#interdisciplinary and trans-disciplinary approaches

[linguistlist-blog]

Calls: Interdisciplinary Perspectives In Humanities and Social Sciences

A discipline delineates the boundaries of the intellectual community by defining specific themes, methods, and terminologies, and in order to face the challenges of a deeply interconnected world, it is necessary to assume a comprehensive epistemological methodology. As plural-, trans- and interdisciplinary research crosses disciplinary boundaries by combining methods, approaches, terminologies, and concepts from several fields, they offer broader avenues for solving complex, real-life problems, http://dlvr.it/SwR7t8

[yosoyloqueveo]

LISSOME | Cultivating Connection is Imperative for Creating a Sustainable World

| “Spirituality, consciousness, awareness, presence, mindfulness, reflection, they all ultimately mean the same thing – connection. Our world is in crisis, and we need alternative guiding paradigms that will help us create a world of flourishing for all. I believe that our issues in this world stem from a disconnection to our inner selves, to our communities, and to the Land, of which we are intrinsically interconnected with. We can place all the material, technological and transparency fixes on the industry as much as we want, but if there is no fundamental notion of care for our planet, one and other, for all life on this planet, then we are going to keep seeing the same problems occurring again and again. 

It’s about understanding the deep intrinsic interconnectedness that we have with Nature and all living beings on this planet, and that everything, utterly everything is sacred.

The act of designing itself, from envisioning something, to creating it and putting it out into the world, can be an immensely sacred act when done with intention, care, reflection, and heart.

I love the idea of the fashion designer as a ‘doula’, as Otto von Busch introduced me to. I feel that a major part of our role now will be becoming custodians for Mother Earth, ensuring all that we design and create dances in symbiosis with her, and always gives back ten-fold.

For so long the fashion industry has looked only within its sphere of existence. It’s imperative that we bring an interdisciplinary and trans-disciplinary approach to fashion design, and I see future designers working within climate issues, politics, economics, ecology, technology, psychology and all other industries.

+

Ania Zoltowski is a sustainable fashion designer, educator and researcher. Her work challenges contemporary design and consumption systems, as she proposes a design for sustainability as founded upon a connection to our inner selves, one another and to Nature. Together with Amie Berghan, she co-created Sustainability 5.0, a platform and think-tank that moves beyond the technological and material solutions apparent in the sustainability arena, and guides us towards whole system solutions that regenerate and replenish Mother Earth. Ania is currently based in Sydney, Australia.   www.aniazoltkowski.com

[stupendousarchstudent]

A Point

Symbiosis is just the inter-relationship of two or more things--it is a system in its most simple definition. While we think of symbiosis as something that is currently happening and can be visibly seen, the beauty of this system is that it begins smalls in things we cannot see but extrapolates outwards.

Beginning with a single variable, symbiosis occurs when this variable interacts with another. A complex system of interactions forms something new which continues to interact with new variables, making this system even more complex.

The amount of complexity of a field is directly related to this idea, as a field begins with initial observations and insights which leads to research which leads to new ideas, technologies, and infrastructure to respond to the growing field.

Take the field of Math. A series of definitions is directly founded on the definition of a point, the first definition Euclid mentions in our reading. For a line is a collection of points, and a shape is a series of collective lines, and the system can just keep getting more complex.

When the Utah Teapot was been mapped and created in a 3D software. One of the only ways to actually make the teapot was to plot the points measured in real life. With all points of the teapot, lines were used to connect, which then turned into shapes, which then became a teapot. From this teapot, a breadth of discoveries was made in terms of the development of 3D software, as it was one of the first complex objects to be formed--and it all stems from a collection of points. Is the Utah Teapot a direct effect of symbiosis? Well, the inter-relationship of points, the first definition in Euclid’s book, led to a series of lines whose inter-relationship led to a series of shapes that led to the visibility of a 3D teapot. The process of symbiosis did not end there, for that program was nothing like the ones we use today to design (like AutoCAD and Rhinoceroses) and I have no doubt that the same software we use today will be relevant in 50 years or maybe even 20 years. This is because symbiosis can lead to increased complexity and progression.

Think about the painting in UMass titled “endosymbiosis” showing a bunch of lively creatives coexisting within an underwater-like setting. They are dependent on each other and interact in a symbiotic world (as we do today with other humans, animals, and environments). This is the symbiosis we see and feel day to day. However, this painting also alludes to a past of symbiosis that collectively led to the complex systems today. A point of the Utah Teapot is like the early Prokaryote: when alone, small and simple but when combined with another like it, can create a process that leads to in one case a 3D teapot and other a life form. Almost everything existing now is a direct result of a relationship between two or more, as the individual cannot grow alone.

If we were to make a painting called symbiosis today, it could be anything complex--people, cities, teapots, 3D software, architecture, math… it is important to understand the origins and realize the future as symbiosis and complex systems will continue. Think of bitcoin and the collective of processing power. In the beginning, mining bitcoin was simple and much more fruitful with less output, but with its success, the processing power now needs to be greater for the same benefit because the problem being solved is becoming ever so complex and complicated. As we move from early beginnings to complexities now, when do we give up on the complicated and move to a new? Should interdisciplinary be dropped for trans-disciplinary? An ever-complexing symbiotic relationship would think so. However, a computer cannot change the way it asks questions and defines assumptions, and with an ever complexing world there needs to be an ever-changing approach to problems, questions, and methodologies.

We all tend to think we have the answer to the complex problem in front of us--from climate change to poverty to world hunger-- but what if we work together and think of something that never could have been imagined by one of us alone?

[symbissla]

Liberal Arts Education – creativity meets productivity.

Liberal Arts takes the term art in the sense of a learned skill rather than specifically the fine arts. Thus, Liberal Arts encourages a diversified approach to learning covering multiple disciplines of study such as literature, philosophy, math's, sciences and the social sciences, which gives learners a broader perspective of the field they choose, a positive mindset and a broader, more informed world view.

