[Air-l] re: transdisciplinarity

[GTa3411203 at aol.com]

The transdisciplinarity approach to researching human behaviors lends itself 
well when technology is being used an enabler. I am finding it is necessary to 
use this approach to doing research to gain a better understanding of the 
different forces outside a specific discipline area that directly impacts human 
behaviors that can be assessed internal to a specific discipline. For instance, 
I am currently exploring how business organizations might use blogging as a 
tacit knowledge management support tool. My discipline area is human resource 
development. It is, though, necessary to take a look at the literature in any 
number of disciplines (e.g., philosophy, sociology, psychology, computer 
science) to gain insight as to how technology acts as an enabler in promoting human 
behaviors that are influenced by cultural practices. Hope this makes sense. 
:-) I am finding this approach to doing research is quite different as there is 
no established body of literature and the need to be knowledgeable and 
comfortable with spanning disciplines to seek out essential information to support 
hypotheses.

Gail

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Gail D. Taylor, Ed.M.
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Human Resource Education Ph.D. Student
Educational Psychology Teaching Assistant