Is professional education in the social sciences and humanities obsolete
in a transdisciplinary world?Terrorism, New Militarisms, and Human Rights—
Transdisciplinary Approaches
Durban, South Africa11 September 2015
Prudence W. Dalrymple, PhD, MS, [email protected]
Overview
• Today’s environment• Transdisciplinary research
• Health informatics as example• Framework for change• Implications for higher education & research• Application and action• Discussion and dialogue
SEPTEMBER 11, 2001AUGUST 6, 9 1945
We call one war, the other terrorism. Why?
September, 2015Migrants in search of a better life; how many will find one? Who will help?
An Endangered Planet
• As the world’s population increases, and expectations for a better life rise, will we have enough resources?
• How will they be distributed?
• Who will have? And have not?
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• “Eds and meds,” high tech corridor, historical sites
• Poorest large U.S. city (28% below poverty level)-12% in deep poverty
• Unemployment = 11% (Detroit 18%, Boston, 6%)
• 15% of adults have no health insurance
• Significant health disparities
Philadelphia—My Town
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SETPEMBER 26-27
Philadelphia welcomes Pope Francis to our city
We are hoping for a truly transformative experience!
Is Professional Education Still Relevant?
• In the face of such overwhelming challenges, how can we prepare professionals to practice meaningfully?– To promote understanding– To increase the knowledge base– To make a difference in the world?
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A Framework for Change
• Transdisciplinary• Reflective• Engaged with the community• Results-oriented• Systems-based
Transdisciplinary Research
• Investigators from different disciplines working jointly to create new conceptual, theoretical, methodological, and translational innovations that integrate and move beyond discipline-specific approaches to address a common problem or goal
• Participatory, engaged, problem-oriented• Transformative!
Disciplines & Professions
• Comes from “disciple,” a believer who adheres to correct behavior– A system of rules for defining subject matter and
how it is to be studied
• Both productive and constraining• Professional education & practice is based on
disciplinary knowledge
Discipline-based Research
Disciplines develop theoretical models, conduct research, are constantly evolving—cannot “prove”, but constantly adding to the knowledge base –but in different ways
Economics Social Sciences
Quantitative Qualitative
Macro Micro’
Hard Scientific
Soft Journalism
Sampling Case Study
[John Harriss, The Case for Cross Disciplinary Approaches in International Development, London School of Economics, 2002 .]
Humanities & Social Science Research
• Humanities studies the human experience• includes studying language, literature,
philosophy, religion, culture• Social Science studies people and society,
multiple methods
Research in the Sciences• Empirical, based on scientific method• Hypothesis based• Quantitative• Hierarchy of evidence
Cross-, Multi-, Inter-….
• Cross- or multi-– Disciplines exist side by side
• Inter- – Integrates the disciplines to create a more holistic
view of a phenomenon
• May use “mixed methods”• Tries to preserve contextual factors
Health as Case Example• Medicine has its roots in pathology, the study of
disease and its treatment• Health is contextual, arising from multiple
factors• Health informatics grew from the recognition
that information—and information technology--forms a “connective tissue” in healthcare
• Learning Health System
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. (
4 key(different) purposes: encyclopaedic understanding, holistic understanding, problem solving, and reflection-in-action.
Model of inter- and transdisciplinary research
Dynamic & Cyclical
Separate But Overlapping Approaches
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Transdisciplinary Health
• Engaged in the world• Mentoring, guide at the side• Stakeholder involvement—research “with”,
not “researching on”• Collaborative• Multiple, diverse ways of knowing• Doing as well as knowing• Ecological
Transdisciplinary Professions
• Re-engagement with professional values• Culture of service• Ethics• Greater need for humanities & social science
approaches• [Perhaps] less insularity, greater flexibility
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Funding Transdisciplinary Healthcare
• CBPR: Community-based participatory research – Combines community and academic knowledge to
promote social change Requires dialogue
• CER: Comparative Effectiveness Research– Which treatment works best for which group?
• PCORI: Patient centered outcomes research (institute)
Transformational Approaches
• Translational—bench to bedside• Transdisciplinary—teams working toward a
common goal• Transformational—community engagement,
participation, change• From bench to bedside to curbside….
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Drivers to Change (U.S.)
• American Recovery Act• Electronic Health Record >data driven
decisions– Unintended consequences
• Health disparities persist• Patient empowerment• Information technology
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√√
Inf
Knowledge
Data
Information
Informatics Pyramid
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IT and Data
• Effect of EHR implementation created data, information and knowledge
• Big Data, data exchange• Patient data• Internet of things, quantified self• Informatics as a field, and a profession?
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Electronic Health Records
• Enable data to be stored, organized, manipulated, exchanged, mined, visualized
• Platform for decision support, enhanced decision making
• Practice based evidence• “Levels the playing field”
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Mobile Technology
• Ubiquitous computing, nearly universal access• Quantified self• Empowers patients• Pushes data to patients, pulls data from /about
patients
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HI as a Profession
• Diverse experts learning together• Accreditation not associated with a specific
discipline/profession• Education programs can be located in many
colleges• Data doesn’t care!
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Health Informatics (HI)
• HI intrinsically inter-disciplinary– Application of information and computer
technology to health/biomedicine
• Control, jurisdiction• Systems approach• Accreditation, quality control of education• Role of other professions (nursing,
information)
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HI at Drexel
• Institute formed early 2000’s– Based in “neutral” territory, funding issues
• Cross college instruction (CNHP)• Differential development across campus • Inter-institutional collaboration (CHOP)• HI Jumpstart, leadership• University level civil engagement
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MSHI at Drexel
• Online education• Practicum issues• Mixed student groups• Orienting faculty
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Challenges
• Professions can be insular, protective narrow• Licensure can be intrusive• Accreditation can be helpful, but also costly
and burdensome• The term “profession” applies to everyone
from physicians to hairdressers• Emphasize the status quo and control
Elements of Change
• People—at all levels• Organization—inclusive governance, planning
and vision, persistence• Culture—respect for diversity, acceptance of
failure• Ecosystem—each part is essential to the whole
Fostering Transformation
• Social events, journal clubs, “brown bags,” “speed dating”
• Joint appointments, collaborative institutes, centres, champions
• Cross campus course enrollments• Develop experimental interdisciplinary courses• Fill gaps with inter-institutional collaboration t
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Building Capacity
• Advocate for new funding mechanisms• Ensure peer reviewers understand, support
change• Review promotion & tenure guidelines• Review recruitment guidelines• Consider reflective practicum, online, flexible
learning
Is Professional Education Obsolete?
• Transdisciplinary research• Reflective practice• Commnity engagement• Transformative thinking
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Next Steps
• Using this framework, address the problems addressed in this symposium?
• Using presenters’ expertise, attendees identify steps to take to move forward
• Create a vision and a plan to build capacity for transformation
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Thank you and time for
dialogue…
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