Improving Argumentation Skills through AI-Driven Dialogues: A Transdisciplinary Approach Birgit Oberer, Alptekin Erkollar (Pages: 1-17)
This article investigates the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) as a dynamic tool to enhance argumentation skills in education. By engaging students in real-time dialogues with AI, this study provides insights into a transdisciplinary approach that encourages critical thinking and helps students build persuasive, well-structured arguments across various subjects. Recognizing the growing need for argumentation proficiency in digital-age learning, we outline a methodological framework that leverages AI-driven dialogue tools to challenge students’ assumptions, refine their thinking, and expose them to diverse perspectives. This research explores the ethical and pedagogical considerations essential to responsibly integrating AI into educational settings, focusing on balancing technological assistance with human oversight. The findings support AI’s role as a valuable educational partner, offering a practical and innovative strategy for developing students’ argumentation skills and preparing them for a technologically integrated future. For instance, the study highlights practical use cases where AI-driven dialogue systems in education foster critical engagement and personalized feedback, showing promise in large and resource-constrained classrooms.
Overcoming Obstacles to Interdisciplinary Research: Empirical Insights and Strategies Cristo Leon, James Lipuma (Pages: 18-34)
This paper presented the significant obstacles to effective interdisciplinary research and discussed strategies to enhance transdisciplinary communication necessary to overcome them. To effectively tackle complex global issues, it is crucial to recognize the pivotal role of interdisciplinary collaboration. This study examined the importance of overcoming communicative barriers to foster innovation and progress. The researchers employed a systematic literature review with a grounded theory approach to navigate the empirical landscape surrounding interdisciplinary research barriers and communication strategies. The findings identified critical barriers, including diverse disciplinary jargon, methodological differences, and a prevailing culture of disciplinary silos. The researchers identified effective strategies for surmounting these challenges, such as promoting inclusive research environments, establishing a common language for interdisciplinary dialogue, and creating transdisciplinary training and collaboration opportunities. The implications of this research suggested that strategic transdisciplinary communication can significantly mitigate barriers to interdisciplinary research, thereby enhancing collaborative outcomes. The authors included two practical examples of the application of transdisciplinary communication to the research collaboration.
Moreover, the paper examined specific, actionable strategies that institutions and researchers can implement to foster a more conducive environment for interdisciplinary endeavors. Future directions highlighted in this paper included the need for further empirical research to refine the identified strategies and explore new methodologies for facilitating interdisciplinary collaboration. Additionally, the researchers emphasized the importance of institutional support in implementing these strategies, suggesting a holistic approach to encouraging transdisciplinary communication and collaboration.
Knowledge Integration in Students After Transdisciplinary Communication with the Oldest Old Sonja Ehret (Pages: 35-47)
How do students integrate their cognitive insights gained from dialogues with the oldest old persons? The lecture provides insight into an exploratory evaluation of self-reflexions written by students, which they prepared after an intergenerational seminar. The acquisition of the experience and world view of the oldest old and the strategies of adopting perspectives play a central role. In all reflexions, the experience of the old dialogue partner is consistently addressed. Students also wrote about the process of integrating new knowledge. We can interpret it as a form of development of consciousness where spontaneity in dialogue, well-known as positive feedback, plays a central role.
Generative Artificial Intelligence ChatGPT in Education: Challenges and Opportunities Bilquis Ferdousi (Pages: 48-64)
This paper studied the impact of ChatGPT, a generative artificial intelligence with natural language processing capabilities, on higher education. ChatGPT, which is able to make human-like responses, with its scalability, customizability, automated conversations, efficiency, cost-effectiveness, natural language processing, and language translation capability, can be an ideal tool for different functions, including the academic learning process. However, ChatGPT may allow students to cheat on their assignments in class quickly. Students can easily use this tool to find correct answers in their exams, complete assignment papers, etc. This raises several legal and ethical issues, such as copyright, plagiarism, and fairness in education. This seriously threatens academic integrity and can significantly reduce students' learning achievements. Therefore, it is essential to study the impact of ChatGPT on students' learning process. While the benefits of integrating ChatGPT into the learning environment have been proven, finding challenges and determining how ChatGPT can advance learning is essential. In this context, this paper studies 1) the possible benefits and challenges of ChatGPT on students' academic integrity in the classroom and 2) the strategies that can be adopted to address the challenges of ChatGPT created in the academic environment. Based on an extensive review of relevant literature, this study found that ChatGPT should not be prohibited but rather embraced in higher education with ethical and responsible use. Students, academics, and practitioners could benefit from this finding.
