Interdisciplinary Project Research Articles

Escape Rooms for Learning: A Case Study of a Collaborative, Interdisciplinary Project

As the popularity of escape rooms as a form of entertainment has increased, so has interest in their potential as an instructional innovation. This case study documents a two-year, multiphase project piloting two approaches to using escape rooms for learning. During the first phase (“Escape Room as an Assignment”), instruction librarians embedded with two classes to develop functional inputs for the second phase (“Escape Room as a Classroom/Lab”), which entailed using a library escape room to teach information literacy. This paper contributes to understanding of how academic libraries can support faculty who wish to experiment with incorporating escape room elements into their curriculum while identifying the affordances conveyed by this unique educational environment. It also theorizes how escape rooms for learning might adapt to a variety of subject areas.

The role of healthcare providers in return to work and stay at work services for people with mid-career disabilities: A holistic statewide model.

It is well known that effective return to work (RTW) services following the onset of adventitious disability require the collective involvement of vocational case managers, employers, healthcare providers, and workers themselves. Method: We describe RETAIN Kentucky's approach to engaging healthcare providers as key motivators and facilitators of their patients' RTW efforts. Results: A cursive review of best practices in integrated disability management is followed by a description of RETAIN Kentucky's broad-based efforts to engage healthcare professionals in all aspects of the RTW process. Ninety-two percent of RETAIN Kentucky participants who complete their RTW plans are employed when they exit the interdisciplinary project. Implications and Conclusions: Implications for collaborating with healthcare systems and providers are presented.

Transferable skills and English language pedagogy: A contextualized study

This study examines the development and applicability of transferable skills among BA (English Language and Literature) and MA (TEFL) students at Arab Open University (AOU), Bahrain, to assess curriculum alignment with professional demands. A quantitative survey of 56 students evaluated their perceptions of skill acquisition, career aspirations, and curricular gaps. 78.5% of students acknowledged the importance of transferable skills for employability, but confidence varied—69.6% in analytical writing vs. 33.9% in media production. Education and translation emerged as top career paths, though students highlighted the need for more practical training (e.g., internships, digital literacy). The study underscores the need for curriculum enhancements, including experiential learning and technology integration, to bridge theory-practice gaps. Recommendations include structured internships, interdisciplinary projects, and TPACK-focused training to better prepare graduates for careers in education, translation, and media.

Approaching the Construction of Arguments in Postgraduate Education Programs

Constructing arguments, applying logical reasoning, and developing intellectual skills are fundamental to academic success in postgraduate education and qualitative research. The study objective of this paper aims at critically analyzing argument construction, logical reasoning, and intellectual skill development as fundamental components of postgraduate education and qualitative research. The analysis highlights the importance of these elements in fostering critical engagement, advancing knowledge, and contributing to scholarly discourse. The paper draws on academic literature to offer a nuanced interpretation of these interconnected dimensions and explores strategies to enhance argumentation, reasoning, and intellectual skills in postgraduate education. Argument construction is identified as the cornerstone of academic dialogue, requiring structured claims supported by evidence and reasoning. The analysis supports this assertion using evidence from recent studies highlighting the value of argumentation training in enhancing critical thinking and research writing, advocating for its integration into postgraduate curricula. Notably, findings from previous studies link organized argumentation to students’ analytical skills and ability to interact with complex data. The analysis also reports that logical reasoning is the cornerstone of effective argumentation, offering systematic methods to connect premises to conclusions. Deductive reasoning is highlighted for its role in hypothesis testing and causal analysis, ensuring precise and reliable conclusions. Inductive reasoning, a bottom-up approach, uncovers patterns and trends from specific observations, proving essential for theory development and exploratory research. Abductive reasoning facilitates plausible explanations for poorly defined phenomena, while retroductive reasoning identifies underlying causes to generate alternative theoretical models. Results of the assessment also emphasize the need for postgraduate students to develop intellectual skills, including critical thinking, synthesis, and dialectic reasoning. Notably, student scholars employ this skill to engage deeply with subject matter and navigate complex phenomena. Structured educational interventions, such as formal logic training and argumentative writing activities, significantly enhance higher-order thinking skills. Technology, with its transformative role, is reshaping the landscape of education. AI tools and digital learning platforms offer real-time feedback, interactive tasks, and reflective thinking opportunities, paving the way for a more engaging and practical learning experience. An assessment of extant literature also reveals that experiential learning and problem-based frameworks strengthen intellectual skills by connecting theoretical concepts with real-world applications. Interdisciplinary research, collaborative projects, and dynamic problem-solving contexts prepare students for professional challenges and foster adaptability. These approaches underscore the importance of integrating academic learning with hands-on experiences to enhance intellectual engagement and flexibility. The analysis confirms that constructing arguments, applying logical reasoning, and developing intellectual skills are essential for postgraduate education and qualitative research. Deductive, inductive, abductive, and retroductive reasoning methods provide a viable framework for argumentation, while intellectual skills enable researchers to navigate complex phenomena and contribute effectively to their disciplines. The value of interdisciplinary collaboration is underscored, as it enriches research with diverse perspectives and fosters a more comprehensive understanding of complex phenomena. Future research should explore innovative strategies to support argument construction, interdisciplinary collaboration, and intellectual growth, ensuring the continued evolution of postgraduate education and academic inquiry.