Liberal Arts were the continuation of Ancient Greek methods of enquiry that began with a "desire for a universal understanding”. In 4th century Athens, the government of the polis, or city-state, respected the ability of rhetoric or public speaking above almost everything else. The first recorded use of the term "liberal arts" in literature by Cicero, but it is unclear if he created the term. (Source: Wikipedia)

In India, Symbiosis School for Liberal Arts (SSLA) was the first liberal arts college. Today, the B.A. / B.Sc. Honors Degree in Liberal Arts offered at SSLA adapts the well-established international ideology of liberal arts education. Students join SSLA for its strong academics, innovative learning, Tran’s disciplinary learning model, constructive and friendly environment and of course, its internationally valued 4-year programmed tailored to the Indian scenario. Through a multidisciplinary approach, students are equipped with the technical, academic   and practical knowledge to excel in their future careers.

SSLA offers a wide range of courses with the freedom to pick and choose major and minor areas of specialization. Unique combinations like Biology and Economics open up avenues in fields like Health Economics, Policy Making, Pharmacare, etc. The number of combinations possible is in thousands.  

Along with the coursework, students are encouraged to take their learning experience beyond the classroom. SSAL partners with the industry and NGOs for student research, internships, community outreach and placements. These projects are then assessed and integrated into the programme structure.

SSLA has set up a collaborative for Asian Anthropology to bring together cooperation and information relative to the diverse communities and people of Asia and the world.  SSLA also hosts the India Association for Big History. Its members promote an interdisciplinary model to trace the trajectory of the world and our existence in it, from our origins in the Big Bang to the present, through an interactive micro / macro perspective.

SSLA differentiates itself by offering opportunities in two or more diverse disciplines. With a faculty: student ratio of 1:20, individual attention is guaranteed. With 242+ courses across 20 disciplines. workshops, study trips and conferences integrated in the programme, and international exposure, semester exchange and summer trips, SSLA thoroughly prepares students for the real world.

SSLA offers 4-year Bachelor of Arts (Liberal Arts) Honours and Bachelor of Science (Liberal Arts) Honours programmes with Majors in Philosophy, Anthropology, Media Studies, Business Studies, International Relations, Political Science & Public Policy. All Majors can also be taken as Minors.

The list of Minors includes Women’s and Gender Studies, History, Film Studies, Peace and Conflict Studies, Biology, Physics, Performing Arts and Law, Mathematics & Statistics, Computer Studies, English, Economics, Psychology, Sociology and interesting subjects like History of Ideas, Short Stories from around the World etc.

Students can try their hands at getting their work published. They can take a lead in conceptualising and running home-grown publications, ranging from political commentary to poetic expression. The strength of SSLA is its vibrant student community. SSL encourages student participation in as many processes as possible. The School has a very active student council and student body who are engaged throughout the year in various club activities run entirely by the students.

 Over the four years at SSLA, students are nurtured to become effective thinkers and communicators, possessing research and analytical skills, interpersonal skills, and multi-tasking abilities. In the ever-changing work environment, these transferable skills help students thrive in diverse domains, even when not specifically trained in them.

Over the years, SSLA students have joined prestigious institutions like Asian Institute of Diplomacy and International Affairs, The New York Film Academy, Johns Hopkins University as well as eminent companies like Zocdocs, Gateway House and MullenLowe Lintas. Some of SSL alumni have set up their own entrepreneurial ventures.

[itchoosesme]

Context

The transformative impact of the covid-19 pandemic does not require much introduction but its progress prompts fundamental questions. When it comes to architecture and urbanism we can see once again how the relationship between private space and public space has changed. Previous spatial patterns connecting public with private space have been disrupted which for many reduced an earlier enthusiasm for city living. With our studio we look at new spatial realities as part of a long lasting relationship between architecture and disease. It is in many ways rather obvious for the practice of architecture to be historically linked with the practice of medicine. In ways of teaching; going as far back as Book 1 by Vitruvius written in the 1st century BC. To ways in which public health (or lack thereof) forced structural changes upon cities and their buildings. 'The Sewer Network of Central London' would have never been build if it wasn’t for successive cholera epidemics throughout the 19th century. The lattice of sewage systems required roads above to become wider and straighter as such, generating the current London street grid. Modern architecture moved away from the 19th century decorated interior with its wall coverings, carpets and draperies in its campaign for health. This new paradigm propagating sanitized well ventilated interiors would help fight wide spread tuberculosis in early 20th century Europe. In modern architecture form not only follows function but also the fear of infection. From the widened streets of London lined with trees to antibacterial brass doorknobs in clear white interiors, architecture has been in part shaped by disease. With this studio we observe an implicit connection between spatial design and healthcare. As we speculate on new spatial realities we cannot but think through a sense of continuity; from mid 19th century urbanism to early 20th century modernism. This is important for we do not want to merely focus on mitigation measures in reference to guidelines such as those published by World Health Organization (WHO). We do not glorify teleworking nor distance learning. We do not give up on concepts of urbanity and/ordensity. We don’t observe the widening of space between people as most critical but a broadening of socio-economic divisionas a consequence of this pandemic. We are concerned with a perpetual architectural evolution in which spatial paradigms are subject to radical change symmetrical tothe evolution and spreadingof disease.

Aim

The production of prototypical spatial installations presenting radical thinking on spaceshaped by disease.Such installation should operate as a manifesto concerned with forms of ideological and aesthetic representation. We are interested in reading spaceas a series of connected events, implicitly transitional as we explore new (im)material relationships between private space and public space

