Developing a Community of Practice (CoP) through Interdisciplinary Research on Flipped Classrooms

The proof is in the cricket: engaging with edible insects through action research

Journal of Insects as Food and Feed ◽

10.3920/jiff2019.0027 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 6 (2) ◽

pp. 149-159

Author(s):

T.B.W. Seekings ◽

K.C. Wong

Keyword(s):

Action Research ◽

Community Of Practice ◽

Continuous Improvement ◽

Interdisciplinary Research ◽

Edible Insects ◽

Active Engagement ◽

Ongoing Research ◽

Western Countries ◽

Water Provision ◽

Informal Settings

This paper describes an ongoing research project conducted at the College of Environmental Studies at National Dong Hwa University, Taiwan. It discusses the merits of action research for conducting interdisciplinary research on edible insects and advancing the edible insects sector in Taiwan. In this study, action research has facilitated the growth and continuous improvement of a cricket farm and exploratory studies on feeding crickets using food waste and snails as well as application of turtle vine for water provision. Furthermore, action research facilitated the emergence of actions during which the farmed crickets were prepared as food in educational contexts, together with participants. Initially this occurred in informal settings. Subsequently, as the scope of actions expanded and the number of involved people increased, participants were instrumental in conceiving larger-scale and more formal interventions such as classes, workshops, and food stalls. The findings suggest that public participation can be a strong driver for advancing the edible insects sector. While there are barriers towards acceptance of edible insects in Taiwan that are comparable to those faced in Western countries, there are also unique opportunities. For example, whole insects might be more acceptable in Taiwan than in Western countries. In addition, the value of increasing acceptance through active engagement of participants in preparing crickets as food in a social context was highlighted. In the absence of an engaged local scholarly network, an existing community of practice, or well-funded and proactive research institutions, action research offers a useful paradigm for individual researchers to explore multiple aspects of edible insects research and thereby aid in advancing the edible insects sector.

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Focusing on People, Communities and Commerce: Interdisciplinary Research as a Multiple Lens

eTropic electronic journal of studies in the tropics ◽

10.25120/etropic.12.1.2013.3392 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Susan Ciccotosto ◽

Josephine Pryce ◽

Taha Chaiechi ◽

John Hamilton ◽

Heron Loban

Keyword(s):

Social Capital ◽

Community Of Practice ◽

Interdisciplinary Research ◽

Information Transfer ◽

Journal Article ◽

Law Schools ◽

Team Members ◽

Social Community ◽

Regional University ◽

Knowledge Intensive

Universities, as knowledge intensive communities, seek to encourage multi-disciplinary research. Using a social capital framework, this paper explores the experiences of researchers from different disciplines within the Business and Law Schools at an Australian regional University. Social capital views organisations as a social community (community of practice)<br />deriving distinctive advantage through speed and efficiency in creating, accessing, and transferring knowledge. Members of a multi-disciplinary research group combined complimentary viewpoints on the concept of ‘value’ to write a journal article on tension between different sections of society on an agreed topic. Undertaking a process of discussion, negotiation and debate to produce the article led to interesting ideas and viewpoints, new avenues of thought and “Eureka” moments, from which surfaced new ways of thinking about the problem. Using the reflections of the different team members, this paper shows how the information transfer across discipline boundaries and between quantitative and qualitative researchers can lead to a greater understanding of the complex web of societal life. This information transfer informs and enriches understandings of complex situations and assists the researchers to redefine problems outside of the normal boundaries of research.

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