Chinese High School Students AI Competency Survey: Based on the UNESCO Students’ AI Competency Framework

This study aims to investigate the current status of AI competencies among Chinese high school students using quantitative research methods. By integrating UNESCO’s AI Competency Framework for Students with China’s educational practices, a questionnaire was developed. Altogether, 300 students from eight high schools joined the research. SPSS 26.0 was used for reliability and validity tests, exploratory factor analysis, and group difference analysis. The results show that the questionnaire has good reliability and validity (Cronbach’s α = 0.974, KMO=0.912, Bartlett’s test of sphericity was significant with p < 0.001, cumulative variance explained 72.0%). Besides, Chinese high school students’ AI competencies exhibit a typical pattern of “strong in technology, weak in ethics, and insufficient in creativity”, with technical application ability (mean = 3.7) significantly higher than ethical assessment (mean = 3.0) and system design (mean = 2.8). What’s more, students in the eastern region have significantly better overall competencies than those in the central and western regions (p < 0.05), with the largest gap in the technical application dimension (mean difference = 0.7) and the smallest gap in the ethical dimension (mean difference = 0.3). The study recommends optimizing high school curricula by adding modules for ethical debates and interdisciplinary projects and promoting equitable distribution of educational resources. This research empirically supports global AI education standardization and offers a scientific basis for AI education policies and curriculum design in China’s high schools.

GLOBAL TRENDS IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF NANOTECHNOLOGIES WHEN DRILLING OIL AND GAS WELLS

This article is dedicated to the analysis of global trends in the development and application of nanoadditives in oil and gas drilling. It examines the latest advancements in the use of nanomaterials to enhance theefficiency of drilling fluids, improve well stability, prevent complications during drilling, and reduce costs. Special attention is given to nanoparticles of various types, including metal oxides, carbon nanomaterials, and polymeric nanostructures, as well as their impact on the rheological and thermal properties of drilling fluids. Current research aimed at developing environmentally safe and economically efficient solutions is analyzed. The article highlights the key challenges facing the industry and the prospects for integrating nanotechnologies into drilling processes. Their further development and implementation will depend on efforts to address current challenges, as well as investments in scientific research and interdisciplinary projects. The prospects for this direction include integration with digital technologies, such as artificial intelligence and big data, which could provide a new level of optimization in drilling processes and sustainable development of the industry as a whole.

Avoiding Nightmare Forests: Insights From a Co‐Creative Workshop

ABSTRACTSince the 1987 UN report “Our Common Future”, aimed at bridging divides among various stakeholders by advocating for “sustainable development”, renewed demands for environmentally adjusted measures have emerged, calling for a future that consolidates socially just, ecologically sound, and economically viable outcomes through sustainable forest management. For Nordic forests, this means policy measures focused on enhancing the forest‐based bioeconomy, transitioning to a fossil‐free society, adapting to climate change and combatting rapid biodiversity loss while securing continuous timber supply and valuable livelihoods. With expectations for Nordic forests to meet these demands, an impending challenge is how to bring about a desirable future while minimizing uncertainties. Given this urgency, we present a backcasting method applied to a co‐creative workshop among research scholars to examine prospective scenarios for Nordic forests, ranging from nightmarish futures to risk‐mitigation strategies. The workshop builds on an interdisciplinary research project to provide policy support for sustainable governance. We found that despite fears expressed about an adverse intensive forestry scenario, most participants identified multifunctionality and delivering multiple ecosystem services as critical to the future sustainability of Nordic forests. In addition, participants highlighted the coming need to incorporate hybrid forest management approaches for high‐value biodiversity and to consider precautionary measures in forestry decisions. We conclude that approaching the future through a backcasting workshop promises to bring together a broad range of participants to create a common vision.