Work Flow

We will structure this studio in small collaborative groups of 3 (with one exception since we are 14 students). For your first week of work (after our introduction) each group starts with the compilation of an initial research on particular ideological  &aesthetic references in relation to the studio topic. During our second studio day of September 23 each we will present this research to each other.To help you in the use of various media Olivier Otten & Daphne Heemskerk from http://high-rise.nl/indexwill run a ‘Multiple Media’ studio in parallel to this Thematic Design Studio. They will support you in continuously thinking and re-thinking the act of re-presentation.They have organised an MM Workshop‘Reading the Surface’on Friday18 September during a site visit to Quarantine area Rotterdam (Heijplaat). With this workshop and following workshops we want to differentiate the act of mapping ‘Cartesian Space’ from mapping‘Experiential Space’. These kind of concepts will become more clear in the further development of the studio.During the second week we start with the observation and registration of a project site. This exercise is again supported by an MM Workshop during which you will explore the medium of film for the use of film will be used as a representational/design instrument structuring this first phase of this project. With your (filmic) site definition you are asked to read space as a series of connected events, implicitly transitional observing relationships between private space and public space.On September 30th, our third studio day, we will present first video drafts to each other.The following weeks each group continues the development of their filmic site investigation diversifying ideological & aesthetic explorations. To support the development of design speculations within your project site we will gradually work from film towards the production of drawings and the production of models.  These will be discussed during weekly group tutorials; providing a forum for debate on form & content. ‘Models’can be negotiated by means of various media; film, collage, drawing, model-making, performance, writing, etc.Each student is asked to keep a ‘Visual Logbook’capturing various conceptual & formal shifts as part of the design process. Olivier Otten & Dapne Heemskerk will support you in the creation of a visual logbook starting with Workshop #3 ‘Inter(Zine).The intermediate outcome of this work will be evaluated and discussed as part ofa midterm review on Friday October 30th.Following the midterm review, each group is asked to develop a thesis; merging various representational strategies (grouping various ideological&aesthetic explorations) and put forward a proposal for the production of a prototypical spatial installation presenting radical thinking on space shaped by disease.  At this point concepts and explorations are to be materialised in high resolution design proposals. Students are recommended to use the available workstations. In the digital production studio, you will be able to work with 3D printing, laser cutters and a CNC milling machine. In the woodwork studio’s you will be able to work with professional woodworking equipment such as cutting tables, a milling machine and planning machines. In the metal workshop you will be able to work with equipment for welding, sawing, cutting, turning, forging and bending steel. In the ceramics & plastics studio you will be able to work with clay, plaster and various moulding resins,as well as hard plastics. Ceramic products can be baked in ovens. The outcome of this final phases will be evaluated and discussed during a final review on Tuesday December 8th.

Content and Syllabus

This studio allows student-centred design explorations as part of a collaborative studio. Interior architecture is about nurturing a collaborative intelligence; outside the singularity of one person, one studio, one school, one city. Students develop a design project to a high degree of spatial, material and intellectual resolution. Students develop and manage their own research agenda exploring the wide domain of Interior Architecture and Design. They do this in critical proximity to work produced by other students/practitioners.Teaching and Learning Methods The course consists of 11studio sessions+ 1 final evaluation session in which students discuss their work with a tutor. Students work in small collaborative groups. Students will present intermediate work as part of a formative assessment at midterm. Students will present final work as part of a summative assessment at the end of the project.Assessment criteria Please refer to MIARD Handbook for a complete overview of the final competencies (exit qualifications) that are established in accordance with national and international guidelines. These are the skills that enable students to enter the professional field and work on their own or in interdisciplinary collaborative teams.

Creative ability: They understand complex issues affecting their field of practice and look beyond disciplinary norms with a critical, imaginative and flexible approach to their work. They seek to impact the field of interior architecture and spatial practice. Capacity to conduct self-directed research:They can identify relevant subject matter, questions, and methods to formulate a position and distinct areas of research, design and writing.

Critical reflection and awareness of context: They can critically reflect and analyze issues relevant to their field of practice across a broader social-cultural, historical and theoretical context.They are able to make informed decisions about the circulation of their work among these contexts.

Communicative skills: They can clearly communicate their intent, context, process and research through different formats and media to professional and general audiences.

Capacity for media and technology: They approachmedia analytically and employ novel technologies. They use tools inventively to affect their practice, the profession and society.Making and material ability:They areable to creatively execute fabrication processes, techniques and material research across a specificity of scales and contexts.Organizational skills:They demonstrate a comprehensive ability to self-organize, plan, manage and execute complex and creative projects effectively on their own and in collaboration with others at a professional level.

Assessment Requirement Design submission 100% Students are expected to apply themselves diligently to their studies and, in particular, to comply with attendance requirements of the unit and to submit all work as prescribed.

References Drawing Futures Book free PDF download.  Edited by Laura Allen andLuke Caspar Pearson, Executive Editors: Bob Sheil and Frédéric Migayrou, November 2016http://www.ucl.ac.uk/ucl-press/browse-books/drawing-futuresX-Ray Architectureby Beatriz Colomina, Lars Müller PublishersFurtherDeleuze, G. 2003, On Franis Bacon: the logic of sensation, Trans. W. Smith, D. ContinuumDeleuzeG, 1991Empiricism and Subjectivity: An Essay on Hume's Theory of HumanNature translated by C Boundas (Columbia University Press, New York); first published1953Glanville, R (2003) An Irregular Dodekahedron and a Lemon Yellow Citroën , in van Schaik, L ed. (2003b) The Practice of Practice,  Melbourne, RMIT PressJean Labatut, History of Architecture through people, JAE Journal of Architectual education 33, no 2 (November 1979)Maurice Merleau-Ponty, 1993, ‘Eye and Mind’, in The Merleau-PontyAesthetics Reader:Philosophy and Painting (Evanston, IL: Northwestern University PressMaurice Merleau-Ponty, 1968, ‘The Visible and the Invisible’, Northwestern Univer

[fumpkins]

Implementing microbiome diagnostics in personalized medicine: Rise of pharmacomicrobiomics

IMAGE: The only peer-reviewed journal covering all trans-disciplinary OMICs-related areas, including data standards and sharing; applications for personalized medicine and public health practice; and social, legal, and ethics analysis…. view more 

Credit: Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers

New Rochelle, NY, March 2, 2020—A new Commentary identifies three actionable challenges for translating pharmacomicrobiomics to personalized medicine in 2020. Pharmacomicrobiomics is the study of how microbiome variations within and between individuals affect drug action, efficacy, and toxicity. This personalized medicine horizon scanning is featured in OMICS: A Journal of Integrative Biology, the peer-reviewed interdisciplinary journal published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. Click here to read the full-text article free on the OMICS: A Journal of Integrative Biology website until April 2, 2020.

Ramy Aziz and Marwa ElRakaiby, Cairo University (Egypt), Mariam Rizkallah, Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology (Bremen, Germany), and Rama Saad, University of Illinois (Chicago) coauthored the article entitled “Translating Pharmacomicrobiomics: Three Actionable Challenges/Prospects in 2020.” The authors ask the question, “Has the time not come for routine microbiome testing and establishing pharmacomicrobiomic guidelines, at least for some drugs, in 2020?”

The Commentary describes three actionable challenges to translate pharmacomicrobiomics from laboratory bench to patient bedside and personalized medicine innovation: (1) systematic high-throughput microbiome screening studies; (2) phage-enabled precision microbiome engineering/editing; and (3) pharmamicrobiomic testing in the clinic.

