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An
Introductory Interdisciplinary Course Within and Extra-Departmental
Graduate Collaborative Program that Builds on Principles of Disciplined
Dialogue and Collaborative Sensemaking Peter Pennefather |
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| ABSTRACT Statement of Problem. As the new outreach director for the University of Toronto Knowledge Media Design Institute (KMDI, www.kmdi.utoronto.ca), I am involved in planning how to strengthen the core purpose of that Institute so that what is reaching out is not an amorphous blob. Currently KMDI provides an academic space where researchers from: 1) computer science and systems engineering, 2) information informatics studies, 3) the social sciences and humanities (including sociology, education, political science, and philosophy) and 4) art and design programs, can discuss and learn together about the design and use of digital media in supporting exchange of knowledge. I have a mandate to bring in Biological and Biomedical researchers into this collective of disciplinary perspectives. Interdisciplinary research and teaching involving these 5 major perspectives/worldviews are being applied to exploring the design of digital media for addressing several themes including: 1) biomedical and environmental health, 2) trusted cyber-infrastructure, 3) accessible design, 4) openness and critical making, and 5) knowledge for development. With all of these themes and perspectives, 21rst century digital media technologies are being (or proposed to be) used in constructing and developing a shared understandings of what can be done about collective human concerns associated with those themes. In the 21rst century there is an increasing expectation that executive level decision making requires a trans-disciplinary capacity to multi-task. Consideration of diverse perspectives before a decision is made and a design thinking approach are being encouraged. However, how can such breadth of understanding be developed and supported? How digital media can be designed to not only feed information to executive levels but also to support a ubiquitous and dialogical sharing of information and perspectives at all levels? Can this dialogical discourse be multilateral and build trust within the multitude of perspectives that must collaborate within an increasingly cosmopolitan and diverse global society to address global concerns. Implementing policies the 21rst century is too complicated to be left to leaders alone, everyone affected needs be engaged in clarifying desired and actual decision consequences. |
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