Paper short abstract:

Fasten your seat belts and get ready for an interplanetary journey! In this interactive workshop, we’ll explore what life is like on different disciplinary planets. We’ll adopt an explorative mindset, practice listening skills and report back to the home planet about our discoveries.

Paper long abstract:

Fasten your seat belts and get ready for an interplanetary journey! In this interactive workshop, we’ll explore what life is like on different disciplinary planets. We’ll adopt an explorative mindset, practice listening skills and report back to the home planet about our discoveries

Activities

Using the metaphor of planets, this workshop aims to explore what’s needed to cross disciplinary boundaries. Disciplines can be compared to planets, each with their own language, culture, practices, beliefs, assumptions, norms and values. Becoming aware of differences as well as similarities between ‘planets’ will enable us to better understand the challenges and opportunities of interdisciplinary collaborations.

We’ll explore mindsets as well as competences needed for the space journey and experience the power of metaphors and creative methods in inter- and transdisciplinary learning. By utilizing Deep Listening and Empathy Map techniques, you will

develop a heightened awareness of your listening skills, allowing you to better understand the needs and perspectives of those around you.

Next to letting participants experience our workshop we will share key lessons learnt from our own learning journey setting up an interdisciplinary training for early- and mid-career researchers.

This activity is grounded in the framework for interdisciplinary competences developed by the UU, and part of the Spark learning journey in interdisciplinary competences offered by the Centre for Unusual Collaborations.