Topic 4: Interdisciplinarity in the Real World

Hello Cornerstone Students! My name is Marla, and my areas of study are Criminal Justice, Hospitality Management and a minor in Multicultural Anthropology. I currently work at a beach resort in Sarasota, FL, but my career goal is to work for the National Park Service or Dept. of Forestry when I graduate. I did an internship with the Florida State Parks last summer, and helped with controlled burns. They say you should enjoy what you do for a living, and I definitely loved every minute of it!

Though this is your first semester in IDS, I am sure you have had to explain to a few people so far what your degree choice is or what you can do with it. I know when I tell people my areas of study, they do not see how they even relate or how this would benefit me getting a job anywhere. I usually joke around and tell them “At least I’ll be a well-rounded person”. However when I do explain how they relate back to my desired career choice, people tend to understand how these three can actually overlap in the real world. Most of us grew up in the same school structure where all of our subjects like math, science, and English were taught separately. This idea of integrated studies is a relatively new one compared to traditional schooling, and is not quite understood by many still. However, in real life daily activities, we experience things in an integrated way.

Activity:

Please read the following article http://www.edutopia.org/integrated-studies-introduction.

Then write a 150 – 250 word response to any 3 of the following talking points, and respond to at least one other student.

Talking Points:

· How do you apply your interdisciplinarity in daily situations?

· Would you have like to go to High Tech High? Why or Why not?

· What is interdisciplinarity not?

· Who do you do know who has an interdisciplinary profession? And what disciplines are they integrating?

· How are you integrating your disciplines or are you? Do you plan to utilize them separately for your career goals?

· What are some opportunities (personal, professional or academics) that can increase our interdisciplinarity?

Blog Housekeeping

Please update your profile and a photo of some sort. It gets confusing looking through the posts and not being able to match a response to a face, the little orange b is boring, express yourself.

Also, please answer all questions from an assignment in one post. Multiple responses just clutters up our already limited blog space.

Thanks, Sunshine

Topic 3: Critical Thinking

Decisions.Decisions.Decisions

Introduction:

Hello mentees. My name is Matthew Horn. Some interesting facts about myself: I have a fraternal twin brother, I’m married to the most beautiful Japanese/Polish hybrid on the planet, and I spend my leisure time usually doing one of two things: playing video games or playing guitar. After the 5 year track at Valencia, I finally made it to UCF and I haven’t looked back since. I’m weeks away from graduation and I hope that when you all get to this point you can be helpful to those who follow in your footsteps.

Why IDS?

After about the third undergrad business class, I realized that maybe college wasn’t cut out for me; or that I wasn’t cut out for college. Anyway, after a year hiatus of pondering on what to do next I discovered the redeemer that was IDS. At first I was a little overwhelmed. I had no idea that one could study an assortment of fields or which combinations were more suitable for my needs. I was told by an advisor to pick the areas that are the most appealing to me and that I’d eventually discover a way to implement the chosen areas of study. I’m still working out the kinks on that but these are the areas that were the most appealing to me and I’m determined to make them work: Humanities and Behavioral/Social Sciences with a minor in Writing. Writing has always been a passion of mine and I’m hoping it can act as the facilitator for my future undertakings.

Activity:

The activity that I want to assign this week relates to ethics and the choices we make in life. Though the activity presents some fairly extreme circumstances, its primary goal is to show you how your decisions will alter your future.

Go here: http://sulley.dm.ucf.edu/~ethicsgame/bentham/game.html

Enter your name and email address then begin.

Talking Points:

Please answer 3 of the following 5 questions. 2-3 sentences for each response.

1.      What was your initial reaction to the activity?

2.      Did you shoot anyone at the bar? Who and why?

3.      What were some of the explanations you gave the kids at the playground?

4.      Some of the outcomes in the game remain the same regardless of your choices. Name a couple.

5.      Which bar was fuller at the end of the game? Reputation or Self Worth? Why do you think that is?

Food for Thought (OPTIONAL)

I found this article http://news.discovery.com/tech/video-games-decision-making.html

The findings are rather interesting. Tell us what you think in 100-200 words.

If any of you are interested and have a gaming console or computer that’s capable of playing games, I suggest you check out the Mass Effect series. The games selling point is its story and how it evolves based on the decisions you make within its universe. It’s a very captivating experience. Cheers. 

Topic 2: Interdisciplinarity

Introduction: Hi everyone, I’m Aeryel “Sunshine” Williams. I am a student leader at UCF, on my tenth executive board this year serving as the President of the Caribbean Students' Association. I am currently a Peer Advisor in the Office of Interdisciplinary Studies, so most of you may have met me in the past two years. I am also a photographer. One cool thing about me is that I served on the 2011 Royal Homecoming Court! My areas of focus are Arts and Commerce with a Leadership Studies Minor. But when I explain my major I say that I am focusing on Photography, Marketing and Leadership Studies...because most will not understand what the areas of study mean. I also have a double minor in Marketing.

