To start off Blog # 3 I wanted to define integrate. From the Princeton dictionary online the definition is make into a whole or make part of a whole. We as IDS students know this very well with our major. We are constantly integrating each area of study into the other to achieve the most out of our education thats possible.
For me, I have integrated both my areas of study along with my minor. I have chosen the Behavioral and Social Sciences and Hospitality as my areas of study and a minor in Health Sciences. I have integrated my areas for the health field by knowing how people behave with the behavioral aspect, how to take care of them better with the hospitality aspect, and learning about the health field with my minor. Each of my areas relate to one another even though it may not seem like it at first, once you understand that I want to work in the health field, you realize why I chose those areas of study. How have you integrated your areas of study and your minor to make one collective degree?
I feel that integration among your areas of study is important because many things relate to one another. It is important to focus not only on one sold entity, rather than the big picture and multiple aspects. This goes for your personal and professional lives as well. When you are placed into your career after you graduate, you may be asked to call upon many different areas to solve a problem rather than just focus on one aspect of it. Do you feel like it is better to use integration in your academic and professional life or just focus on one single aspect?
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Stephanie,
ReplyDeleteI think it is incredibly important, for career and life success, to integrate that various areas of your life.
They may be old sayings, but the professional world really looks to the person who "thinks outside the box", "is able to look at the whole picture", "dosen't have tunnel vision", is a Renaissance Woman/Man", "is an all-round or well-rounded individual". There are plenty more examples, but those are the ones that come to mind immediately....interdisciplinarity is key to the collaborative work effort and to social interaction.
Our programs foster that line of thinking and so, IDS graduates will be much further along the path to success as a result.
The idea that we are all a part of a larger whole is certainly not new; see below the late 16th/early 17th century poet, John Donne's often quoted work:
No Man is an Island
"No man is an island entire of itself; every man
is a piece of the continent, a part of the main;
if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe
is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as
well as any manner of thy friends or of thine
own were; any man's death diminishes me,
because I am involved in mankind.
And therefore never send to know for whom
the bell tolls; it tolls for thee."
As I have said in earlier posts, I am confident that the health care debate will trigger the availability of grants to support creative ways to encourage access to various health care initiatives, including dementia related disorders. My Health Services Administration minor will provide the background and informaiton necessary to legitimize my working with elders; having the Public Affairs interest area will provide access to grant writing avenues and, most importantly, the Behavioral Sciences area will allow me to focus my training appropriately to ensure success of the project.
Gail Weinstein
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI am a very big fan of the idea of integration, in fact I feel that for me and my educational and career goals it's essential. As I have said before, I am minoring in mathematics education so the one obvious area of study is mathematics. I believe that if I am to become a math teacher I had better be an expert in that subject area. My other area is behavioral and social sciences, which is a solid choice for an educator. I can't see how better understanding human behavior and development will be anything but useful for me.
ReplyDeleteI am most certainly a believer that integration of several disciplines is superior to narrow focus. This seems even more important in a career like education where just knowing how to write a lesson plan isn't nearly enough. There are so many issues that must be addressed in a successful classroom and it's the job of a successful teacher draw from many disciplines and create the right solutions.
Jaime Pazos
P.S. The reason you keep seeing deleted comments from me is that I keep forgetting to sign them. This trend will likely continue.
I agree with what Gail said, no man is an island. Again, my two majors are Biology and Chemistry, and with that I plan on going to pharmacy school. Medication is any chemical substance that is administered to help prevent or cure diseases, which links to biology. My minor does not directly link to pharmacy, but business administration is such a broad area of study that it can be associated with any discipline. Ultimately I would like to manage, or own a pharmacy, and a minor in business administration will aid me in that.
ReplyDeleteTo answer Stephanie's question, yes I think it is important to use integration in my academic and professional life. I believe that is one reason why some post graduate schools, such as medical school, require four years of undergraduate so that the student will be "well rounded." However, here is an idiom to think about, "A jack of all trades is a master of none". What do you all think?
Felicia Banks
Felicia,
ReplyDeleteYou seem to have a good handle on your goals...that is very admirable!
About 6 years ago, I decided that the one area of the workforce that I had little experience in was the manufacturing field. So I dusted off my resume and started a search for companies that might hire me, even though I would have to start at the bottom of the ladder.
