Pursuing a Curriculum of Interdisciplinary Studies Graham Garner Undergraduate Curriculum • EDLH 732 Fall 2007

Graham Garner

Undergraduate Curriculum • EDLH 732

Fall 2007

Overview Classical Education to Core Curriculum Division of Disciplines Qualities of Interdisciplinary Work Barriers: Obstacles to Coordination Bridges: Cognitive Strategies Integrative Depth Contextualization Conceptualization Problem-centering Attitudes about Interdisciplinarity Assessment Future of Interdisciplinary Curriculum

Classical Education to Core Curriculum

Division of Disciplines

Qualities of Interdisciplinary Work

Barriers: Obstacles to Coordination

Bridges: Cognitive Strategies

Integrative Depth

Contextualization

Conceptualization

Problem-centering

Attitudes about Interdisciplinarity

Assessment

Future of Interdisciplinary Curriculum

Classical Education to Core Curriculum Classics sought well-rounded individuals “ To be educated in any discipline, one must know its basic facts (grammar); be able to think deeply about the subject (logic); and be able to act on that knowledge in a personal, original and independent way (rhetoric).“ (Veith, 1996) Core curriculum is an evolution of the tradition Disciplines developed, divided

Classics sought well-rounded individuals

“ To be educated in any discipline, one must know its basic facts (grammar); be able to think deeply about the subject (logic); and be able to act on that knowledge in a personal, original and independent way (rhetoric).“ (Veith, 1996)

Core curriculum is an evolution of the tradition

Disciplines developed, divided

Division of Disciplines Barriers instead of bridges Divided liberal education Humanities Sciences Applied fields

Barriers instead of bridges

Divided liberal education

Humanities

Sciences

Applied fields

Qualities of Interdisciplinary Work Integration is a means, not an end Disciplinary expertise is considered seriously Disciplines are intertwined, not juxtaposed Miller and Boix Mansilla, 2004

Integration is a means, not an end

Disciplinary expertise is considered seriously

Disciplines are intertwined, not juxtaposed

Barriers: Obstacles to Coordination Differences in: Units of analysis Multiple levels or units are potentially relevant Each perspective has its own useful contribution Language Terms have multiple meanings in context Asking for clarification means higher-order rigor Standards of acceptability Different disciplines offer conflicting and yet internally coherent standards Miller and Boix Mansilla, 2004

Differences in:

Units of analysis

Multiple levels or units are potentially relevant

Each perspective has its own useful contribution

Language

Terms have multiple meanings in context

Asking for clarification means higher-order rigor

Standards of acceptability

Different disciplines offer conflicting and yet internally coherent standards

Bridges: Cognitive Strategies Reasoning through analogies Planetary orbits and subatomic particles Creating compound concepts Terms bridge domains (biochemistry) Building complex and multi-causal explanations Lactose intolerance and coevolution Advancing through checks and balances Disciplines keep one another intellectually honest Bridging the explanation-action gap Some explain, some guide, some solve Miller and Boix Mansilla, 2004

Reasoning through analogies

Planetary orbits and subatomic particles

Creating compound concepts

Terms bridge domains (biochemistry)

Building complex and multi-causal explanations

Lactose intolerance and coevolution

Advancing through checks and balances

Disciplines keep one another intellectually honest

Bridging the explanation-action gap

Some explain, some guide, some solve

Integrative Depth Mutual Ignorance Work in your own corners Stereotyping Aware of others, even curious, but no depth Perspective-taking Understand others and sympathize, and perhaps even include in your own approach Merging Revise and perhaps create hybrids Miller and Boix Mansilla, 2004

Mutual Ignorance

Work in your own corners

Stereotyping

Aware of others, even curious, but no depth

Perspective-taking

Understand others and sympathize, and perhaps even include in your own approach

Merging

Revise and perhaps create hybrids

Contextualization Focused on humanities Embed material in time, culture, personal experience Seeks the methodological and philosophical core of disciplines Aim is to understand self Nikitina, 2006

Focused on humanities

Embed material in time, culture, personal experience

Seeks the methodological and philosophical core of disciplines

Aim is to understand self

Conceptualization Associated with sciences Identify core concepts and connections between them Abstract physical data and discover systems Move beyond facts and theories to underlying concepts Aim is to understand the natural world Nikitina, 2006

