Topic 4: Critical Thinking & Interdisciplinary Problem Solving
Hey guys, this week, you're going to explore the advantages of an interdisciplinary degree. Do you think it requires critical thinking to effectively explain your degree? What about the advantages this degree brings to the table (vs. having a single-disciplinary degree). How/why did you choose this path? Using an approach that involves you to think critically can most often help you realize what you hope to attain with this degree.
Read Branding Yourself (The Brand Called You)
1. Read The Brand Called You - http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/10/brandyou.html
(You might have to copy & paste link in new tab/window)
2. After reading the article, I want to reflect on who you are and try to get as creative and free-flowing as possible. This weeks assignment will force you to think outside of your normal means, hence "Critical Thinking".
3. Please prepare an ‘advertisement’ (ie Tag Line- this one should be a hint as to, “what” you are) for this assignment you canNOT be human. You can be an inanimate object (ie ruler, rubber, toy), a living thing other than human being or animal (ie oxygen/air, plant). You’re going to describe yourself, and try to tell us “who” you are branding yourself. This assignment should not be longer than 1 page and should include at least two of your interest areas. Use problem solving skills and approach this as an interdisciplinary thinker. How could you explain yourself (your degree) to us through "branding" or selling yourself? Here's an example that I came up with.
The Brand Called "you" - I am 'Embraced Schizophrenia...'
I am timeless though sometimes fading,
Old, yet newly birthed.
I feel simple, complex, ugly, sexy, edgy, timid, light, heavy, weird...
and sometimes I feel just right.
I can be scary, yet inviting, warm, yet cold.
Sometimes i'm sweet, and other times i'm sour.
I can make you scream, and depending on how I feel, make you speechless and silent. There are no REAL words to describe me, other than simply...exist. I'm known all over the world. Universal, yet sometimes hard to understand.
My favorite color is nothing, because I embody them all equally, depending on who sees me. I'm always around you, even though I may not be there. I always embrace you, even though at times, you may not reciprocate.
You call me whatever you want, and I respond.
I'll make you cry, then wipe your tears. I'll make you laugh,
then frustrate you. Without trying, I tend to be a lot like a comforter. I can heal you, and nurture you. Without me the world could die. I bring about happiness in life, I bring about sorrow in death. I can be vibrant, yet dark, and sometimes i'm both.
I am happy, I am sad, I am confusing, I am intelligent, I am creative, I am the epitome of emotion personified...
I am Music.
Okay, so my focuses are The Arts, Behavioral/Social Sciences, and my minor is Health Sciences. I tried to definitely "sell" myself from all angles, and provide you with a visual with just how broad Music really is. I hope to be a Music Therapist one day, and I have to be a "healer" through the gift that comforts, and is universal. That's going to take me understanding every single one of my patients, their likes, and dislikes, and accommodating them. And this is what I would like you all to do. Hope you're inspired, this should be really interesting for you guys! After you've written out your assignment, answer the questions from below, and share anything else you feel you've gained from the assignment. Can't wait to read them!
* How does your critical thinking relate to being interdisciplinary?
* What insights have you gained from this reading?
* How has this exercise helped you intergrate and understand how your areas/interests relate?
I am a reflection of soul.
ReplyDeleteAn encapsulation of time
A gateway to the future
A reminder of the past
Fragile and Forever / Lost and Found
Truth and Falsehood
A representation of perfection
A reflection of the era of my creation
Geometric, Abstract, Cubist, Classical,
and Modern
Two dimensional and Three dimensional
Artifact, Treasure, Enlightenment, and
Guide
Oil, Water, Stone, Metal, Wood, Plastic and Dust
Line, Light, Depth and Shadow
I can be anticipated with much excitement and disappointing on arrival. An affirmation of hopes and a stark reminder of reality. Simultaneously rejected and approved. An acceptance of truth.
I can be bought, sold, traded, treasured, loved, hated, hidden, enshrined, destroyed and worshiped.
A Portrait.
I am finding myself still adding to the list above on just this one aspect of my work. I have a tendency to overlook the larger picture (pun not intended) of an artwork and how it might relate to the future, not just my future. What I thought of a particular work won’t matter that much. Hopefully the work will survive.
I can look at a list like this and see aspects of both my fields of art and engineering. I think most people have difficulty seeing the engineering in visual art. I see the relationships of space, balance and form better because of their interdisciplinarity.