Vural Özdemir, MD, PhD, Editor-in-Chief of OMICS: A Journal of Integrative Biology states: “Clinical pharmacomicrobiomics is an exciting and overdue health care innovation field, especially for pharmaceuticals with well-documented drug-microbiome interactions. Pharmacomicrobiomics has come a long way since its debut in 2010. Over the next decade, a growing number of microbiome diagnostics will likely be utilized to choose the right drug, at the right dose, for the right patient, toward personalized medicine. Pharmacomicrobiomics can include both interventional (e.g., microbiome editing) and diagnostic approaches (microbiome testing) for personalized/precision medicine. Authored by pioneers of pharmacomicrobiomics, the new OMICS horizon scanning article offers new insights on the road ahead for microbiome diagnostics in the clinic.”

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About the Journal

OMICS: A Journal of Integrative Biology is an authoritative and highly innovative peer-reviewed interdisciplinary journal published monthly online, addressing the latest advances at the intersection of postgenomics medicine, biotechnology and global society, including the integration of multi-omics knowledge, data analyses and modeling, and applications of high-throughput approaches to study complex biological and societal problems. Public policy, governance and societal aspects of the large-scale biology and 21st century data-enabled sciences are also peer-reviewed. Complete tables of content and a sample issue may be viewed on the OMICS: A Journal of Integrative Biology website.

About the Publisher

Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers is a privately held, fully integrated media company known for establishing authoritative peer-reviewed journals in many areas of science and biomedical research, including Journal of Computational Biology, ASSAY and Drug Development Technologies, and Zebrafish. Its biotechnology trade magazine, GEN (Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News), was the first in its field and is today the industry’s most widely read publication worldwide. A complete list of the firm’s 80 journals, books, and newsmagazines is available on the Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers website.

Disclaimer: We can make mistakes too. Have a nice day.

New post published on: https://www.livescience.tech/2020/03/03/implementing-microbiome-diagnostics-in-personalized-medicine-rise-of-pharmacomicrobiomics/

[bctims]

An Inter/Multi/Trans Disciplinary Approach

What actually is the difference between the three different kinds of disciplines - Interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary? Each approach has different values they add to problem solving or completing a task.

Interdisciplinary is the process of combining two or more unique ideas or disciplines and integrating them together to create something new by thinking across the boundaries.

Multidisciplinary finds the differences between several disciplines and problem solves using them separately.

Transdisciplinary finds all the similarities and differences in several disciplines and creates a single, new discipline as a holistic approach to problem solving.

The benefit of using these disciplinary practices is that it helps see problems or ideas from new perspectives... Especially relating to group work, which we do a lot of at Creative Technologies... I talked about we came up with a group for Studio in a previous post on my tumblr:

“What made us come together as a five person team, was that we each contribute different sets of skills, so we can have a view of one project from five different angles - in which is very good for being a creative group with heaps of different ideas and pointers. Out of the five members, none of us have worked with each other before, which in my opinion is great for team building, as it helps build the chemistry with more members of our class, and in turn, have a bigger family. Originally, I had no clue what I wanted to do for this project, but on the speed dating days, I had a chat to Kale and Caleb, who were both interesting in working with something using Kinect and visuals, so we decided to work together. The day after, we got talking with more people around who had the same kind of mind frames as us, like Eden, Bligh and Liam. We later formed a group consisting of people who’s ideas slotted together better, where Bligh went off to work in a group consisting of more virtual intentions than physical.”

Making a team is something that should be chosen carefully, where picking people from different disciplines is a good idea and involves all the inter/multi/trans disciplinary approaches well. It lets you work with the team’s expansive sets of skills from diversely talented members, and from experience in our group as of now is seeing a multidisciplinary approach, where we are all working in our separate disciplines and coming together to combine everything for the final product.

Laurent and Pete talked about how we should look into transdisciplinary approaches to all sorts of different things outside of only group making. Looking through my previous posts, I can see that if I were to pick multiple topics under one umbrella term, it would have given a far more in depth analysis of what I actually have done. Perhaps even have gotten a better mark. To be honest, I feel like I could relate a transdisciplinary approach to my own life too, and look at things from multiple perspectives.

[bct1305722paulchan-blog]

A wake-up call for practicing ‘Transdiciplinarity’ CTEC 500 Integrated Practice

Transdisciplinarity is used to signify a unity of knowledge beyond disciplines.

“The trans-disciplinary vision is resolutely open to the extent that it goes beyond the realm of the exact sciences through dialogue and reconciliation not only with the human sciences but also with art, literature, poetry and inner experience.” [1]

Today’s class by Pete is truly a blow of mind. For me, it is the ‘Trans-disciplinary’ redefined.

 I always think that ‘integrated practice of creative technology’ is about commanding multiple technology involved in multiple fields of application to solve a problem. This is proved to be short-sighted when I landed at a project relating to VOIP emergency calling as presented. I had thought I was meeting the trans-disciplinary learning criteria ! And now, it proves I was wrong. 

Actually, going into truly trans-disciplinary fields is not necessarily limited to creative technologies only, “but also with art, literature, poetry and inner experience” !  

I quickly go into some findings about CIRET (International Center for Trans-disciplinary Research) and just realised that in trans-disciplinary research, it is only with scientific approach, a cultural approach is of a parallel importance.

“The aim of our organisation is to develop research in a new scientific and cultural approach - the transdisciplinarity - whose aim is to lay bare the nature and characteristics of the flow of information circulating between the various branches of knowledge.” [2]

Therefore, transdisciplinarity is about “Between and beyond disciplines”. In Jean Piaget's words, it is:”Finally, we hope to see succeeding to the stage of interdisciplinary relations a superior stage, which should be "transdisciplinary", i.e. which will not be limited to recognise the interactions and or reciprocities between the specialised researches, but which will locate these links inside a total system without stable boundaries between the disciplines”[3].

