IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/pal/palcom/v3y2017i1d10.1057_s41599-017-0027-y.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Longitudinal perspectives of faculty and students on benefits and barriers to transdisciplinary graduate education: program assessment and institutional recommendations

Author

Listed:
  • Anna-Sigrid Keck

    (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
    Illinois Transdisciplinary Obesity Prevention Program (I-TOPP))

  • Stephanie Sloane

    (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
    University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)

  • Janet M. Liechty

    (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
    Illinois Transdisciplinary Obesity Prevention Program (I-TOPP)
    University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
    University of Illinois at Urbana)

  • Megan S. Paceley

    (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
    School of Social Welfare, University of Kansas)

  • Sharon M. Donovan

    (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
    Illinois Transdisciplinary Obesity Prevention Program (I-TOPP)
    University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)

  • Kelly K. Bost

    (Illinois Transdisciplinary Obesity Prevention Program (I-TOPP)
    University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
    University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)

  • Brent A. McBride

    (Illinois Transdisciplinary Obesity Prevention Program (I-TOPP)
    University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
    University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)

  • Barbara H. Fiese

    (Illinois Transdisciplinary Obesity Prevention Program (I-TOPP)
    University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
    University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)

Abstract

Addressing complex societal problems, such as childhood obesity, requires transdisciplinary (TD) approaches to reach effective solutions. However, TD doctoral training programs in academic settings are still relatively new, and little is known about the benefits and barriers of participation. This study sought to longitudinally assess benefits and barriers of a TD approach to doctoral education from the perspectives of students working towards a joint PhD/MPH degree and their faculty advisors. Results show that benefits across 5-years included greater collaboration and networking, enhanced guidance and support, broadened ways of thinking, and expanded opportunities. Barriers included time demands, complicated logistics, and tension between depth versus breadth of knowledge. Similarities and differences among students and faculty are discussed. Findings provide resources for both faculty and students considering involvement with TD doctoral education, as well as for institutions and academic programs seeking to promote TD training and team science.

Suggested Citation

  • Anna-Sigrid Keck & Stephanie Sloane & Janet M. Liechty & Megan S. Paceley & Sharon M. Donovan & Kelly K. Bost & Brent A. McBride & Barbara H. Fiese, 2017. "Longitudinal perspectives of faculty and students on benefits and barriers to transdisciplinary graduate education: program assessment and institutional recommendations," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 3(1), pages 1-10, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:palcom:v:3:y:2017:i:1:d:10.1057_s41599-017-0027-y
    DOI: 10.1057/s41599-017-0027-y
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1057/s41599-017-0027-y
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1057/s41599-017-0027-y?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. W James Jacob, 2015. "Interdisciplinary trends in higher education," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 1(palcomms2), pages 15001-15001, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Gabriele Bammer & Chris A. Browne & Chris Ballard & Natalie Lloyd & Alison Kevan & Nicholas Neales & Terhi Nurmikko-Fuller & Sean Perera & Isha Singhal & Lorrae Kerkhoff, 2023. "Setting parameters for developing undergraduate expertise in transdisciplinary problem solving at a university-wide scale: a case study," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-11, December.
    2. Elena Beketova & Irina Leontyeva & Svetlana Zubanova & Aleksandr Gryaznukhin & Vasily Movchun, 2020. "RETRACTED ARTICLE: Creating an optimal environment for distance learning in higher education: discovering leadership issues," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 6(1), pages 1-6, June.
    3. Sergey Petkov & Viktoriia M. Savishchenko & Bohdana Semenyshyna-Fihol & Tetiana A. Poda & Iryna M. Chaika, 2020. "Application of Mock-Court as an Interdisciplinary Model for Consolidation of Professional Training of Law Students," Journal of Education and e-Learning Research, Asian Online Journal Publishing Group, vol. 7(2), pages 122-129.
    4. Madhu Khanna, 2022. "Breakthroughs at the disciplinary nexus: Rewards and challenges for applied economists," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 104(2), pages 475-492, March.
    5. Stefano Mammola & Elena Piano & Alberto Doretto & Enrico Caprio & Dan Chamberlain, 2022. "Measuring the influence of non-scientific features on citations," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 127(7), pages 4123-4137, July.
    6. Gabriele Bammer & Michael O’Rourke & Deborah O’Connell & Linda Neuhauser & Gerald Midgley & Julie Thompson Klein & Nicola J. Grigg & Howard Gadlin & Ian R. Elsum & Marcel Bursztyn & Elizabeth A. Fulto, 2020. "Expertise in research integration and implementation for tackling complex problems: when is it needed, where can it be found and how can it be strengthened?," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 6(1), pages 1-16, December.
    7. Arnold, Austin & Cafer, Anne & Green, John & Haines, Seena & Mann, Georgianna & Rosenthal, Meagen, 2021. "“Perspective: Promoting and fostering multidisciplinary research in universities”," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(9).
    8. Luka Ursić & Godfrey Baldacchino & Željana Bašić & Ana Belén Sainz & Ivan Buljan & Miriam Hampel & Ivana Kružić & Mia Majić & Ana Marušić & Franck Thetiot & Ružica Tokalić & Leandra Vranješ Markić, 2022. "Factors Influencing Interdisciplinary Research and Industry-Academia Collaborations at Six European Universities: A Qualitative Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-24, July.
    9. Meijun Liu & Sijie Yang & Yi Bu & Ning Zhang, 2023. "Female early-career scientists have conducted less interdisciplinary research in the past six decades: evidence from doctoral theses," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-16, December.
    10. Paula Gabriela Benavidez Lozano & M.ª Alejandra Ávalos-Ramos & Lilyan Vega-Ramírez, 2020. "Interdisciplinary Experience Using Technological Tools in Sport Science," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(23), pages 1-10, November.
    11. Desmond Ng & Kerry Litzenberg, 2019. "Overcoming disciplinary divides in higher education: the case of agricultural economics," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 5(1), pages 1-7, December.
    12. Wenjing Lyu & Yuanhao Huang & Jin Liu, 2024. "The multifaceted influence of multidisciplinary background on placement and academic progression of faculty," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-21, December.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:pal:palcom:v:3:y:2017:i:1:d:10.1057_s41599-017-0027-y. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.nature.com/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.