TY - JOUR

T1 - Knowledge integration

T2 - A key challenge for transdisciplinary cooperation

AU - Godemann, Jasmin

PY - 2008/12/1

Y1 - 2008/12/1

N2 - In both transdisciplinary education and transdisciplinary research projects, bodies of knowledge must be brought together which are structured in fundamentally different ways. Besides the clear divide between practical, everyday knowledge and academic knowledge, there is also a range of distinct discipline-based outlooks; all of these are to be integrated in order to reach solutions to practical problems, and to create new knowledge that transcends disciplinary boundaries. The different forms of knowledge present within a transdisciplinary team represent an important resource for problem-solving. However, this raises the question of how–in spite of or because of these differences–knowledge can be exchanged and ultimately integrated in such a manner as to achieve common goals. The process of knowledge integration is key to the added value of transdisciplinary research; it is therefore well worth examining the process in a more differentiated manner. The paper draws upon findings from social psychology on information and knowledge transfer and group dynamics to illuminate the process of generating transdisciplinary knowledge. It intends to contribute to the further development of transdisciplinary collaboration practice. The paper also provides specific recommendations which are useful in research and education processes. © 2008, Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

AB - In both transdisciplinary education and transdisciplinary research projects, bodies of knowledge must be brought together which are structured in fundamentally different ways. Besides the clear divide between practical, everyday knowledge and academic knowledge, there is also a range of distinct discipline-based outlooks; all of these are to be integrated in order to reach solutions to practical problems, and to create new knowledge that transcends disciplinary boundaries. The different forms of knowledge present within a transdisciplinary team represent an important resource for problem-solving. However, this raises the question of how–in spite of or because of these differences–knowledge can be exchanged and ultimately integrated in such a manner as to achieve common goals. The process of knowledge integration is key to the added value of transdisciplinary research; it is therefore well worth examining the process in a more differentiated manner. The paper draws upon findings from social psychology on information and knowledge transfer and group dynamics to illuminate the process of generating transdisciplinary knowledge. It intends to contribute to the further development of transdisciplinary collaboration practice. The paper also provides specific recommendations which are useful in research and education processes. © 2008, Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

KW - Sustainability sciences, Communication

KW - knowledge integration

KW - Transdisciplinarity research

KW - Transdisciplinary collaboration

KW - Interdisciplinarity

KW - sustainability science

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=77949913377&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/375636ad-c641-3d03-9948-d6762e6e93d3/

U2 - 10.1080/13504620802469188

DO - 10.1080/13504620802469188

M3 - Journal articles

VL - 14

SP - 625

EP - 641

JO - Environmental Education Research

JF - Environmental Education Research

SN - 1350-4622

IS - 6

ER -