B.Keith, man, I love this! Your comment of "What I thought of a particular work won't matter that much. Hopefully the work will survive." is BEYOND awesome, in a mindset! That's the key...as long as what we do is lasting, then our work was not in vain. Someone, somewhere will be affected. It's really cool because I kind of knew you were going to refer to something art-based, but in your explanation, tying in engineering was genius. I myself, would have never thought to think of Engineering in this category, but when I actually sat and looked at it, it made a lot of sense. Engineering is just a visual/conceptual as Art can be. I love your line "Artifact, Treasure, Enlightenment, Guide", because I feel as if it explains your interdisciplinary well. Great job!
DeleteI like how you tied art and engineering together. I would have never looked at it that way. And that is the beauty of other's showing the meaning of why they have chosen interdisciplinary studies as their major. It all relates somehow, even if we don't see it in the begining. I enjoyed your brand and you did a great job describing you and your passion in life. Great job!
DeleteI really like this. I can definitely relate as I had to go back and add lines to my "tag line" after I thought I was done as well. I like that you capture the idea of interdisciplinarity in your description.
DeleteThis is great! I wasn't expecting 'a portrait' You described all aspects of art but I still didn't realize what you were describing until the end and that shows the interdisiplinarity of it all. Good job!
DeleteI’m worth millions.
ReplyDeleteI’m worth nothing.
My power is easily forgotten.
Very few people use me properly.
I’m thrown out like trash.
Very few people treasure me.
I can steal, kill, and destroy.
I can love, uplift, and encourage.
Without me, you have no friends.
Without me, nothing makes sense.
Without me, you can’t relate.
Without me, you can’t sympathize.
Without me, things are meaningless.
I can be seen.
I can be thought.
I can be written.
I can be spoken.
I am of great value.
I am Words.
Words are powerful. The average woman speaks around 20,000 words a day. Some people think about them, others just throw them out like they are not big deal. Communication is vital to relating to the world. Some people are better at it than others but it is all a valuable tool to interact with people. My focuses are communication, education, and leadership and it is all about relating to others around you.
I see communication, education and leadership as intuitively interdisciplinary. None can stand or matter without the other and words, the invisible bond between them. The line “very few use me properly” speaks to the moral and sometimes immoral use of words to communicate truth or distortion. A very important concept in an election year. It speaks to the need for honesty from the speaker and education for the audience to comprehend the difference. I think as people become even more interconnected your interdisciplinarity will become even more important.
DeleteWonderful job, Ellen! Your brand is actually very impressive! I agree with B. Keith, it represents interdisciplinary very fluidly. My hope is that you all will see how well your vision of yourself coincides with your degree, and future/potential occupation! Good job! :)
DeleteI love how you used tied words into your areas of focus. You are right...words are everything. And it is very important in all aspects of life how you use them. Especially in the education field! Great job!
DeleteFrom this, I get that communication is your main focus. Is that a fair assessment?
DeleteI like the juxtaposition of phrases, very powerful!
DeleteI am a strong woman
ReplyDeleteI am a listener
I observe others
I can be evaluated
I can be searched
It’s hard for me to show emotions
I am a private person
I like to challenge myself
I love music
My power can be amazing
For interdisciplinary studies critical thinking is important because having a strong mindset is what this degree requires. This degree consists of three areas of disciplines and in order to learn them critical thinking needs to be used. I chose this path because I didn’t want to waste my transfer credits and it sounded interesting to do. I actually like this degree path and look forward to enhancing my critical thinking skills. This article helped me think of characteristics of myself and what I need to work on to build my character. My areas of study include behavioral and social science, life and biomedical science and a minor in health science. I want to be a pediatric nurse in the future and I have been in the medical field since middle school. This degree will help me have a more diverse background instead of just medical.
Nadean, you are very correct in your analysis of your degree allowing you to have a really diverse background. I also like how your brand made you seem like an actual discipline, as a woman. That was a very interesting approach. One of the benefits of having this degree is that it forces you out of and into yourself! You have to think incredibly critically just to grasp who YOU are..But good job.
DeleteI like how you made this personal. The first few lines totally grabbed by attention. Well done. This is a favorite.
DeleteI am textile.
ReplyDeleteI am simple but also complex.
Reborn or created from scratch.
Some of me is timeless,
And some of me trendy.
I am edgy, delicate, sexy, conservative, classic, and modern..
I describe you.
I am art for some,
And simply protection from others.
I can be therapeutic and confidence boosting
But I am intimidating too.
I can describe the past
And change the future.
I am fashion.
My passion is fashion. So I wanted to use that and try to incorporate psychology and the business part of my degree into “advertising” myself and fashion. I’d love to work in visual marketing/merchandising so the business is an obvious part and I feel like psychology can be very useful into seeing how to sell the clothes to people whether it be as an ‘art’ or ‘therapy’ or how people want others to see them. I want to be able to take one brand and create outfits for walks of life. The trendsetters, the ones who prefer timeless classic attire, those who simply dress to be clothed and comfortable.
