Coping with complex real-world problems: Strategies for developing the competency of transdisciplinary collaboration

Abstract

Real world problems are complex and therefore between and beyond disciplines. To solve them requires expertise across several disciplines. This paper argues that we need to teach students transdisciplinary collaboration as a competency demanded in future work places. We describe two learning strategies, “breadth-first” and “Long Tail”, to help develop these competencies in graduate students. An implementation of these strategies in a computer science course with 48 graduate students from various disciplines is described. Finally, implications and future opportunities of our approach are discussed.