This book focuses on the role of transdisciplinarity in addressing crises and other complex problems inside higher education institutions. It argues for enacting transdisciplinary practices in administrative decision-making, programmatic redesign, faculty development, assessment, curricular revision, and social justice initiatives. The authors show how transdisciplinary structures allow institutions to better recognize and address complex issues such as environmental sustainability, general wellbeing, on-campus diversity, equity, inclusivity, and justice. The book draws on evidence gathered from studying the transdisciplinary practices at various schools in the US states of California, Iowa, Arizona, North Carolina, and Nevada.
The volume will be an indispensable resource for students and researchers of education studies and higher education institutions. It will also be a great resource for administrators, department and program chairs, educational developers, directors, assessment and institutional effectiveness staff, and student support personnel.
Table of Contents:
1.What is Transdisciplinarity? 2. How Do We Actually Do It? 3. Crisis Response 4. Institutional Assessment 5. Curriculum Development 6. Educational Development 7. Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion 8. Wellbeing 9. Institutional Strategic Planning 10. Sustaining Transdisciplinary Processes 11. Conclusion: The Hard Work of Change
About the Author :
Jessica L. Tinklenberg, PhD, is Executive Director of the Teaching and Learning Center and Adjunct Faculty in Religious Studies at Pima Community College. She previously served as Director of the Claremont Colleges Center for Teaching and Learning and Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Morningside College. She holds a PhD in religions of Western antiquity from Florida State University.
Jeremy Schnieder, PhD, is an award-winning teacher and administrator. Much of his career has been devoted to the pursuit of enhanced student learning through meaningful pedagogy, faculty development, and assessment via a transdisciplinary lens. He holds a PhD from Bowling Green State University, along with degrees from the University of Nebraska at Kearney and Western Colorado University.
Review :
"I have one question for Jessica Tinklenberg and Jeremy Schneider: Where have you been all my life as a professor and educational developer? Transdisciplinary Approaches to Problems in Higher Education is the book that I–and everyone else in higher education—have always needed for understanding and productively responding to our institutions’ most complex and daunting problems. Their transdisciplinary framework is the best model I’ve ever seen for meaningful change management at colleges and universities, and for building truly collaborative coalitions of faculty, staff, administrators, students, and community members that can effectively tackle the biggest challenges we face."
Jessamyn Neuhaus, author of Snafu Edu: Teaching and Learning When Things Go Wrong in the College Classroom Director, Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence and Professor, School of Education
“With the rapid pace of change across higher education, this book is a must-read guide to an equitable and inclusive approach to action-oriented problem solving. Transdisciplinary Approaches to Problems in Higher Education invites readers to imagine a truly participatory academia in which administrators, students, staff, and faculty alike develop shared language, define problems, and identify actionable solutions, and each chapter provides the tools to make this a reality. Most crucially, the call to slow down and intentionally co-create solutions will impact the way higher education professionals view our roles as leaders and decision makers.”
Carly M. Lesoski, PhD (they/she), Learning Innovation Program Manager, Dartmouth Center for the Advancement of Learning (DCAL), Dartmouth College
