A Workshop on An Interdisciplinary Exploration of Social Cooperation, Spring 2002 at the University of Memphis

University Of Memphis, Memphis TN

Investigators

Abstract

Abstract A Workshop on An Interdisciplinary Exploration of Social Cooperation Joann Keyton The goal of the proposed workshop grant is to develop and execute a small workshop that promotes interdisciplinary research that identifies the factors that contribute to, or compromise, children's ability to work cooperatively in groups critical skill for children's academic and social development. To that end, the proposed workshop will: (a) bring together scholars in three disciplines--Communication, Education, and Psychology that can contribute to our understanding of social cooperation; (b) invite a senior scholar in each of these disciplines to keynote at the workshop; (c) invite regional scholars (generally, Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee) to participate in working sessions of the workshop to help explore this research focus, develop research agendas, and discover potential interdisciplinary research partners; and (d) invite community leaders and experts who work with children and adolescents to provide a practical framework from which research is generated and for which basic research can provide meaningful answers. Thus, the workshop is designed to promote exchange of current knowledge about children's social cooperativeness in each of the contexts in which children find themselves as group members (families, peer groups, organized activities, and school settings), and to promote exchange of knowledge across disciplines. More specifically, the host scholars want to use the workshop and its activities as a vehicle for articulating a vision for developing an interdisciplinary research center that would promote collaborative work among researchers from universities, school districts, and community agencies throughout the Mid-South region.