IT Ecosystem in a Globalized World Olga Bernikova, Daria Frolova (Pages: 65-77)
IT Ecosystem plays a critical role in shaping industry growth and innovation. As technology continues to rapidly advance, the demand for skilled IT professionals is also growing. Companies are constantly looking for talent with experience in emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Cloud Computing, Cybersecurity and Data Science to remain competitive in the market. The article examines the essence of the concept of an IT ecosystem in the context of a globalized world. Examples of the need to intensify transdisciplinary communication to solve complex problems are given. The importance of language as a tool for ensuring the effectiveness of transdisciplinary communication is also emphasized. One of the advantages of a transdisciplinary approach in the IT environment is a deeper understanding of user needs. The integration of social and human sciences makes it possible not only to create technologies, but also to adapt them to the real needs of people, taking into account their values, preferences, and behavioral characteristics.
Enhancing Pedagogy and Biblical Exegesis with Emotional Intelligence Russell Jay Hendel (Pages: 78-112)
In the past few decades, emotional intelligence (EI) has emerged as a competitor with ordinary intelligence (Intelligence Quotient (IQ)). The contrast is simple: IQ studies what you know; contrastively, EI studies how you relate to people. Many recent studies suggest that IQ accounts for only about 20% of success in life, with the remaining 80% being made up by other factors, emotional intelligence included. The article defines EI using a transdisciplinary approach and describes the components of EI using six rules of business email etiquette and the 7-item checklist used in the moral-legal code of Jewish law governing laws of communication. The overlap and commonality from these disparate disciplines enhances our confidence in the approach’s operationality. We apply our findings to the disparate disciplines of biblical exegesis and pedagogy. Besides the traditional emphasis on tone, inclusiveness, and lack of omission and unconscious biases, the article provides some largely unexplored EI uses as a means of inferring exegesis and teaching. Consistent with the goals of this conference, we urge readers and listeners to research and apply these methods in their daily settings.
The Necessity for Transdisciplinary Communication in Law-Making Adrian Leka, Brunilda Jani Haxhiu (Pages: 113-123)
In modern societies and their governance, many societal issues have become complex and require a multidisciplinary approach to law-making, as many legal matters require knowledge and application of many other fields of study. This article focuses on the critical importance of transdisciplinary communication in shaping robust and responsive legislative frameworks. Based on a review of relevant literature and empirical research, the article demonstrates how collaboration across diverse fields of expertise enhances the quality and efficacy of legislative processes.
Transdisciplinary communication fosters dialogue among politicians, researchers, practitioners, and the public. This dialogue allows for a comprehensive understanding of societal challenges and the integration of research-based evidence, stakeholder insights, and ethical considerations into the legislative process, thereby promoting transparency, legitimacy, and accountability.
Through case studies and theoretical analyses, the article illustrates how transdisciplinary communication can help avoid unintended consequences, address inequalities in the system, and advance the realization of the public interest. Furthermore, the article highlights the potential of this approach in navigating the complexities of emerging issues such as climate change, technological innovation, and social justice.