I found a "start up" company that offered me a position as their "Director of First Impressions" (in the early days of my employment, not much more than a glorified receptionist, but my role evolved as the company grew). This company was intent on bringing the first robot for hospital based pharmacies to market...it is a fascinating piece of equipment that is now in Johns Hopkins, Dallas Children's and many other world class hospitals and it has prepared 24 million doses to date without a single error!
This company allowed me to see the collaborative work effort up close...because no one had ever done what it was supposed to do, everybody had to work together, across many lines of technical expertise to get the devices out in the field...oh, yes, of course there was the regulatory process of the FDA to take into account as well.
So that I don't get entirely off point here, I did want to let you know that pharmacy is a technically (and getting more so every day) oriented field and that pairing it with business adm is a smart move. According to one report by Pharmacy Practice News, Walgreen's has the capability of snapping up every pharmacy graduate for the next five years to meet their employment demands alone. And that's just one chain...pharmacy grads will be a very hot commodity for years to come.
Good decision!
Gail Weinstein
Jamie-
ReplyDeleteI whole-heartedly agree with you! I was previously in the education major (I quickly realized I was NOT meant to teach k-12... no patience lol) while I was in this major I realized that some of my fellow students could put together a lesson plan but had no idea how to manage a classroom or talk to children. I felt that they/we needed more than just a how to plan class. I think it is wonderful that you are taking the initiative to do more and be better than the average teacher. So on that note Congrats!
-Amanda Anthony
Felicia-
ReplyDeleteI think the combination you have chosen will work great and help you get where you want to go.
As for your idiom, I have a few words ;) ...
My parents tell this to me almost daily. I have way too many hobbies and interests than the normal person probably should. You name it I probably enjoy doing it or at least have tried it. However, I think that phrase, I jack of all trades, is a bit misleading. I think someone can be interested many things and still be able to do them flawlessly, it just depends on the person. On the other hand, another person can try to do one thing they like and be horrible at it. It just depends on the person!
Personally, not to toot my own horn, but I decorate cakes, design and make dresses/clothing, paint, draw, dance, etc., I have been told I am great at all of these, which in essence would make me a Jack of all trades in this idea, but I still mastered writing research papers, scuba diving, and more.
I have gone off on a very long tangent just to say, in some way everything is linked to another. Interdisciplinary is the way to go! It's like cross-training for your mind!
-Amanda Anthony
Thank you, Amanda. I do what I can. I certainly want to teach and I certainly like to be above average in what I do. I'm sorry you aren't going to become a teacher yourself, the world can always use good people in that role; but if you don't have the disposition, you don't have the disposition. I wish the best.
ReplyDeleteJaime Pazos
Gail,
ReplyDeleteI very much enjoy reading your posts each week. They seem to be very insitghful and full of knowledge. They not only provide your fellow classmates further learning but also me as a Capstone student.
I feel that you have a great understanding of what the IDS major is really about and how to use it to your fullest. Your example about the business admin and pharmacy was right on and I had never considered looking at it that way. I had no idea that Walgreens was in the lead to scoop up all the students up! I thought Publix was the number one but seeing as they haven't branched all over the United States, I know why Walgreen trumps them.
Congrats also on the Health passion. I myself want to work in the health field and I can't see myself doing anything else. You truly have to have a passion for wanting to help people and I can tell you do by your blogs that help everyone in this group! Best of luck to you!
Stephanie Hart
Stephanie,
ReplyDeleteHow nice of you to say those very kind things! I do want to help...without being a bore, so keep me on track and I will be glad to provide any assistance that I can.
Remember that, in addition to the nationwide presence, the Walgreen's business model includes many 24 hour locations and, by law, a registered pharmacist MUST be on premises in the pharmacy at all times for it to operate. (Now you know why some pharmacies are closed for the pharmacist's lunch hour!!! Other areas of the store can function, but no pharmacy functions are permitted. Add to that, CVS, Wal-Mart, every hospital and so many other pharmacy environments and you can see why pharmacy programs are so popular.
Beyond Business Admin, I would look at Public Administration (the FDA regulatory process plus changes to health care systems will forever be involved in pharmacy), Computer/IT/Sciences (huge technological advances will constantly be needed to meet the next generation of drug treatments) or Sales/Marketing (Pharmceutical Sales and Medical Device Sales regularly recruit at +$100k per year). Those are just a few of the disciplines that went into making our system a success and there were many, many more!
