Page 128 - The ISA Handbook in Contemporary Sociology

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NEW COLLABORATIVE FORMS OF DOING RESEARCH 99

protection of their natural resources and their (Chomsky and Dietrich, 1996), and like any
rational and sustainable exploitation. It mod- other social activity, it is a product of a per-
ifies the way in which learning takes place to severing and collective effort. However, it is
reach the levels of quality that are sought, constantly in a process of development, with
and accommodate a greater number of appli- advances, regressions, and limitations
cants, without affecting or increasing (CIDE, 2003: 3).
requirements for physical infrastructure. Therefore, the members of CIDE are com-
CIDE has constituted itself as a learning mitted to permanent updating in the areas of
community whose basis is scientific activity computing, science, pedagogy, and commu-
and methodology, as well as the appropria- nications in the foreign languages that are
tion of a scientific and technological plat- dominant in the dissemination of advances,
form, made possible by the use of up-to-date and go beyond the thinking of Bronowski
information technologies. It is composed of a (1976), when asserting that science seeks
group of professor-researchers of the highest consciously to adapt to the future, by consid-
academic credentials from different educa- ering that the most effective way of predict-
tional institutions of the country, each one ing the future does not consist in imagining
with more than 20 years experience in the it, but in producing it (CIDE, 2003: 3).
design and operation of innovative under-
graduate and graduate programs. They The learning-research model: For CIDE,
accommodate a student body that is hetero- learning and research are two sides of the
geneous in academic background, work same coin. The student learns to research as
experience, ideology, age, and economic part of a general learning process. He/she
condition, who share a democratic ideal, a develops a great ability to use information
humanistic vocation, and an objective vision tools in order to obtain the scientific informa-
of the world, based on scientific thought tion he/she needs to bring him/her closer to
(CIDE, 2003: 4). the solution of the problem which is the
object of his/her research. At the same time,
Keeping information current: In science, the CIDE identifies and incorporates in a sys-
information explosion has created a desper- tematic way the new tools and technologies
ate need for constant updating and perfect- for independent and continuous learning,
ing. Demand for information has never been sustained in a flexible academic organization
as high, and this increase in demand makes it that stimulates group and personal study
necessary to guarantee the supply of reliable activities concurrently. It encourages a new
information of the highest quality. To ensure model of interaction, both between teacher
that its proposals and actions are solidly and student, as well as among students at
based on facts reported in the updated, high diverse levels and degrees of advancement.
quality literature, CIDE assumes that the CIDE personnel place special emphasis on
search and use of up-to-date relevant infor- learning activities of students and tutors,
mation published in the scientific main- study habits, logical and mathematical capa-
stream is a fundamental premise for the bilities, the use of information systems, and
fulfillment of its objectives. the development of rhetorical and linguistic
The aforementioned principle implies logic abilities to improve their capacity to
keeping up-to-date on the acquisition and communicate research results as well as facts
control of the latest available versions of infor- and scientific explanations.
mation resources which makes the exchange Because of the nature of its student body,
of information and communication among the CIDE incorporates substantial curricular
academic peers possible, regardless of their modifications that allow students to adjust
place of residence. Currently, science is man’s their study activities to the time they have
most dynamic and important productive force available. Not counting on infrastructure to