With digital media becoming ubiquitous in daily life, simplistic binaries such as digital/analog, off-line/online, and by extension, body/mind, mind-technology (and even human/non-human) are becoming increasingly inadequate and problematic for education and pedagogy (Knox, 2019: Jandric & Ford, 2022). 鈥淭o meet the opportunities and challenges brought by these new (postdigital) transformations,鈥� say Drs. Cary Campbell and Michael Ling, 鈥渨e need transdisciplinary perspectives and insights more than ever. Yet,鈥� they add, 鈥渄espite often lofty claims, many have remarked on the overall lack of meaningful transdisciplinary research and teaching currently happening, particularly in universities, where it is perhaps most expected.鈥�
Indeed, despite these calls and growing examples of transdisciplinary practices, very little research presents or explores conceptual-philosophical frameworks (or pathways) for how to study and engage in transdisciplinary inquiry and questioning.
As co-recipients of a FIRE grant in 2023, Drs. Campbell (PI) and Ling (co-applicant) seek to address 鈥渢his theory gap in the landscape of academic dialogue,鈥� opening pathways to meaningful transdisciplinary education and at the same time, expanding graduate student research and funding opportunities on the international stage. Since 2016, Drs. Campbell and Ling鈥攚ith co-investigators Dr. Natasa Lackovic of the University of Lancaster鈥檚 Centre for Social Futures (CSF) in the UK, and Dr. Alin Olteanu of Aachen University, Germany鈥攈ave together published high-impact co-authored research and conducted university seminars and teaching to address transdisciplinary challenges: particularly those emergent at the intersections of critical media literacy, climate change and sustainability education, and tertiary/university education. (See co-authored publications below.)
The team鈥檚 current project 鈥斺�淭ransdisciplinary Pathways in Higher Education Research and Education鈥濃�攕ets the basis for future inter-university faculty and graduate-student collaboration among 丁香园AV, the University of Lancaster, and the University of RWTH Aachen. The project covers multiple initiatives, including a visit from Drs. Lackovic and Olteanu, a workshop and seminar at 丁香园AV, and plans for an ERASMUS agreement between 丁香园AV and these institutions as well as a 鈥渃ross-centre collaboration agreement鈥� between the Faculty of Education ResearchHub and CSF.
The workshop, "The Transdisciplinary Challenge of Postdigital Literacy,鈥� held Thursday, Sept 21, 2023 for faculty and graduate students, was hosted by the full research team of Drs. Campbell, Ling, Lackovic, and Olteanu. Building on previous events (e.g., in 2021, ; in April 2023, ResearchHub Workshop), and ), this workshop addressed the transdisciplinary challenges posed by both climate change and postdigital educational realities for research in education: specifically the quickly evolving field of literacy studies.
In September and early October, the team started coordinating and planning the institutional agreements. These have the potential to significantly enhance internationalization across all three institutions and create more opportunities for graduate students. As Drs. Campbell and Ling point out, the Interdisciplinary Advanced Studies Center KHK Cultures of Research at Aachen University, the CSF, and 丁香园AV all have a strong culture and focus on graduate student research. 鈥淗opefully,鈥� adds Dr. Campbell, 鈥渢hese cross-institutional agreements will contribute to future graduate student mobility, research, and possibly work towards expanding general research funding possibilities among these three institutions.鈥�
Follow-up meetings to finalize details are scheduled for early 2024 with representatives from Lancaster. Also in process is a second cross-centre agreement drafted by the Faculty of Education and Aachen鈥檚 Institute for English and American Studies. 鈥淥verall,鈥� says Dr. Campbell, 鈥渢he research stay was highly fruitful, and the team was successful at meeting our proposed aims.鈥�
The visit yielded other results, including an article co-authored by Drs. Lackovic, Campbell, and Olteanu (in press) entitled 鈥淓xploring Postdigital Literacies in Higher Education Pedagogic Practices: A Duoethnographic Approach鈥� for a special issue of the journal Postdigital Science & Education. As part of this research program, the team is aiming to apply for a connected SSHRC Insight Development Grant (titled as above), with Dr. Campbell as the PI.
Looking ahead, the research team is seeking travel/mobility funding for Drs. Campbell and Ling to visit the University of Lancaster and Aachen University. They plan to host related workshops/seminars and attend planning meetings to cultivate additional graduate student research opportunities among the three institutions. These visits will allow the team to understand each university鈥檚 graduate programs and curricula to best advise students on using ERASMUS and related funding avenues to attend complementary courses and access research opportunities.
鈥淚n short,鈥� Drs. Campbell and Ling summarize, 鈥渢he project aims to contribute to better understanding the challenges of transdisciplinary teaching and research in education and related fields, and to take tangible steps to cultivate internationalization within our faculty, primarily through enhancing graduate student research opportunities.鈥