Mapping the landscape of a wide interdisciplinary curriculum: a network analysis of a Korean university and the lessons learnt. (14th February 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ryu, Hokyoung; Kim, Jieun
• Is Part Of: Design science. Volume 8(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-02-14
• Subjects: curriculum mapping -- interdisciplinarity -- course space -- concept space -- network analysis -- design; Design -- Research -- Periodicals; New products -- Management -- Periodicals; Design; Design -- Research; Electronic journals; Periodicals; 658.5752
• DOI: 10.1017/dsj.2022.1
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2053-4701

Abstract

Abstract: Interdisciplinary programmes have become common in universities and research groups' curricula. This study conducted a network analysis on a Korean university's undergraduate curriculum and used several visualisation tools to assess keywords across courses and departments, revealing epistemological distances between the courses/departments and their concepts of study. This data-driven methodology defined the characteristics of close or neighbouring departments, making it possible to implement narrow interdisciplinarity through common subjects within the courses. Interestingly, a further projected network could determine the implicit relations between departments that are not considered close, which would make it possible to implement a wide interdisciplinary curriculum. The data-driven network analysis conducted in this study contributes to searching for new programmes for specific levels of interdisciplinarity on an empirical basis.