Gail Weinstein
Integration is defined as an act or instance of combining into an integral whole. My two areas of study are biomedical sciences and physical sciences. A clear integration there would be the class called Biochemistry. It integrates biology and chemistry and the name clearly states. A lot of my classes from my areas of study integrate well together but I cant seem to find a connection between them and my minor (Judaic Studies). I dont see a common ground between the three.
ReplyDeleteBeing able to integrate different ideas and experiences in the work field helps a person think outside the box and come up with new ideas and plans. It is a very useful 'skill' when used in a professional, academic, or personal experiences.
Gail,
ReplyDeleteI loved your example of the pharmacy because thats what I want to be in 5 years haha. You're right, pharmacy programs are becoming more popular...hopefully I'll get in and become a hot commodity too! ;)
Hey Felicia!
ReplyDeleteIm also hoping to go to Pharmacy school next year. I just wanted to let you know there is an organization called Pre-Pharmacy Society at UCF and the meetings are every other monday at 4 30 in the student union! You should stop by! good luck with everything!
Leeron,
ReplyDeleteIt is great that you realized you have integrated your areas of study together and can see ways to take one area to the next with your education. I know you may not know now how Judiac Studies are integrated into your major but in time I am sure you will figure out. I am sure it is a passion of yours, so learning about it for yourself is a way of integrating it into your life. You seem like you have a great passion for the medical field as well and are taking the right steps to reach your Pharmacy goal. With more schooling ahead of you for that career, I am sure you will be able to integrate your minor someway. I think it is so wonderful that so many people enjoy the health field and want to help others!
Stephanie Hart
An interdisciplinary field or multidisciplinary field is a field of study that crosses traditional boundaries between academic disciplines or schools of thought, as new needs and professions have emerged. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interdisciplinarity). Integration has several different meaning but for the purpose of this class, integration means combining different areas to better them instead of using the areas as separately; bringing something together as a whole.
ReplyDeleteIntegration is important in the field of interdisciplinary studies because we learn how to combine our different areas of focus and apply them to one another. I integrate my area of Public Affairs and Hospitality a lot because they are both fields that have a lot to do with dealing with people. I’ve been able to integrate my field of public affairs this semester with a legal hospitality classes because I’ve taken several law classes for public affairs. I think it’s important to integrate ideas because it widens your horizon and gives you the opportunity to view ideas in a different way than we would usually think about them. Behavioral and social science also integrates with by other areas because this field also pertains to people and society. Another example of integrating ideas and areas/minors is in our research groups. When it comes to getting a job later on down the road, being able to integrate yourself will probably be to your advantages and help you succeed to your fullest potential.
Lauren Larson
Leeron,
ReplyDeleteI think you may be able to find a common link between your areas of study and your minor by looking at it in the abstract.
Many years ago, I was speaking with a friend who had just completed her first year as a County Judge. We were talking about her background and what she thought might have added most to her success. With just a little pause, she said her undergraduate degree in Math, prior to her law school days. She went on to explain that it was the logic and problem solving techniques that she learned as a Math major, that helped her organize her facts and see more clearly the right path for her judicial decisions.
As a young person in a quandry over a choice between following the Christian faith of my mother or the Jewish faith of my father, a very wise person counseled me that in order to be a good Christian, one first had to be a good Jew by coming to love the Lord, the law, the traditions, and faith of our Hebrew fathers. It made the decision more clear for me and uncomplicated the issues.
Of course, I've gone on too long, but my point is the your Judaic Studies will add a dimension to your study of the sciences because you will see how the roots of those disciplines draw from the traditions of your faith walk. In turn, you will probably better understand the dynamics of the Kosher law,for example, because you will see the science that it was rooted in long before the exact science existed as a discipline. Do a study of some of the great (and there are so many) Jewish scientists and how their early upbringing supported their studies. I think you will be amazed (and pretty proud) of your decision to follow in their giant footprints!.
Gail Weinstein
I believe integration is the key to success. I think we do it all the time without even realizing we are doing it. Just think about it, integration is when you take two or more different things and blend them together to make a whole. It's an everyday occurrence that sometimes we have to work at, and other times comes naturally. In the end though, I don't think we would be efficient if we did not integrate.