It is pointed out In Hirsch Hadorn et al. 2008, Jaeger & Scheringer 1998,

that “Transdisciplinarity requires adequate addressing of the complexity of problems and the diversity of perceptions of them, that abstract and case-specific knowledge are linked, and that practices promote the common good.[4]

Therefore, should what I have been researching on ‘solution for VOIP emergency calling’ may still fall into a study of transdisciplinarity, I would need to broaden my view into not only the existing problems clearly presented as a result from a shift in application of technology ——here is referred to the shift from POTS (plain old telephony system) to digital internet based system; but also, need to locate all possible links of the case specific trans-disciplinary knowledge, such as consumer behaviours relating to historical, cultural and legal development along with such technological change and relevant problems involved, before some new ones emerging beyond such development, such as where the IOT technology is involved in the share of information of end user’s devices when the locations are much easier to be exposed at all time including in an emergency. For such development, any approaches for solving these problems, technology used would need to be recognised with social innovative approaches too, as alert made by VOIP and mobile device is hard to located, wherein specific premises for specific group of people of higher socio class may be equiped with exclusive coverage, while some lower socio class of low income grope may loose out, being unable to afford to owning a proper means to call emergency services. 

I finally realise that trans-disciplinary practice involving creative technology does require practitioner to ‘look around and beyond’ to interrogate and identify any relevant problems and the possible solutions by approaches integrated with “Transdisciplinarity”.

Ref 1: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transdisciplinarity#cite_note-5

Ref 2: http://ciret-transdisciplinarity.org/index_en.php

Ref 3: Piaget, 1972, p. 144.

basarab-nicolescu.fr/Docs_articles/Worldviews2006.htm#_ftn3

Ref 4: In Hirsch Hadorn et al. 2008, Jaeger & Scheringer 1998,

[afishtrap]

One of the most vexing problems for historians is the issue of change and continuity, and, in the study of early Southeast Asia, the debate has barely begun. Apart from its importance to the field, the problem is critical for disciplinary as well as interdisciplinary purposes, for one's perspective of it determines one's approach or methodology, which in turn is fundamentally related to one's interpretation of data and, ultimately, one's conclusions. Accordingly, this article focuses on change and continuity in the study of early Burmese and Southeast Asian history, and then offers a predominantly historical solution; however, its approach is shaped by interdisciplinary concerns.

Michael Aung-Thwin, Spirals in Early Southeast Asian and Burmese History, The Journal of Interdisciplinary History, Vol. 21, No. 4 (Spring, 1991), pp. 575-602.

In early Southeast Asian history, one important event-the Mongol invasions of the late thirteenth century-was believed to have transformed the later history of all of the classical states of mainland Southeast Asia. Historians have long regarded this event as critical because it was thought to have created a massive political vacuum in the area. The resulting realignment and readjustment of political forces and resources were said to have ushered in the "traditional period" of Southeast Asian history, roughly from the fourteenth to the nineteenth centuries. That period, in turn, is said to have provided the foundations for the development of most of the countries of mainland Southeast Asia today. From the perspective of the counter-factual school the consequences attributed to the Mongol invasions-the decline of the great kingdoms in Burma (Pagan) and in Cambodia (Angkor), and the rise of Ayudhya in Thailand, the Tran in Vietnam, and Majapahit in what is now Indonesia-might have occurred even if the invasions had not.6

In Burma, internal, structural contradictions between state and sangha (the Buddhist church) had been evolving since the end of the eleventh century, and had weakened the Kingdom of Pagan. Although the Mongol attacks at the end of the thirteenth century may have accelerated the "fall" of the Kingdom, it was already in decline. From this perspective, these internal, structural problems, not the Mongol invasions, were what affected the subsequent sociocultural and eco-demographic history of Burma.

Be that as it may, l'histoire evenementeille is less problematic when the cultural, ecological, demographic, and ideological context of the events is known. But in the discipline of Southeast Asian history of thirty years ago-and to a large extent even today-the context, particularly of the region's early states and societies, had yet to be fully understood and, in some cases, had yet to be reconstructed. Events described without this context made little sense and became only isolated dates of wars, and accessions and deaths of little-known kings. The best illustration of this type of history was Hall's History of Southeast Asia. Given the extent of our knowledge of Southeast Asia at the time, Hall's work was a magnificent achievement, but it was almost devoid of meaning to students of early Southeast Asian history since they had virtually no "contextual" studies in which to place the information. 8

[...]

In part, the study of early Southeast Asia itself limited our choices. As Wheatley noted in I982, the reconstruction of early Southeast Asia should not, and probably cannot, rest so much on recovering the chronology of events or of individual accomplishments as on reconstructing institutions and their development. When scholars attempt to resurrect the origins of any state, "there is no question of recovering anything like a continuous sequence of individual events. ..." We have no choice but "to deal with developmental patterns, with types of actions, with forms of social, political, and economic" behavior; in short, we must deal with generalized institutional evolution. To do so, the Geertzian method of recovering the past was ideal, concerned "not with individual thoughts and actions but with secular rhythms of sociocultural change."

In his I962 article on structural continuities and discontinuities, Benda, one of the pioneers of Southeast Asian history in the United States, provided the best criteria-for historians, at leastfor addressing this issue. He argued that the mere passage of time becomes the criterion for change, and we automatically assume change simply if a great deal of time has elapsed. Instead, he wrote, we should insist that evidence be shown of structural transformations before concluding that change has occurred. Indeed, for most historians today, change of a permanent nature is considered a valid assumption, whereas continuity still needs to be proved. Any data suggesting even slight differences in structure or variations in the way that society was organized-shifts in political alliances, reformulation of royal genealogies, differences in production and prices, and even "inflation" of administrative titles-are cited as evidence of significant and permanent change. If these differences are found in distinct "periods" (which are defined on the assumption of change to begin with), the argument appears even stronger. Instead of viewing such data as regional differences, as variations in structure, or as cyclical phenomena, they are regarded as permanent transformations. For many historians, permanent change became the only explanation for variation. 12

[evoldir]

