
DeliberationAnalysis DecisionData
Response to SkepticsResponse to Skeptics
Metadisciplinary bioregional theme-Metadisciplinary bioregional theme-focused curriculum encourages focused curriculum encourages sense of responsibilitysense of responsibility
Eliminates dualisms through Eliminates dualisms through development of interdependent development of interdependent systems-based “ecological systems-based “ecological conscience”conscience”
Embraces complexity & uncertaintyEmbraces complexity & uncertainty Is focused, relevant, and innovativeIs focused, relevant, and innovative
ChallengesChallenges
Need trans and metadisciplinary Need trans and metadisciplinary courses aimed at real issuescourses aimed at real issues
Need metadisciplinary faculty who Need metadisciplinary faculty who can skillfully discern connections can skillfully discern connections and emergent insightsand emergent insights
Need paradigm shift at higher Need paradigm shift at higher education institutionseducation institutions
Need new institutional structuresNeed new institutional structures Need constituency supportNeed constituency support
3-D View of Curricula3-D View of Curricula
Theme-focused integrated curriculum Appropriate disciplinary
and skill depth and breadth depends on theme
Include theme-related trans/meta courses and experiences
Breadth
Them
es
Dep
th
Blind Men and ElephantBlind Men and Elephant
Unidisciplinary: ignorance
Multidisciplinary: an argument
Interdisciplinary: sides of elephant
Transdisciplinary: entire elephant
Metadisciplinary: elephant can work
[insert elephant with two men at either end examining trunk and tail]
Is Meta Achievable?Is Meta Achievable?
Don’t children do it naturally?Don’t children do it naturally? Disciplinary education creates Disciplinary education creates
paradigms/schemas that limit paradigms/schemas that limit thinkingthinking Looking under the lamp-postLooking under the lamp-post Fish analogyFish analogy
Courses and mentors that Courses and mentors that demonstrate meta synthesis can demonstrate meta synthesis can reintegrate disciplinesreintegrate disciplines
Meta Example: NIMBYMeta Example: NIMBY
Superficial analysis: Superficial analysis: conflictconflict Multi-disciplinary analysesMulti-disciplinary analyses
Economic benefits and costsEconomic benefits and costs Environmental risks and their mitigationEnvironmental risks and their mitigation Environmental justice concernsEnvironmental justice concerns
Transdisciplinary analysisTransdisciplinary analysis Tradeoff benefits, costs & risks equitablyTradeoff benefits, costs & risks equitably
Metadisciplinary analysisMetadisciplinary analysis Sustainable developmentSustainable development
One Size Fits All?One Size Fits All?
Room for AllRoom for All All programs need not All programs need not
conform to same modelconform to same model We need monoliths, We need monoliths,
columns, and spanscolumns, and spans But we can all strive for But we can all strive for
metadisciplinarity to metadisciplinarity to gain system insights gain system insights and find novel solutionsand find novel solutions