The Pros and Cons of Interdisciplinary Teaching and Learning (Cross-Pollination).

 

The Pros and Cons of Interdisciplinary Teaching and Learning (Cross-Pollination).

Author: Santosh Kumar Biswa, Sr. Teacher, Damphu CS, Tsirang, Bhutan

 

Abstract

The 21st century places a greater emphasis on the complex skill of interdisciplinary comprehension (Boix Mansilla, 2010, p. 260). The purpose of this essay is to examine the advantages and disadvantages of interdisciplinary STEM teaching and learning. For this essay, the following research question will be addressed: "How does interdisciplinary teaching and learning contribute to a deeper understanding of STEM subjects, and what are the challenges associated with its implementation?" The essay begins by introducing the concept of interdisciplinary teaching and learning and highlighting its growing importance in education, particularly in the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program (MYP), which emphasizes interdisciplinary learning with the integration of knowledge and skills from various disciplines to produce a more holistic understanding of a topic (Fostering interdisciplinary teaching and learning in the MYP, 2014, p. 3). It presents the case that interdisciplinary learning can result in improved understanding by using the guiding concepts of relevance, meaningfulness, complexity, and transferability. There are several benefits to interdisciplinary teaching and learning that are covered in this article, including how it is relevant to students' interests and prior knowledge, encourages meaningful learning experiences, fosters the growth of critical thinking and problem-solving abilities, and improves the transferability of knowledge. Its successful implementation may be hampered by time restrictions, sophisticated evaluation techniques, teacher collaboration, and subject knowledge. Despite these difficulties, the essay contends that rigorous preparation, professional growth, and institutional support can result in significant gains for students in interdisciplinary teaching and learning. The essay underlines the significance of creating a balance between the benefits and difficulties of interdisciplinary teaching and learning to respond to the research topic. 

Introduction

The value of interdisciplinary teaching and learning has emerged in modern education, with implications for student involvement and comprehension. The advantages and disadvantages of interdisciplinary teaching strategies in STEM education are discussed in this essay. By examining the positive effects on student motivation, critical thinking, and information transferability, we can understand why instructors are utilizing this tactic more frequently. However, it's also crucial to deal with issues like time constraints, challenging evaluation procedures, and teacher collaboration. Through careful planning and support, interdisciplinary teaching and learning can assist students in developing the abilities they need to successfully navigate a world that is changing quickly.

The Pros of Interdisciplinary Teaching and Learning

There are several benefits to interdisciplinary STEM teaching and learning that contribute to a greater comprehension of the subject matter. First off, it engages and motivates pupils to learn because of its relevance to their interests and real-world applications (Sudderth, 2023). Students can better understand the effects of historical events on society by, for instance, investigating historical events through literature, mathematics, and the social sciences. This motivates additional research on the subject and fosters a sense of purpose in learning. Second, by combining information from diverse fields, interdisciplinary education fosters meaningful learning experiences that result in a thorough comprehension of a variety of situations (Daugherty, 2017). Students can draw well-rounded conclusions about complex problems by fusing scientific inquiry with ethical considerations. Through improved critical thinking and problem-solving skills, the interconnection of STEM topics can be better understood. Additionally, interdisciplinary education pushes students to tackle complex issues and cultivates higher-order thinking abilities like synthesis and analysis (SERC, n.d.). Students obtain a thorough understanding of practical applications through the integration of physics, mathematics, and engineering in a project, enabling them to take on issues in the real world with confidence. The ability of students to apply concepts to a variety of courses is improved by interdisciplinary teaching and learning (Mayes & Rittschof, 2021). Applying mathematical principles to chemical problems, for instance, reveals a comprehensive understanding of how many ideas are related to one another. This equips students to approach new situations with adaptability and confidence, reflecting genuine comprehension of the interconnectedness of STEM concepts (National Research Council, 2012, p. 49).

