One Ocean Learn launches a new Learning Pathway focusing on transdiciplinarity
A new Learning Pathway, ‘Transdiciplinarity’ is now available on the One Ocean Learn knowledge-translation platform. The Learning Pathway delves into various stages of implementation of transdisciplinary methods, defining, discussing, and differentiating between ‘strong’ and ‘weak’ transdisciplinary.
The learning pathway was developed by Hub early-career researcher Mia Strand, (Nelson Mandela University, South Africa and University of Strathclyde, UK) who was recently appointed as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow with the Ocean Nexus, in collaboration with the One Ocean Hub.
“Transdisciplinary research can be described as knowledge production that transcends academic disciplines to co-develop research with non-academic collaborators. Differently from disciplinary, multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research, transdisciplinarity moves outside of conventional academic and institutional structures, and pursues participatory research methods to develop contextual and user-useful knowledge with people that are experts in their own right”. Mia says.
In this Learning Pathway, Mia argued that the transdisciplinary research is increasingly ‘being promoted as the ideal approach to knowledge production for complex sustainability challenges.’ As such it is crucial to discuss such approaches across the complex field of sustainable ocean governance. With ocean in mind, and the current challenges within the ocean governance this Learning Pathway ‘outlines the main characteristics of transdisciplinarity, and how it differs from disciplinarity and interdisciplinarity. The learning pathway also discusses crucial considerations to ensure that transdisciplinary research does not perpetuate tick-box exercises, exploit research collaborators, or provide no benefit to non-academic co-researchers.’
The Learning Pathway draws from the current state of the field of transdisciplinary research and discusses the participatory research practices and transdisciplinary methods through the recent publications on the topic. The pathway also delves into various stages of implementation of transdisciplinary methods defining, discussing, and differentiating between ‘strong’ and ‘weak’ transdisciplinary.
The One Ocean Learn platform represents the ongoing collaboration between the One Ocean Hub and the UN Institute for Teaching and Research (UNITAR).
Explore the Learning Pathway here
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