Job: PennsylvaniaStateU.HumanEvolutionaryMedicine

Assistant or Associate Professor in the Evolutionary Anthropology of Human Health The Department of Anthropology (http://bit.ly/1N9QLch) and the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences (www.huck.psu.edu) at The Pennsylvania State University invite applications for a tenure-track, early to mid-career scholar whose research uses an evolutionary perspective to inform understandings of human health, starting in August 2018. Topical and methodological areas are open, but the research program of the successful candidate will be integrative and trans-disciplinary, drawing on various approaches from across the anthropological, evolutionary, and biomedical sciences. The candidate could deepen and/or broaden the Department of Anthropology’s existing health-related research strengths in human diversity, human genomics, developmental biology, functional anatomy, quantitative imaging, cell culture and animal models for human biology and disease, biocultural-environment interaction, human-pathogen coevolution, and other areas. The new faculty member will also benefit from Penn State’s exceptional cross-departmental research environment while they contribute to University-level efforts in developing interdisciplinary expertise on the evolutionary mechanisms of human health. The successful candidate will have opportunities to train graduate students in the top-ranked Department of Anthropology program and through various Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences-sponsored intercollege programs, and as part of a new (pending final approval) MD-PhD in Anthropology program in cooperation with the College of Medicine. Review of applications will begin September 8, 2017 and continue until the position is filled. Direct questions regarding this faculty position to Dr. George Perry (ghp3@psu.edu). Applications should be submitted online and include: 1) a one-page cover letter, 2) a curriculum vitae with educational background, employment history, and a list of publications; 3) a two-page future research program statement; 4) a one to two-page teaching statement; and 5) the names, affiliations, and email addresses of three professional references. Apply online at http://bit.ly/2v2VTYM CAMPUS SECURITY CRIME STATISTICS: For more about safety at Penn State, and to review the Annual Security Report which contains information about crime statistics and other safety and security matters, please go to http://bit.ly/1uz49No, which will also provide you with detail on how to request a hard copy of the Annual Security Report. Penn State is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer, and is committed to providing employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. grgperry@gmail.com via Gmail

[arteducation2021]

Blog 7

So what stem stands for is science, technology, engineering and finally math but some have brought up the point what would happen if we introduced art into the mix. Well with some research I found that there are many benefits to have art grouped into programs like STEM such as  “  A program that incorporates the arts into the curriculum has been proven to increase creativity, improve academic performance, increase motor skills, enhance visual learning, and boost higher decision-making skills.” Having art incorporated into the mix could have students learn two ends of the learning spectrum and have them tackling approaches that would be a direct tie to art based approaches. 

In this next paragraph I will begin to break down the differences between this different methods of teaching. First is interdisciplinary studies which involves the combining of two or more academic disciplines into one activity. The Next is trans-disciplinary which allows for multiple minds to gather a idea about the end result. Multidisciplinary can more or less be described the same way that interdisciplinary is described and they are one in the same. 

[genderintersect]

RainbowHealthOntario.ca > Service Directory TheSexYouWant.ca > ASO’s

Culturally Aware Health Services

LGBTQ+ Affirming Counselling ServicesLGBTQ+ Community Organizations

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Peel HIV/AIDS Network (PHAN) 7700 Hurontario Street Misissaugua, L6Y 5B4 (905) 361-0523 www.phan.ca

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Central Toronto Community Health Centre – Queen West 168 Bathurst Street Toronto, On (416) 703-8480 http://www.ctchc.com/site_qw CTCHC works as a resource to improve the health and quality of life of the communities that Queen West and Shout each serve. CTCHC achieves its mission through health promotion, education, community development, and advocacy, and through the provision of medical, nursing, dental and counselling services. This community health centre provides trans specific healthcare including hormone therapy.

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Canadian Mental Health Association – Halliburton, Kawartha and Pine Ridge 466 George Street, North Peterborough, On 705-748-6711 ext. 2102 http://www.cmhahkpr.ca/ Canadian Mental Health Association of Halliburton, Kawartha and Pine Ridge areas provides programming for LGBTQ people with many groups supporting trans* and gender non-conforming folks. Gender Journeys offers many groups for both transgender and gender non-conforming individuals, as well as support groups for partners, friends, parents, and family. These groups include: Gender Journeys  -   Youth Gender Journeys   - Beyond Gender Journeys  -  Parents’ Support   -  Partners’ Support

KW Counselling 480 Charles St E, Kitchener, ON N2G 4K5 519-884-0000 info@kwcounselling.com http://www.kwcounselling.com/ Sliding scale fee & EAP Provides 8 sessions with extension possibility Walk-in Clinic from 12-6 pm on Thursdays

Family Counselling Centre of Cambridge & North Dumfries 18 Walnut St, Cambridge, ON N1R 2E7 519-621-5090 http://fcccnd.com/ Sliding scale fee, EAP Minimum of 8-12 sessions with possible extensions Walk-In clinic from 1- 7 pm on Thursdays

Self-Help Alliance Rainbow Connections Peer Support 519-570-4595 ext 4052 (Jasmina) or 4061 (Brenda) No fee or registration peer support group that discusses LGBTQ+ issues and mental health. http://self-help-alliance.ca/contact/kitchener/ First and Third Thursdays of each month 7-9 pm Family Counselling & Support Services 109 Surrey St E, Guelph, ON N1H 3P7 519-824-2431 info@familyserviceguelph.on.ca http://www.familyserviceguelph.on.ca/ Sliding scale, EAP, free sessions if on Ontario Works or ODSP Minimum 3-6 sessions with possibility of extensions

Ruthie Neustifter, PhD, RMFT 50 Stone Rd E, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1 519-824-4120 ext. 53975 Provides on-going individual, couples, family therapy on a sliding-scale fee basis

Tiffany Burtch, MSc, RP 5420 Highway 6 North, Guelph, ON N1H 6J2 http://www.tiffanythetherapist.ca/ 226-820-4243 Private practice therapist that provides individual, couple, and family therapy

Couple & Family Therapy Centre, University of Guelph 50 Stone Rd E, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1 http://www.uoguelph.ca/family/cft-centre 519-824-4120 ext. 56335 Ongoing individual, couple, and family therapy provided by supervised Master’s students Sliding scale fee ($5 – 75)

Guelph Community Health Centre 176 Wyndham Street North Guelph, On Heather Mackenzie: 519-821-6638 ext. 404 or go to main reception http://www.guelphchc.ca/ Provides counselling along with health care if one does not have a primary health care provider (i.e. family doctor) Social workers will provide 8 -12 counselling sessions depended on need

Self-Help Alliance Rainbow Connections Peer Support Meghan: 519-763-4014, ext. 2350 http://self-help-alliance.ca/contact/guelph/ Peer support group that discusses LGBTQ+ issues and mental health. Tuesdays from 1:15 – 2:15 pm Drop-in, no fee or registration

Audra Petrulis Counselling 4-433 Guelph Line Burlington, ON. 905.220.5565 Low cost/sliding scale, Fee for service Men, Women, Trans people, Youth, Adults, Seniors, LGBT parents, Family members of LGBT people, Intersex, Racialized Communities

The 519 519 Church St, Toronto, ON M4Y 2C9 (416) 392-6874 The 519 is a city organization dedicated to advocacy for the inclusion of LGBTQ communities. See upcoming events, programming, and location details

Out on the Shelf 10 Carden St, Guelph, ON N1H 3A2 Outontheshelf.com We offer a library and resource centre for the LGBTTTSIQQ* community and allies in Guelph and the surrounding areas. We host Guelph Pride Week every May, and other programs and events for the community. We are located at 10 Carden Street in Guelph, ON, and our library is staffed 3 days a week.