The Cons of Interdisciplinary Teaching and Learning

However, it is essential to acknowledge the challenges associated with implementing interdisciplinary teaching and learning in STEM. Interdisciplinary learning can be time-consuming (Rye & Rubba, 2011), as it necessitates collaboration between instructors from many fields. This is one of the main problems. The amount of information students can acquire in each particular field may be compromised as a result of this coordination, which may result in limited coverage of content from separate topics (Kain, 1997). Grading multidisciplinary projects can be challenging since the level of interdisciplinary expertise may not be sufficiently captured by conventional assessment techniques (Rye & Rubba, 2011). It can be difficult to assess a student's skill in several topics at once, and it may be tough to gauge how well they understand related ideas. Because of competing schedules and goals, it may be difficult for teachers to collaborate effectively in interdisciplinary learning (Rye & Rubba, 2011). Interdisciplinary course execution may be hampered by the logistical challenge of coordinating teachers from different disciplines to collaborate seamlessly. Another issue is that not all teachers are knowledgeable across a range of fields, which could have an impact on the breadth and standard of interdisciplinary instruction (Rye & Rubba, 2011). It may be challenging to ensure that teachers are knowledgeable in all the integrated subjects, which could result in differences in the level of information pupils get across various interdisciplinary projects. Despite these obstacles, interdisciplinary teaching and learning can have a significant positive impact on students by increasing their capacity for critical thought and knowledge application across a range of disciplines.

My Stand

Despite these challenges, interdisciplinary teaching and learning can be successfully implemented with strong infrastructure and cooperative efforts from educators. Teachers can collaborate to create integrated interdisciplinary curriculum units that are in line with each subject's learning objectives by encouraging teacher collaboration and offering professional development opportunities (Rye & Rubba, 2011, p. 13). To further ensure that students' interdisciplinary learning is fruitful and thorough, careful development of evaluation tools can effectively measure students' depth of understanding across many disciplines.

Conclusion

Interdisciplinary teaching and learning can help students achieve a greater level of understanding by providing a variety of benefits such as relevance, significance, complexity, and transferability. However, it is imperative to recognize the difficulties, such as time restrictions, complex evaluation procedures, teacher collaboration, and subject knowledge. By balancing these advantages and obstacles, educators can optimize the advantages of interdisciplinary learning. Teachers may better prepare children for success in a world that is constantly changing by embracing creative solutions and encouraging teacher cooperation. Interdisciplinary learning continues to be a shining example of transformative education as we move into the future, inspiring students to be knowledgeable, active, and involved citizens of the world.

 

  

References

Boix Mansilla, V. (2010). Interdisciplinary understanding: A complex skill for the 21st century. In R. J. Sternberg & S. J. Horvath (Eds.), Teaching for wisdom, intelligence, and creativity in the 21st century (pp. 259-287). Springer.

Daugherty, M. K. (2017). The Nature of Interdisciplinary STEM Education. Springer International Handbooks of Education book series (SIHE). https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007/978-3-319-44687-5_12

Fostering interdisciplinary teaching and learning in the MYP. (2014, August 5). ib Middle Years Programme. http://www.sas-teach.com/resources/MYP/Interdisciplinaryteachingandlearning.pdf

Kain, D. L. (1997). Critical incidents in teacher collaboration on interdisciplinary teams. Research in Middle-Level Education Quarterly, 21(1), 1–29. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/10848959.1997.11670111?needAccess=true

Mayes, R. L., & Rittschof, K. A. (2021). Development of interdisciplinary STEM impact measures of student attitudes and reasoning. Frontiers in Education, 6. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2021.631684

National Research Council. (2012). A framework for K-12 science education: Practices, crosscutting concepts, and core ideas. The National Academies Press.

Rye, J., & Rubba, P. A. (2011). Interdisciplinary science teaching: A practical guide. Corwin Press.

SERC. (n.d.) Why Teach with an Interdisciplinary Approach? https://serc.carleton.edu/econ/interdisciplinary/why.html

Sudderth, A. (2023, July 18). A guide for interdisciplinary teaching and learning. XQ. https://xqsuperschool.org/teaching-learning/interdisciplinary-teaching-and-learning/