Interdisciplinarity: rhetoric or the latestpromising new field?

Abstract

The widespread interest in interdisciplinarity is justifi ed by a number of drivers, for example complex research which requires an integrated theoretical approach and complex problems whose solution is likely to come from diff erent modes of participation through the support of a team of experts with diff erent backgrounds. However, to integrate diff erent perspectives and establish an interdisciplinary research approach or network and, thence develop an interdisciplinary understanding requires that several barriers on at least two macro-levels - institutional barriers linked to career opportunities and practical, procedural barriers related to communication and collaboration among experts from diff erent fi elds - be overcome.
A case study is described in which artefacts for the educational field were created with the support of Artificial Intelligence (AI) elements. This project illustrates many of the problematic issues connected with the development of research in interdisciplinary areas.