The article critically examines the approval of Albania’s Sex Offender Registry Law 62/2023, using it as a case study to show the disconnection between scientific research and the formulation of public policy. By tracing the historical origins of sex offender registries and comparing various international models, the study highlights the lack of coherence between the approved law and established research findings. The analysis reveals the overestimation and misrepresentation of statistical data, shortcomings in the legislative process, and the absence of a transparent, evidence-based approach. The failure to implement the law and establish the registry within the provided timeframe and the inherent limitations of the approved model further emphasize the challenges in creating effective legislation. The findings not only critique the flaws in Law 62/2023 but also reflect.
broader concerns about the utilization of scientific research in shaping legal frameworks, underscoring the need for a more informed and evidence-driven approach to policymaking.
In conclusion, the article advocates for a shift towards embracing transdisciplinary communication as a fundamental pillar of contemporary law-making, which would help foster more resilient, equitable, and adaptive governance systems.
The Facilitation of Online Learning for Middle-aged Employees Gita Aulia Nurani, Ya-Hui Lee (Pages: 124-145)
In recent decades, online learning has dominated all industries, while middle-aged employees might find it challenging to switch offline to online work environments. The study explored (1) the characteristics of effective online learning programs for middle-aged people, and (2) the benefits of online learning related to the work-life capacities of middle-aged people. This study used qualitative phenomenology and data were collected using semi-structured interviews. The participants included twenty human resources (HR) or learning development managers, nine females and eleven males. All managers from national or multinational companies used online learning during the last three years. The study revealed that online learning for middle-aged has specific characteristics: focus on practical or strategic skills, combining online tools and offline activities, clear time-limit, including multigeneration, small numbers of participants, and applying a personal approach. The study also indicated that online learning for middle-aged needs to be integrated and combine more than one activity. Lastly, the study showed that the benefits of online learning for middle-aged people are the refreshment of knowledge, work-skill renewal, and growth mindset awareness. To conclude, a monitoring program should be implemented to ensure output quality and achieve the learning goals. The researchers suggested further research to explore learners' barriers and how they cope with online situations.
The Dangers of Aestheticized Education: A Return to Curiosity in a Curated World Juan David Campolargo (Pages: 146-150)
This paper examines the growing tension between authentic curiosity and aesthetic performance in American higher education. Through personal experiences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, this work explores how the pressure to maintain appearances and create Instagram-worthy academic personas increasingly overshadows genuine intellectual curiosity. As social media and digital platforms reshape educational practices, students find themselves caught between the desire for deep learning and the perceived need to aestheticize their academic journey. This reflection argues that while visual appeal and presentation have their place, the prioritization of aesthetics over authentic engagement threatens to undermine the fundamental purpose of higher education.
Navigating Transdisciplinary Communication: A Graduate Student's Perspective Sirimuvva Pathikonda, Cristo Leon, James Lipuma (Pages: 151-172)
This paper presents the perspective of a graduate student newly introduced to Transdisciplinary Communication (TDC) and explores its practical applications. It addresses the core question: How can TDC be recognized, valued, and applied effectively to tackle complex challenges? TDC integrates diverse disciplinary insights, encourages collaboration, and improves research outcomes by fostering an inclusive environment that acknowledges all stakeholders.
The paper is framed through a Constructivist lens, focusing on three main aspects of TDC: (i) the co-construction of knowledge through shared language, which enhances the integration of cross-disciplinary expertise; (ii) the role of social interaction, collaborative tools, and goal alignment in promoting effective teamwork; and (iii) TDC as a dynamic, non-linear process that encourages innovation and knowledge synthesis. Together, these elements demonstrate how TDC enriches STEM research by fostering diverse perspectives and addressing complex issues holistically.
The discussion begins by highlighting the significance of TDC in contemporary research, followed by insights from the graduate student's evolving understanding of the approach. It then transitions into practical tools and strategies for applying TDC effectively, including structured methodologies and collaborative platforms. A detailed case example of co-design illustrates how engaging stakeholders early leads to impactful, integrated solutions. The paper concludes with reflections on the broader impacts of TDC beyond STEM, emphasizing its role in arts, humanities, and public policy and inviting participants to contribute their own experiences.
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