Problem
A. Identify an issue, problem, or intellectual question that reflects the complex reality beyond the university but is not referenced in this chapter. How would using an interdisciplinary approach rather than a specialized disciplinary one advance our understanding of it?
B. From your life experience, is Clark correct in saying that "people cannot rely on just any information they have about each other [but] must establish just the right piece of common ground, and that depends on them finding a shared basis for that piece"? Why is common ground often so difficult to achieve between two individuals? In your opinion, what is the single greatest barrier to establishing common ground? (It can be useful here to engage in a conversation in a small group and identify the common ground assumptions that allow the conversation to proceed.)
C. Why is a musical chord a useful metaphor to describe integration? Can you think of another metaphor that would be useful?