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A conceptual model for knowledge integration in interdisciplinary teams: orchestrating individual learning and group processes

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  • Deana Pennington

    (University of Texas at El Paso)

Abstract

A well-known barrier to successful interdisciplinary work is the difficulty of integrating knowledge across disciplines. Integrated conceptualizations must leverage the combined knowledge of team members in productive ways for a given problem. The process of knowledge integration has been investigated from a variety of disciplinary perspectives, including organizational science, team psychology, social science, and the learning sciences. These various perspectives are converging on a few key processes that mediate successful knowledge integration: ability to learn each other’s perspectives, participatory processes, and flexible, adaptive problem formulation. This article summarizes key findings from the research literature on knowledge integration and presents a new conceptual model for developing interdisciplinary conceptualizations that links individual, group, and system factors. The model provides clarity regarding the interactions between individual learning and group processes and the challenges these present, identifies strategies for overcoming those challenges, and frames the problem as one of developing a new distributed cognitive system.

Suggested Citation

  • Deana Pennington, 2016. "A conceptual model for knowledge integration in interdisciplinary teams: orchestrating individual learning and group processes," Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. 6(2), pages 300-312, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jenvss:v:6:y:2016:i:2:d:10.1007_s13412-015-0354-5
    DOI: 10.1007/s13412-015-0354-5
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Marcus Berliant & Masahisa Fujita, 2008. "Knowledge Creation As A Square Dance On The Hilbert Cube," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 49(4), pages 1251-1295, November.
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    Cited by:

    1. Jan Činčera & Grzegorz Mikusiński & Bohuslav Binka & Luis Calafate & Cristina Calheiros & Alexandra Cardoso & Marcus Hedblom & Michael Jones & Alex Koutsouris & Clara Vasconcelos & Katarzyna Iwińska, 2019. "Managing Diversity: The Challenges of Inter-University Cooperation in Sustainability Education," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(20), pages 1-16, October.
    2. Melissa Robson-Williams & Bruce Small & Roger Robson-Williams & Nick Kirk, 2021. "Handrails through the Swamp? A Pilot to Test the Integration and Implementation Science Framework in Complex Real-World Research," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-23, May.
    3. Kenneth E. Wallen & Karen Filbee-Dexter & Jeremy B. Pittman & Stephen M. Posner & Steven M. Alexander & Chelsie L. Romulo & Drew E. Bennett & Elizabeth C. Clark & Stella J.M. Cousins & Bradford A. Dub, 2019. "Integrating team science into interdisciplinary graduate education: an exploration of the SESYNC Graduate Pursuit," Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. 9(2), pages 218-233, June.
    4. Teresa R. Johnson & Kate Beard & Damian C. Brady & Carrie J. Byron & Caitlin Cleaver & Kevin Duffy & Nicholas Keeney & Melissa Kimble & Molly Miller & Shane Moeykens & Mario Teisl & G. Peter van Walsu, 2019. "A Social-Ecological System Framework for Marine Aquaculture Research," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-20, April.
    5. Pamela K. Judge & Jane A. Buxton & Thomas C. Sheahan & Eleanor R. Phetteplace & David L. Kriebel & Elisabeth M. Hamin Infield, 2020. "Teaching across disciplines: a case study of a project-based short course to teach holistic coastal adaptation design," Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. 10(3), pages 341-351, September.
    6. John M. Kerr & Maria K. Lapinski & Rain Wuyu Liu & Jinhua Zhao, 2017. "Long-Term Effects of Payments for Environmental Services: Combining Insights from Communication and Economics," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(9), pages 1-13, September.
    7. David C. Gosselin & Kate Thompson & Deana Pennington & Shirley Vincent, 2020. "Learning to be an interdisciplinary researcher: incorporating training about dispositional and epistemological differences into graduate student environmental science teams," Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. 10(3), pages 310-326, September.

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