--Madelin Selzer
oh wow, great job! I wasn't expecting you to say fashion. So, great approach! In correlation to marketing, your "brand" could describe your fashion. As I'm re-reading what you wrote, I can see a commercial lol...but seriously, I can see every line being spoken, with different forms of fashion wear, clothing, perspective, etc. So, definitely knowing how to brand yourself from this type of perspective is very much so a necessity! Good job, Maddie!
DeleteI like the progression from textile to fashion as a metaphor for moving from disciplined to interdisciplinary. A piece of textile isn’t fashion till you add all the other pieces you describe. I like that you want to serve all walks of life and different views of what fashion is and what it’s for. Your disciplines should serve you well in accomplishing your goals.
DeleteI am cold
ReplyDeleteI am warm
I can comfort
I can bite
I fill the space in between
Often going unnoticed
Changing shape
Changing substance
Never changing in value
Without me, you'd die
Forgotten until I'm gone
Gasping for me
Choking in my absence
I return without a sound
Contently doing my job
I am air.
I am that person who comes in and immediately makes a name for himself. I adapt to fit where I am needed and strive to become indispensable as fast as possible. I truly have the ability to do anything and everything I want. My "airiness" also makes me seem inconsistent at times which is what led me to choose Interdisciplinary Studies. I like having several options because I know how easily I get bored and change my mind. It also allows me to be more dynamic and have a larger pool of skills to draw from.
Chance, I LOVE how this was a metaphor for yourself! Amazing Job! I can totally see how this fits you with the opening sentence of your explanation! Even in reading your brand, I can almost feel your presence through your wording! That self-assured nature is going to be key with this degree! I like that you're able to pull and draw from skills that you may have not been able to access before, which contributes to your vast "airiness" lol..good job!
DeleteThis is a great expression of yourself and I like how you put unnoticed and without you, you would die. having several options is always good and it does allow you to become more dynamic.
DeleteI am durable
ReplyDeleteI have experience
I can be old or new
I create stories
I have passion
I emit all emotions
I am humble
I am dependable
I help express who you are or what you are feeling
I relieve your stress
I love music
I teach and can be taught
I inspire others
I am a pair of dance shoes.
I have been dancing all my life. It's my passion, it's what completes me as a human being. I have been teaching dance to others for half my life and it's what I want to do for the rest of my life. I chose interdisciplinary studies because I needed to graduate early. My minor is Math education. I want to teach Math during the day and after school I will be a dance coach. I love to teach and this is such a great combination for me. I eventually want to obtain a PhD and coach a university dance team. I belong teaching. I have a passion for anything I am teaching. I will inspire others to be great at whatever they want to be. And I will continue to have dance as a part of my life in some way.
its great that you express your passion for dancing and include education with it. math is a very intense subject and alot of people have problems with it so its good that you want to teach that. Good luck getting your PhD!
DeleteI don't know if you are a poet or not but this flows very very well. Its quick and directly to the point. Most of all, its powerful. Your passion hit me in the face when I read it.
DeleteI like the mix of careers! They both seem very enriching, and highly diverse :)
DeleteThe paths you want to pursue are very reachable and I like them! Good luck with your PhD!
DeleteI am animated
ReplyDeleteI am wit
I am light and darkness
I am strong
I am loyalty
I am faith
I am innocence
I am an aid
I am an asset
I am free from judgment, but a slave to criticism
I am cynical
I am a friend
I am a cause
I am eccentric
I am a learner as well as an educator
I have seen and done too much, and yet not enough. I have faced odds and held my head high, but I have knelt before my own hubris. I am searching for something I have yet found, but once I find my home, I am capable of wearing a crown. I am a shepherd.
The more I learn about who I am and what I want as a career, the more I learn about what I like. My tracks are in Education and Art, both things that I have a great passion for. I have changed my path so much during these last 5 years of college, it’s hard to keep up. I feel like these words have crafted who I am, a possible future “educator” or perhaps what I am now, a “student”.
I like your career path choices and I feel as if you have finally found what you want to do :)
DeleteI am a listener
ReplyDeleteI like to challenge myself
I am an outgoing person
I am a strong person
Trustworthy
I am complex, but also simple.
I am open, yet mostly private
I trust too much
And forgive too often.
I am different
I am me.
Critical thinking is a very important aspect for doing interdisciplinary studies. This article helped me think of characteristics of myself and what I need to work on to build my character. My areas of study are life and biomedical sciences, physical sciences, and a minor in business. I want to be an orthodontist someday, and I feel as if this interdisciplinary studies degree will give me a stronger background to conquer this goal of mine.