[davidrussellschilling]

Renewable Energy Smart Grid

Renewable Energy Smart Grid

C O N T E N T S:

KEY TOPICS

Philippe Drobinksi, an associate professor of geophysics at. cole Polytechnique in France, is leading an interdisciplinary team that is running power use simulations on microgrids to help them develop management tools that will make renewable energy a more viable option for smart grids.(More…)

For the project, called ” Trans-Disciplinary Approach for Renewable Energy…

[researchpaperessay]

Management Research Essay

Management Research Essay

Management research reflects the broad, eclectic, interdisciplinary character of both the academic field of management  and management  practice. Research within  management   can  range  widely from  highly quantitative, positivist, and functionalist studies to qualitative,  postmodernist, and  critical  approaches, and to trans disciplinary  work that  transcends  traditional boundaries between different philosophies and methodologies. Frederick   W.  Taylor  (1856–1915)  is  generally seen as the founding father of the “scientific” strand of  management  research,  epitomizing  the  classical, functionalist  (i.e., where the aim is to improve the  effectiveness of the  functions  of management) approach.   Taylor  used  detailed  time  studies  (in which he would break a particular 

Read more on http://www.essayempire.com/examples/business/management-research-essay/

[bct1305722paulchan-blog]

‘Continuous Partial Attention’ in using smartphone technology and Creative Integrated Practice

This title sounds baffling ! What the hell is ‘Continuous Partial Attention”? and how on earth is this relevant to Creative Integrated Practice ?....Let me give it a shot.

I read the ‘The Guardian’s Weekend technology special report by Paul Lewis this morning, in a title of “Our minds can be hijacked’: the tech insiders who fear a smartphone dystopia”. In simple wording, “Continuous Partial Attention” referred to using smartphone is a mental cause for an additive behaviour of touching and swiping it up to 2,617 times daily {1} , such as only for summoning or reading followers’ like of your post, blog, tweet and ect.. for a fake excitement and enjoyment. 

Ironically,  according to the report, “Google, Twitter and Facebook workers who helped make technology so addictive are disconnecting themselves from the internet.” Frankly to say, they are ditching to use the ‘technology’ they invented. 

“Justin Rosenstein purchased a new iPhone and instructed his assistant to set up a parental-control feature to prevent him from downloading any apps. He was particularly aware of the allure of Facebook “likes”, which he describes as “bright dings of pseudo-pleasure” that can be as hollow as they are seductive. And he should know: he was the Facebook engineer who created the ‘LIKE’ button in the first place” in 2009.

So, what could these tech geeks’s quitting of using these ‘online hooks’ means to some creative minds, like me :) ? 

First of all, let me raise some questions and find out the answers.

1, A Paradigm ?

I would have to go back to my early learning of the concept of Paradigm Shift by Thomas Kuhn who defines a scientific paradigm, provides model problems and solutions for a community of practitioners. 

The question here is, could that become a trend that many smart minds (a certain scientific community) will follow suite ? Should I join this trend? and more importantly, does this suggest or factor a ‘‘Paradigm shift’ ?{2}

Kuhn “used the term of paradigm{2} in two meanings:1, It refers to what is in common that shared by a certain scientific community, eg, techniques, pattens and values; 2, It also refers to single model, element, example of a whole for such community, eg, a scientific law, a rule, a standard. From here, he comes to a thought that “rule can be derived from these paradigms” that has accepted as ‘gospels’ to follow, where a model of thinking becomes unchallengeable.Yet, when critical abnormality, or some uncommon ideas, and or new theory kick in, ‘Paradigm shift’ can happen to change the pattern of those rules.” 

So, the magic ding of ‘like’ initiated by Facebook starts and establishes a paradigm shared and copied by all social media networking platforms and beyond in the last 8 years. No APPs that users can download from APP store does come with a magic ding of ‘like’ and similar. It in reality has become a norm/rule to follow by APP developers.

2, But could the dystopia attitude by the Geeks for using APPs an implication of a Paradigm Shift too ?

Thomas Kuhn comes to a thought that “rule can be derived from these paradigms” that has accepted as ‘gospels’ to follow, where a model of thinking becomes unchallengeable.Yet, when critical abnormality, or some uncommon ideas, and or new theory kick in, ‘Paradigm shift’ can happen to change the pattern of those rules.” {3} What affect such shift is the Paradigm paralysis—“ the inability or refusal to see beyond the current models of thinking of this community. 

Kuhn uses this picture to explain about the ‘Paradigm shift’ demonstrates a ‘Paradigm paralysis’ that a scientific community would encounter in seeing the true world of their own by following their own pattern of ‘rules’.

3, What does the tech geeks’s quitting of using these ‘online hooks’ mean to creative technology practitioners like us ?

In my learning with this paper (Ctec 500), I believe the answer goes into Integrated Practice research with Transdisciplinarity.

“Transdisciplinarity connotes a research strategy that crosses many disciplinary boundaries to create a holistic approach.” {4}

In Jean Piaget’s words, it is:”Finally, we hope to see succeeding to the stage of interdisciplinary relations a superior stage, which should be “transdisciplinary”, i.e. which will not be limited to recognise the interactions and or reciprocities between the specialised researches, but which will locate these links inside a total system without stable boundaries between the disciplines”{5}. 

In justifying a paradigm shift, it is arguably difficult to “locate the links inside a total system without stable boundaries between the disciplines”, where, in such a paradigm shift, a creative technology practitioner would need to research across the boundaries between the disciplines to pinpoint the links between the identify such disciplines for an answer, and or results and even solution, by using these trans-disciplinary approaches.