ReplyDeleteI have tried to integrate my subject areas and minor, and it has been going well so far. As a sophomore, I still have the majority of my classes left to take. From what I have taken, I have seen some correlations between the material. It's fun when I'm sitting in another class or reading something for this class, and the thought of "Oh, I just learned this in my other class!" pops into my head. Since I know that I need to integrate my areas, it makes it easier to find similarities in my studies.
If I cannot integrate my knowledge than what good is it? I believe integration is the whole point of college. Our general education classes are a requirement so that we are educated in all basic subject areas. It is important that we have this integration in our academics because we are expected to be achieving a college education, and with that, be able to apply our knowledge to the "real world." The same goes for our subject areas and minor. By combining knowledge from different classes, we better educate ourselves and become more well rounded as a person.
Although I think I am doing alright so far with integrating my areas of study, there are definitely ways to improve. I could better integrate my areas by posing the question, "how is this going to relate to something else?" By asking myself this question, upon learning new material, it will help me to see and develop the correlations. All in all, I think integration requires awareness and the ability to organize the knowledge we acquire.
Joanna Goldonowicz
Joanna,
ReplyDeleteI liked how you said we are using integration all the time without even knowing it. I think it will become easier for you to integrate your classes the further you get into them. You will start thinking about them in a different aspect and you will also learn a lot for other people in your classes. I think that everyone can benefit and help other benefit from integrating their ideas and/ or areas of focus.
Lauren Larson
Thanks Lauren!
ReplyDeleteI think I will learn a lot from those around me. It's good that we're aware of how we should integrate things before we learn them. That's why I'm glad that I am taking this class now. I'm excited for my future classes and the correlations I can make. Like you said Lauren, I will start thinking about them in a different way now. I think interdisciplinary studies opened the door to integration in my college classes. I can't wait to see where it takes me.
Joanna Goldonowicz
Gail,
ReplyDeleteYou're blogs are very interesting and informative. What you mentioned about Walgreens snapping up every grad sounds good to me, hopefully that means I'll have a job somewhere in the United States after graduation, lol. Also what you mentioned about your friend being able to use what they learned in their math studies to get through their judicial studies was interesting to me. It brings to my attention that subject that are completely not related to my field could help me in other ways, such as logics, critical thinking, etc., to get through what I am really trying to focus on. So interdisciplinary studies does not have to necessarily mean linking the subjects, but using what you have learned to help you move forward in other disciplinaries.
Gail,
ReplyDeleteYou're blogs are very interesting and informative. What you mentioned about Walgreens snapping up every grad sounds good to me, hopefully that means I'll have a job somewhere in the United States after graduation, lol. Also what you mentioned about your friend being able to use what they learned in their math studies to get through their judicial studies was interesting to me. It brings to my attention that subject that are completely not related to my field could help me in other ways, such as logics, critical thinking, etc., to get through what I am really trying to focus on. So interdisciplinary studies does not have to necessarily mean linking the subjects, but using what you have learned to help you move forward in other disciplinaries.
Felicia Banks
(the other one was not signed)
Gail,
ReplyDeleteYou're words of wisdom and encouragement bring life to our blog. I agree with you about Leeron and his choice of minor. Even though it is not an evident correlation between his minor and subject areas, there can be a connection. Like you said, it will help him better understand his traditions and the background of his faith. I also liked how you made a connection with the pharmacy story. Keep up the good work!
Joanna Goldonowicz
Amanda,
ReplyDeleteI understand what you are saying, but can you truly say that you have mastered all of these hobbies? Do you feel as if you would be better at dancing if you took the time you used to make dresses to practice dance? I guess I can understand your point of view though. I actually prefer to integrate rather than master one because then I can be considered well rounded. I believe people who are well rounded can adapt more to different situations.
Amanda,
ReplyDeleteI understand what you are saying, but can you truly say that you have mastered all of these hobbies? Do you feel as if you would be better at dancing if you took the time you used to make dresses to practice dance? I guess I can understand your point of view though. I actually prefer to integrate rather than master one because then I can be considered well rounded. I believe people who are well rounded can adapt more to different situations.
Feilcia Banks