Interdisciplinary Collaborative Research for Professional Academic Development in Higher Education

Abstract

Although faculties are more diverse, decentralized, and increasingly isolated in technology-supported modern universities, effective technology use can also foster faculty professional academic development and collegiality. This scoping literature review applied Cooper’s systemic review model and a categorical content analysis technique targeting decentralized collaborative research teams in higher education. Findings indicate technology supports formal and informal university and nonuniversity networks, as well as various collaborative research structures; all contributing to professional academic development. Shared attributes of successful collaborative online teams include a sense of social presence, accountability, institutional and team leadership. Collaborative teams are integral to research and allow more faculty members to contribute and benefit from professional academic development through scholarship. Collaborative team research should be investigated further to understand and promote cross-discipline and cultural collaboration potential for research and professional academic development possibilities with special attention given to opportunities for women, online, and adjunct faculty

Refining virtual cross-national research collaboration: drivers, affordances and constraints

“…, 2021; Hanebuth, 2015; Jaakson et al. , 2019; Johnston et al. , 2020; Mihhailova, 2017), which thematically align with areas of collaboration.…”

“…Our themes are strongly communication-related, especially trust, leadership and relationships (see also Collins et al, 2017;Fullagar et al, 2015;Garro-Abarca et al, 2021;Hanebuth, 2015;Jaakson et al, 2019;Johnston et al, 2020;Mihhailova, 2017), which thematically align with areas of collaboration. Support and feedback emerging as a collaboration-related theme are applicable and relevant in many knowledge-building settings, e.g.…”

Encouraging Interdisciplinary Collaboration: A Study of Enablers and Inhibitors Across Silos in Higher Education

“…Interdisciplinary collaboration can build a sense of greater equity and provide early career researchers (ECRs) with valuable mentoring and role models (Burroughs, 2017). Collaboration allows individuals who might not otherwise be able to conduct new research the support and development they need (Johnston et al, 2011). The European Research Council now offers grants for "proposals of an interdisciplinary nature which cross the boundaries between different fields of research" (ERC, 2011, p. 12).…”

“…The focus on discipline-based working practices has created a lack of awareness regarding research taking place elsewhere that may overlap with or bolster work being undertaken by the researcher (Bess & Dee, 2012). Teams that work across discipline-based boundaries acknowledge their differences and work to build trust through finding the strengths in researcher differences, and in so doing are more likely to succeed in collaboration (Johnston et al, 2011). This article builds upon the work of Siemens et al ( 2014) who developed a model for effective interdisciplinary collaboration.…”

“…Teams that acknowledge their differences and work to build trust through finding the strengths in researcher differences are more likely to succeed in interdisciplinary collaboration (Johnston et al, 2011). In 2014 Siemens et al developed a model for effective interdisciplinary collaboration.…”