Impacts of a Transdisciplinary Approach to Practice-Based Learning on Students’ Success Skills

Abstract

To enhance students’ success skills, we immersed the students in transdisciplinary practice-based learning that was not constrained by traditional curriculum structures. In this case, students experienced working collaboratively on unbounded, un-scoped authentic global challenges with a diverse group of people - professionals, practitioners, entrepreneurs, and artisans including students from different disciplines. The study examined the overall changes in critical thinking levels exhibited by the students in the transdisciplinary practice-based learning compared to students in an interdisciplinary approach to practice-based learning. Our preliminary findings could inform instructors and instructional designers about how to use the transdisciplinary team approach in practice-based learning to address global challenges and trigger a higher level of critical thinking among undergraduate students.