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Pushing the Boundaries of Interdisciplinary Collaboration

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Conference

2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Location

Minneapolis, MN

Publication Date

August 23, 2022

Start Date

June 26, 2022

End Date

June 29, 2022

Conference Session

LEES 7: Experiments in Experiential and Project-Based Learning

Page Count

32

DOI

10.18260/1-2--41753

Permanent URL

https://peer.asee.org/41753

Download Count

245

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Paper Authors

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Nandini Sharma University of Texas at Austin

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Jeffrey William Treem University of Texas at Austin

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Megan Kenny Feister California State University Channel Islands

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Abstract

This study examines the way participants of knowledge-intensive, interdisciplinary, project-based work in academic settings described the kinds of expertise that were valued by their groups. We found tensions in these descriptions, which suggest that an understanding of the kinds and value of expertise in these settings may benefit from broadening. We found that these labs served as spaces for members to socialize new students to the field, share norms and expectations, and distribute resources. Domain expertise was largely downplayed, while more intangible qualities such as curiosity and perseverance were amplified. Participants described their groups as sites of application and significantly, sites of learning the culture of practice that is expected. Implications of these findings are discussed, including theoretical and practical, and potential insights for engineering educators are surfaced.

Sharma, N., & Treem, J. W., & Kenny Feister, M. (2022, August), Pushing the Boundaries of Interdisciplinary Collaboration Paper presented at 2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Minneapolis, MN. 10.18260/1-2--41753

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