Associated with sciences

Identify core concepts and connections between them

Abstract physical data and discover systems

Move beyond facts and theories to underlying concepts

Aim is to understand the natural world

Problem-centering Associated with applied fields, including social sciences Tackle complex real-life problems with knowledge and modes of thinking from a variety of disciplines Aim is to take action and create change Pragmatic approach can be narrow Solves problems Nikitina, 2006

Associated with applied fields, including social sciences

Tackle complex real-life problems with knowledge and modes of thinking from a variety of disciplines

Aim is to take action and create change

Pragmatic approach can be narrow

Solves problems

Attitudes about Interdisciplinarity Interdisciplinarity is like taking vitamins Compulsion for labels and categories Researchers feel a need to defend their validity Requires intellectual and personal negotiation Much ambiguity and little common ground Stumbling blocks PhDs: literature, colleagues, supervisors Informal research groups Research funding Careers Lau and Pasquini, 2004

Interdisciplinarity is like taking vitamins

Compulsion for labels and categories

Researchers feel a need to defend their validity

Requires intellectual and personal negotiation

Much ambiguity and little common ground

Stumbling blocks

PhDs: literature, colleagues, supervisors

Informal research groups

Research funding

Careers

Assessment Targeted Assessment Framework Success is measured by degree to which the work achieves its purpose Strong Disciplinary Grounding Appropriate selection, depth of perspective Advancement through Integration Understanding advanced, knowledge created Critical Awareness Clarity of purpose, understanding of limitation Boix Mansilla and Dawes Duraising, 2007

Targeted Assessment Framework

Success is measured by degree to which the work achieves its purpose

Strong Disciplinary Grounding

Appropriate selection, depth of perspective

Advancement through Integration

Understanding advanced, knowledge created

Critical Awareness

Clarity of purpose, understanding of limitation

Future of Interdisciplinary Curriculum Theme-based Curricular sequence Texts Methods courses Philosophy courses Conflict between structure and openness Welch, 2003

Theme-based

Curricular sequence

Texts

Methods courses

Philosophy courses

Conflict between structure and openness

References Boix Mansilla, Veronica and Elizabeth Dawes Duraising (2007, March/April ). Targeted assessment of students’ interdisciplinary work: An empirically grounded framework proposed. The Journal of Higher Education, 78(2), 215-237. Lau, Lisa and Margaret W. Pasquini (2004). Meeting grounds: perceiving and defining interdisciplinarity across the arts, social sciences and sciences. Interdisciplinary Science Reviews, 29(1), 49-64. Miller, Matthew and Veronica Boix Mansilla (2004, March). Thinking across perspectives and disciplines. Interdisciplinary Studies Project, Project Zero, Harvard Graduate School of Education. Nikitina, S. (2006, June). Three strategies for interdisciplinary teaching: contextualizing, conceptualizing, and problem‐centring. Journal of Curriculum Studies , 38 (3), 251-272. Veith, Gene Edward (1996, November/December). A classical curriculum. Policy Review , 80, 60. Welch, James IV (2003). Future directions for interdisciplinary effectiveness in higher education. Issues in Integrative Studies , 21, 170-203.

Boix Mansilla, Veronica and Elizabeth Dawes Duraising (2007, March/April ). Targeted assessment of students’ interdisciplinary work: An empirically grounded framework proposed. The Journal of Higher Education, 78(2), 215-237.

Lau, Lisa and Margaret W. Pasquini (2004). Meeting grounds: perceiving and defining interdisciplinarity across the arts, social sciences and sciences. Interdisciplinary Science Reviews, 29(1), 49-64.

Miller, Matthew and Veronica Boix Mansilla (2004, March). Thinking across perspectives and disciplines. Interdisciplinary Studies Project, Project Zero, Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Nikitina, S. (2006, June). Three strategies for interdisciplinary teaching: contextualizing, conceptualizing, and problem‐centring. Journal of Curriculum Studies , 38 (3), 251-272.

Veith, Gene Edward (1996, November/December). A classical curriculum. Policy Review , 80, 60.

Welch, James IV (2003). Future directions for interdisciplinary effectiveness in higher education. Issues in Integrative Studies , 21, 170-203.