This week’s objectives:

1. Understanding Interdisciplinartiy
2.  Integrating Areas

 Reasons for being an Interdisciplinary Studies Student: I believe that being in this major makes a student better equipped in multiple areas and a more well rounded individual. You are in this major, for one of three reasons. One, you transferred to UCF and just want to use your credits and get done the fastest. Two, you were in a different major and switched because the topic started to bore you, it got too difficult, or you couldn’t finish the internships. Or third, you are here because you genuinely have a sincere interest in multiple things and want to gain fluency in them. This major is not a just a rescue major, it is an opportunity to become a researcher, an entrepreneur and go on to graduate school. Take advantage of everything this major has to offer!

Talking Points:

1.  What is your definition of integration?
2.  How have you integrated your areas of study with your minor? 
3. Have you integrated work or internships or volunteer activities with your areas of study and or minor? 
4. If you have not integrated your areas of study, why not?
5. Why is it important to integrate your areas professionally, academically or personally? How will you benefit from it?

Example: Leadership Studies Minor – use skills learned in coursework to serve on SGA Cabinet.

Current News Story: I found an article in the New York Times that I think exemplifies Interdisciplinarity. It is titled “How About Gardening or Golfing at the Mall?” focusing on repurposing mall that are losing physical traffic. A lot of stores are becoming more convenient for shoppers that hate the hassle of coming to the store by moving online. This then leaves mall with less in store shopping. So to gain more attention and retain customer flow malls are considering developing malls into town squares, adding dog parks and natural water elements. This project will call on many different fields to participate; accounting and budgeting, design firms, construction workers, mall operators and architects. They will all have to work together to create a revenue developing attracting, to get people back in the malls.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/06/business/making-over-the-mall-in-rough-economic-times.html?ref=todayspaper

 

Activity:

Reply as comment to this post in the following manner. Answer three talking points listed above. Also, find an article in a national newspaper that has interdisciplinary qualities, and would call for experts in different fields to approach and solve the problem together. Could you see yourself as an asset to the project? Answer should be 125-175 words. Post article link at end of reply to talking points. Also please respond to two other students.

GROUP 6 MENTORS WELCOMES CORNERSTONE MENTEES

Mentoring Group 6

Let me start by welcoming you to this Blog site and having our group participate in mentoring you along your path to finding you Interdisciplinary Self. I hope that we can assist you with questions you have and that we can also share some of our past experiences with you.

Each week one of the mentors will tell a bit about themselves as well as what their IDS study areas are and why they chose them.

They will present a topic for us to discuss and propose some activities as well.. By doing this we hope to help broaden your knowledge of what Interdisciplinary Studies are and how you will use them in your areas of study along with your minor.

We are your mentors:

Nathan Sardinas
Ashley Card Marla Kolter
Scott Fuxan Kristi Sokol
Matthew Horn Aeryel Williams

My name is Nathan Sardinas and I will begin by telling you a little about myself, I enjoy sports, friends, social events, time alone, gaming, and family. Now how did I choose Interdisciplinary Studies as my major? I am now a senior at UCF, but I attended SCF for my first two years, where I got my AA degree. When I transferred to UCF I spoke with the counselors and they pointed me towards IDS.

I decided that I was limiting myself in one career path, which I felt would also narrow my job choices and I have found that this was a right choice for me because it allows me to have 3 areas that I enjoy, Art, Health Science and minor in Marketing. I was glad to fine a path that can intertwine my passion areas and help me use them to format a unique niche for myself in the job market as well as being able to use them individually if I choose.

I am posting an activity for you to do along with some topics for you to respond to. Please pick 5 topics to respond to and limit each topic listed to 100-150 words.

Activity Assigned to Mentees: Find your dream job, post it and state why this is your dream job, and how you think it can relate to IDS.

http://www.monster.com/
http://www.career.ucf.edu/categories/Students/91_13.aspx
http://www.careerbuilder.com/

TOPICS TO PICK FROM

· Who are you?
· WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO FOR FUN?
· WHAT DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND ABOUT YOUR MAJOR?
· How do you explain IDS to others?
· What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of an interdisciplinary education?
· WHAT MADE YOU BECOME AN IDS MAJOR?
· What is your dream job?
· How do you think your degree will help you get your dream job?
· What are your hobbies?
· How has your college experience been so far? List and explain- Likes and dislikes
· What is your fear about your future career choice
· Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
· What expectations do you have for yourself?

PLEASE PICK 5 TOPICS FROM ABOVE TO RESPOND TO, EACH TOPIC SHOULD BE APROXIMATELY 100 – 150 WORDS PER TOPIC.

ALSO WHEN POSTING TO THE BLOG…respond to a post as a COMMENT not a new post…New posts are for new subjects, or topics; and once you have read the post you can then write a response to the post using COMMENT.