CURRICULUM TRANSFORMATION TOWARDS FUTURE EDUCATION

The transformation of education in the 21st century requires a curriculum that moves beyond content delivery and focuses on developing core competencies such as critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, and communication (4C). This study investigates strategies for integrating 4C skills into curriculum development using a library research approach. The data were obtained from peer-reviewed scientific articles published between 2021 and 2025 and analyzed thematically. The results show that critical thinking can be fostered through blended learning, inquiry-based learning, critical reflection, academic debate, and clinical simulation. Collaboration develops through interprofessional education, interdisciplinary projects, community partnerships, and the use of digital technology. Creativity is supported by STEAM approaches, project-based learning, augmented reality, artificial intelligence, and maker education. Communication is enhanced through simulation training, narrative-based learning, mentoring, and digital media. These findings emphasize the need for systemic and flexible curriculum reform, supported by educator training and technological integration. A future-ready curriculum must act as a transformative space that prepares learners to think critically, act creatively, collaborate effectively, and communicate meaningfully in a complex and interconnected global environment.

User Experience of Virtual Human and Immersive Virtual Reality Role-Playing in Psychological Testing and Assessment: A Case Study of 'EmpathyVR'.

Recent immersive virtual reality (IVR) technologies provide users with an enhanced sense of spatial and social presence by integrating various modern technologies into virtual spaces and virtual humans (VHs). Researchers and practitioners in psychology are attempting to understand the psychological processes underlying human behavior by allowing users to engage in realistic experiences within illusions enabled by IVR technologies. This study examined the user experience of role-playing with VHs in the context of IVR-based psychological testing and assessment (PTA) with a focus on EmpathyVR, an IVR-based empathy-type assessment tool developed in an interdisciplinary project. This study aimed to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of integrating IVR-based role-playing with VHs into PTA by examining user immersion, embodiment, and satisfaction. A mixed-method approach was used to collect data from 99 Korean adolescents. While the participants reported high levels of immersion and satisfaction, the sense of embodiment varied across the correspondents, suggesting that users may have had disparate experiences in terms of their connection to the virtual body. This study highlights the potential of IVR-based role-playing with VHs to enhance PTA, particularly in empathy-related assessments, while underscoring areas for improvement in user adaptation and VH realism. The results suggest that IVR experiences based on role-playing with VHs may be feasible for PTA to advance user experience and engagement.

MOKINIŲ GAMTAMOKSLINIAI TIRIAMIEJI DARBAI: GALIMYBĖS IR SĖKMĖS

This publication presents the results of two interdisciplinary science research projects conducted by senior students at Meridian Lyceum, Vilnius, Lithuania, which were recognized at national and international science competitions (VILIPO, Lithuania; GENIUS Olympiad, USA). The project work, "Chestnut Saponins for Sustainable Organic Detergents," investigated the potential of saponins extracted from horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) seeds as an environmentally friendly alternative to conventional dishwashing detergents. The study employed biological model organisms—Daphnia pulex and Elodea canadensis—to assess the ecological safety of saponins by monitoring heart rate fluctuations and chloroplast movement. The cleaning efficiency of saponin solutions was also tested against commercial detergents. The project work, "Plant Signaling and Behavior on Different Music and Sounds," explored how various acoustic stimuli—including classical and folk music, hard rock and heavy metal, and stressful war and emergency alarm sounds—affect plant growth, physiology, and photosynthetic processes in Ocimum basilicum (Thai basil). Using smart garden systems and fluorometric analysis, students measured changes in chlorophyll fluorescence, root development, stomatal conductance, and biomass. The results showed that war sounds caused stress-like responses in plants, reducing photosynthesis and potentially contributing to higher atmospheric CO₂ levels. These projects demonstrate the capacity of secondary school students to conduct complex, research-driven investigations that intersect biology, environmental science, and ecology. They also emphasize the role of educators in mentoring student research and underscore the value of integrating national curricula with international education frameworks to foster scientific thinking, ecological awareness, and academic excellence among youth. Keywords: science education, project activities, chestnut saponins, natural dishwashing detergent, war sounds, chlorophyll fluorescence, plant physiological responses

Disciplinary identity and the idea of a unified social science: A survey of British academics.

Disciplinary identity and the idea of a unified social science: A survey of British academics.

