WEEK 11: FROM DISCIPLINARY STRENGTH TO TRANSDISCIPLINARY APPROACH FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

 

Assalamualaikum and meet again!

    Today agenda is about how disciplinary strength to transdisciplinary approach for sustainable development.it was my first time i heard about the term transdisciplinary. It something new for me and I'm curious how it going to work.  Before that, we have to understand what is disciplinary strength. disciplinary strength are persons with varying degrees of specialization in their respective disciplines or fields. 

    The aims of the SDGs are not limited to covering just one area of study. When it comes to how things are viewed, those working in various sectors each have their own areas of specialisation, as well as their own distinct opinions and points of view. Therefore, by pooling our resources, expertise and knowledge, we will be able to produce a solution that is both more robust and productive. If human are ignorance with their own opinion such as only consider the problem of particular field but not as a whole, it will affect the decision made and solution that will be implemented. Also, a discrimination or injustice might occur. 

Why do we need transdisciplinary approach for sustainable development? 

• Theorotically, transdisciplinary approach is the relational qualities of academic and nonacademic actors' cooperation that is required to meet the complex intellectual and action-driven issues of sustainable development. 

• Transdisciplinary learning is essential because it helps students connect the dots by bringing together ideas from different disciplines and presenting them in a form that is easy to grasp.

• The ability to work creatively across boundaries is a critical skill.

• Students are able to draw together strands of knowledge and create their own framework for approaching a problem.

Example

Which discipline can provide the most effective solution to murky and muddy river in IIUM?

Engineering discipline: create and conduct research on machines that assist clean the river as a potential solution. Increase the use of environmentally friendly technology.

Political discipline: Bring a voice power about the issues to the parliament to take a drastic initiatives in facing the problem.

Legal discipline: can penalize and fine the irresponsible group because of the harm they have caused to the environment and the people in accordance with national laws or law.

Islamic perspective

The transdisciplinary approach may be equivalent with fardh kifayah. Where only a group of people accountable to acquire particular knowledge and the rest take the others. This is because human capabilities in attaining knowledge is limited whereas the knowledge in this world is a never ending story and infinity. Therefore we need this specification based on specialization to ensure the knowledge obtained is meaningful and be remembered practically.