Introduction
You may be wondering, "What exactly is an interdisciplinarian?" It's a pretty big word and one that is unfamiliar to many people. A brief definition that I might give someone is that interdisciplinarians are people who hold specific traits and skills that allow them to be extremely well-rounded and versed in many subjects. Interdisciplinarians may not be complete experts or the authority on all possible subjects, but they most definitely have the experience and the willingness to devote time and energy to learning as much as possible about the various disciplines that exist.
Am I an interdisciplinarian? I'd like to think so. Throughout my educational career (think: kindergarten to the present), I've found myself very interested in the world around me. I've always loved to learn about new things, often times with a passion that many people find themselves dedicating only to their "most favorite" subject. I've come up with two traits and two skills of interdisciplinarians that I feel I embody. Let's begin...
Trait 1: Love of Learning.
As mentioned previously, I've always loved learning. As quoted by Trow, "Students drawn to interdisciplinary studies have an unusual love of learning, are curious beyond the average about the world they live in, and welcome opportunities to view the world from as many perspectives as possible (as cited in Repko, 2005, p. 23). This definition sums up the love of learning that I believe ALL interdisciplinarians should hold.
I truly believe I have a love of learning that is not often found in your typical person. I've heard from many friends that I "seem to know something about everything" or have been asked "How in the world do you know these things?" I take pride in loving to learn about new things, regardless of the reason. Whether I'm looking up a fact for my seven-year old son, doing research for a college class, or providing families with resources as a Navy Family Ombudsman, I'm constantly trying to learn new things.
Trait 2: Appreciation of Diversity.
As stated in Repko (2005), interdisciplinarians have "respect for people holding different views, devoted to different faith traditions, and coming from different racial backgrounds" (p. 25). Simply put, interdisciplinarians are willing to see beyond the surface and open their minds and hearts to learn about all the differences in opinion, no matter the reason or person.
I believe I personify the open-minded personality that is needed to appreciate diversity. I grew up as a military child, and have spent almost my entire adult life as a military spouse. I've traveled across the United States - living in small towns and large cities - and have learned about the differences that exist in our country. I've experienced differences in cultural beliefs, customs, traditions, ethnicities, hospitality, and dialects. I know this has allowed me to grow and appreciate the diversity that exists in my community and ultimately the world.
Skill 1: Ability to Communicative Competently.
"Each discipline has not only its own set of skills and knowledge but also its own language that it uses to describe its concepts, assumptions, and theories" (Repko, 2005, p. 26). Each discipline, or subject, truly has its own set of vocabulary and knowledge that requires people to understand a certain amount of information to be able to actively engage in conversation and communicate effectively with others regarding a specific topic.
Majoring in Interdiscplinary Studies has allowed me to see the wide range of skills, knowledge, and language that each subject holds. I've learned how to critique visual art using words such as perspective, focal point, and avant-garde; I've learned how to find the mean, median, and mode when discussing the price of homes in a particular year; and I've learned the fundamentals of Linguistics that explain the complexity of human language. Because of my well-rounded education, I'm able to communicate competently with others in many subject areas.
Skill 2: Ability to Think Abstractly.
"The interdisciplinarian must integrate various perspectives relevant to the problem and, ideally, should be able to express this new understanding symbolically in terms of a metaphor" (Repko, 2005, p. 26). To think abstractly means one must be able to think about topics they may not have experienced personally, but have knowledge of. One must be able to understand topics that seem foreign and unfamiliar by using their prior knowledge and skills.
I think I have the ability to think abstractly because I often find myself in new situations that require on-the-spot decision making. Instead of going with what is most familiar to me, I often try to see the situation from every aspect. In doing so, I try to break down situations into something familiar and easier to understand. For example, when writing a paper about a topic that I have limited knowledge of, I try to think "outside the box" and consider other opinions and outside information. I then come up with more considerations to research and possibly include in my paper.
Conclusion
It's easy to say that I believe I'm an interdisciplinarian. I can provide traits and skills, define them, and give some examples as to why I represent each one of them. But to truly believe and know that I'm an interdisciplinarian can only be found in my heart. When I look at myself as a whole - my life experiences, my college experiences, my personality, and my personal goals - I see someone who has always been an interdisciplinarian...even before I knew how to spell it.
Reference
Repko, A. (2005). Interdisciplinary practice: A student guide to research and writing. Boston: Pearson.
DISCLAIMER: This blog is an assignment for an Interdisciplinary Studies course at National University. It is not a real blog.
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