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Article
Distant yet Near: Promoting Interdisciplinary Learning in Significantly Diverse Teams through Socially Responsible Projects
Decision Sciences
  • Monica Adya, Marquette University
  • Bryan Temple, Glasgow Caledonian University
  • Donald M. Hepburn, Glasgow Caledonian University
Document Type
Article
Language
eng
Publication Date
4-1-2015
Publisher
Wiley
Disciplines
Abstract

With global specialization of work units within organizations, interdisciplinary work practices comprised of collaborative efforts between technical and business teams are increasingly common in today's workplace. While higher education has responded by creating opportunities for remote teams to learn from collaborative work, occasions for interaction between remotely situated significantly diverse teams such as business and engineering are few. This study describes a pedagogical offering between U.S.-based business teams and U.K.-based engineering teams that delivers such an experience around mutually dependent, socially responsible projects. Results from student surveys and reflections confirm that the pedagogical design is able to generate perceived interdependence between these diverse teams. Student responses to surveys also suggest that the collaboration is effective in raising student confidence in interdisciplinary and remote team work among students. The study concludes with recommendations for transferability and actualization of interdisciplinary collaboration.

Comments

Accepted version. Decision Sciences, Vol 13, No. 2 (April 2015): 121-149. DOI. © 2015 Wiley. Used with permission.

Citation Information
Monica Adya, Bryan Temple and Donald M. Hepburn. "Distant yet Near: Promoting Interdisciplinary Learning in Significantly Diverse Teams through Socially Responsible Projects" Decision Sciences (2015) ISSN: 0011-7315
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/monica_adya/63/