Transdisciplinary learning in professional practice

Abstract

Transdisciplinary learning is important in professional development. Professionals are described as the worst learners because of their suspicious nature and disciplinary training. It is difficult for a single-disciplinary professional to learn from professionals of other disciplines. This chapter shares my learning experience in cross-disciplines and how cross-disciplinary learning can be transferred to transdisciplinary learning. There are three learning factors: the learning need, the learning contents and the learning environment. Today, most complex business problems require a cross-disciplinary service. The business needs for this cross-disciplinary service may foster learning needs among the professionals. Professional practices provide the learning contents and the learning environment. Coupled with the business need and the nature of professional curiosity, transdisciplinary learning would occur in cross-disciplinary collaborations if the professionals were trained in certain disciplinary-dependent generic skills. When knowledge is transferred between different disciplinary professionals, the knowledge acquired from the solutions of complex business problems could build a transdisciplinary knowledge hub within the practice or the profession. Professional education is the base to establish the fundamental professional knowledge and generic skills. The business need and the professional curiosity are the driving force. Professional programmes should be designed to strengthen the learning-to-learn and discipline-dependent generic skills to cope with the professional development in today’s complex business world.