3-1, What did I see in applying transdisciplinarity?----telling a rabbit from the look of a duck 

Here, does the move by the tech geeks from FB, Googles from using online social media to avoid addictive behaviour suggests a doom of the popularity of using the ‘magic ding’ ? I personally doubt that. To get a simple idea to compare the hollow and pseudo-pleasure of enjoying ‘like’, the magic ding, to heroine, I would have to say, somebody, or, even all drug takers are to quit, or to receive treatments for such quit will not ever end the use of drug. That is obvious.

However, to look into the drug issues of How it generates detrimental effects on user’s life?  Why the success rate of quit is low? What can we do ? and so on, so much, is far too complicate and difficult to give a satisfactory answer. 

Likewise, dealing with the ‘like’ of magic ding is the same. It is more of a mission than a challenge for these tech geeks to “locate the links inside a total system without stable boundaries between the disciplines” for unlocking the myth of smartphone dystopia and drug like addicts. This invites transdisciplinary practices.

Let me take this opportunity to walk in their shoes, even just for a few ‘steps’ to look for some solutions.

(1) Understanding the human nature...the Phycology

 We like ourselves as much as being to like to be liked. That is part of our selfhood.“Probably, the best account of the origins of selfhood is that the self comes into being at the interface between the inner biological processes of the human body and the sociocultural network to which the person belongs."{6}

“One of the most basic facts about the human condition is that we know ourselves from the inside, but know others only from what they choose or are able to tell us, a far more limited and edited set of data.” {7}

So we definitely LIKE to be liked and polished. If so, on the back of realising how the ‘like’ relate to the acts by people, a creative technology practitioner would know how to go beyond the ‘Like’-mania on smartphone use. 

Solution: Therefor, my responding approaches may include how to manipulate people into habitual use of their products as compared to how often the swipe their smartphone. Preferably,  creative technology practitioner would have to be a behavioural psychologist too!

(2) Identifying the unintended consequence. The overwhelmingly additive of the ‘Like’ by hundreds of millions users is really one of the best showcase of intention having an unintended, negative consequences.

The story in the book of ‘Defending the free market of giving the poor’ tells about how ‘free lunch’ for the poor who are not required any commitment consequently shrinks the ‘Fish & Chips’ store’s customer base. 

Robert A. Sirico says in his book: “But we can’t just throw money at people and expect them to come out of poverty.” because Sometimes, Good Intentions may have Negative Consequences. {8}

Here I suddenly realise being a creative tech practitioner may be entailing more of social studies, rather than just going into the ivory tower of high tech. This reminds me of an incident that I used to question about one our teachers of the Studio 2 class (CTEC503) for his Blog account name of “Social Computing” ! This incident tells how ignorant I was in the beginning of my attendance to his class.

Solution: I can refer the sending and receiving ‘like’ to going for a free lunch. Therefor, How about creating a ‘Reality Check Button’ for both sender and receiver? The idea is to insert a voluntary ‘give back of money’ function linked to the APPs, wherein, such functionality is bonded by user’s money account (such as credit card, bank account, Paypal, Push-Pay & etc) as a complimentary feedback;  and the sender of like can ask for the same when he sends the ding of ‘Like’ as well, where the account activity would need to be defined and monitored to avoid any ‘Negative Consequences’ of abuse.

(3) Understanding the ethnics and social responsibility.

According to the report, social media network is facing a big challenge on the success of their own for creating such humongous platforms of billions of actively additive users worldwide. 

Source:2017-06 {9}

People now “contend that digital forces have completely upended the political system and, left unchecked, could even render democracy as we know it obsolete.”{10} or a dystopia, and a total hate by their users.

This is reflected by a critic of the tech industry, Tristan Harris’s comments: “A handful of people, working at a handful of technology companies, through their choices will steer what a billion people are thinking today,” {11}

So, ‘It’s changing our democracy, and it's changing our ability to have the conversations and relationships we want” Tristan Harris, former design ethicist at Google.{10} 

People are now questioning the ethical responsibility by these social media network for the ‘loophole’ in their advertising models for accidentally spreading officially uncensored fake news. This is yet to blame on the huge behemoths of the monopoly built by such business model by the biggest platform, such as of Google’s search engine. “The EU recently penalised Google $2.42bn for anti-monopoly violations”{12} 

Solution: Justin Rosenstein, the magic ding of “LIKE’ creator may have pointed to a solution: "there may be a case for state regulation of “psychologically manipulative advertising”....“If we only care about profit maximisation,” he says, “we will go rapidly into dystopia.”

This does refresh my thinking in my last two blogs of going into a little finding  about how a business with social innovative architecture or gene may survive and sustain the unpredictable movements in tech applications and the society. These movements, in my understanding, are referred to the “Paradigm Shift”.

Allow me to use Chris Cox of Facebook Chief Product Officer’s remarks to end this blog: 

“We’re getting to a size where it’s worth really taking a careful look at what are all the things that we can do to make social media the most positive force for good possible.”

Reference:

{1}Putting a finger on our phone obsession--Mobile touches: A study on humans and their tech. https://blog.dscout.com/mobile-touches {2}https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Kuhn

{3}ParadigmShift://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paradigm_shifthttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paradigm_shift

{4}https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transdisciplinarity

{5}Ref 3: Piaget, 1972, p. 144.basarab-nicolescu.fr/Docs_articles/Worldviews2006.htm#_ftn3

{6}Baumeister, Roy F., and Brad J. Bushman. "The Self." Social Psychology and Human Nature. 2nd ed. Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning, 2011. 57–96. Print.

{7}http://www.thebookoflife.org/the-problem-of-psychological-asymmetry/

{8}http://www.defendingthefreemarket.com/

{9}https://techcrunch.com/2017/06/27/facebook-2-billion-users

{10}https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/oct/05/smartphone-addiction-silicon-valley-dystopia

{11}How a handful of tech companies control billions of minds every daywww.ted.com/talks/tristan_harris_the_manipulative_tricks_tech_companies_use_to_capture_your_attention

{12}Google fined record €2.4bn by EU over search engine resultshttps://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/jun/27/google-braces-for-record-breaking-1bn-fine-from-eu