Teaching science, technology and society in blended learning large classes: a qualitative study of the Normale lecture model

Purpose This study aims to investigate teaching methodologies, best practices, and challenges encountered in delivering a science, technology, and society (STS) course using the Normale Lecture model at Y University. Design/methodology/approach Using a qualitative descriptive approach, data was collected through surveys distributed to 202 first-year students enrolled in an STS course. Ethical clearance was secured prior to data collection. Findings Effective strategies in large-class STS course included a combination of lectures, collaborative group activities, asynchronous assignments, and digital tools, such as Quizizz, to enhance engagement and provide structured, interactive learning experiences. Students perceive best practices, such as collaborative and interdisciplinary projects and active learning methods. Students face challenges such as limited interaction with instructors, fast-paced content delivery, technological issues, lack of hands-on activities, and increased stress and anxiety in large class settings. Practical implications Recommendations include reducing class size, enhancing interactive and practical activities, providing clear communication and feedback, and optimizing technology use to foster engagement and improve learning outcomes in large classes. Originality/value This study contributes to the growing body of research on large-class pedagogy in the Philippine higher education context, offering insights into adapting blended learning for diverse and large class sizes. This study focuses on a single institution and course, which limits its generalizability.

The different sides of the housing crisis in Portugal: A contribution to building inclusive, fair, and effective solutions

AbstractThe housing crisis is at the core of the current challenges to achieving wider social equality and justice. Ensuring the right to housing requires the involvement of different actors with frequently opposing views and interests, particularly when private property rights collide with the social function of housing. This article presents an interdisciplinary research project conducted in Portugal that examined the interrelationships between political‐economic and psycho‐sociological dimensions in lay peoples' housing theories and practices. In particular, it focuses on a nationwide survey conducted in 2023, specifically designed to capture the different sides revealed by the immersion of the research into civil society networks. The survey identified four positions on the housing crisis—those of the “victims,” the “privileged,” the “burdened” and the “unaffected” which are grounded in distinct societal, moral and political perspectives. Based on these findings, the article proposes an interdisciplinary science advocacy framework that addresses the complex challenges of thinking and acting together, by accommodating the disparity of views and their grounding while forging common ground for social change. Such a framework is, we argue, the most suited to fostering inclusive, fair, and effective solutions to the housing crisis.

Archival Dialogue in Hindustani Music: An Interdisciplinary Approach

Hindustani classical music has undergone tremendous transformations due to the advent of recording technology since the early 20th century. Recorded music has become an integral part of musical discourse today and we owe it to the early musicians, especially women musicians from the courtesan community who embraced modernity and new technology for the first time in the history of Hindustani music and made it possible for this music to be heard outside of the physical presence and private performance spaces of musicians. Hence, this became the first step in the notion of archiving and preservation of music for future generations of practitioners, musicians, researchers and connoisseurs. The conversation with new technology impacted the performance aesthetics including the method of presentation and also the duration of live and recorded music. In the context of improvisation based genres like khyal, which is the predominant form of Hindustani music today, engaging with archival music as a reference, becomes an important source for developing an individual expression in performance practice. This paper discusses the understanding about the nuances of archival material as both physical and digital sources that includes books, treatises, anthologies, biographies, journals, texts of notated compositions, interviews of practitioners, audio recordings, video recordings in different formats and the role of various archival spaces in the dissemination process of Hindustani music performance practice and pedagogy. Also shared are my engagements with the archival material in a few inter-disciplinary projects: a sound project in a visual art exhibition as a vocal dialogue with western classical music; collaboration with ethnomusicologists in a project bringing together musicians, musicologists and visual artists; using music as a tool for climate change activism and being a participant in a global music archival digital project.

Depoliticised environmental policies: Low-carbon action in the Paris urban region

In this article, we explore the politics of urban-regional energy and climate action. The article is based on a six-year interdisciplinary project combining qualitative social sciences surveys and quantitative urban modelling to explore the complex mix of national, regional and sub-regional land use, transport and building energy efficiency policies that play a key part in energy and climate action. It offers a three-step assessment of the dynamics of low-carbon transition processes in the French capital region, Île-de-France. First, we present the orientations of the regional strategy, highlight the extent to which this strategy prioritises infrastructural developments and document the gap, especially in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, between stated ambitions and observed outcomes. Second, we foreground three main factors contributing to this gap: piecemeal infrastructural solutionism, unaddressed tensions in regional policies and overlooked dynamics of practices. Third, we argue that these shortfalls all derive to a large extent from variegated forms of depoliticisation. In the conclusion, we briefly discuss the implications of these findings for (a much-needed democratic repoliticisation of) environmental or sustainability policies more generally.

Podcasting in Higher Education: Learning Experiences in Face-to-Face and Blended Modalities

This article presents the results of an interdisciplinary innovation project entitled Podcasting in Higher Education Teaching and Learning. The project was implemented across different subjects and degree programmes at the University of Vic – Central University of Catalonia during the 2021–2022 academic year, using both face-to-face and blended learning modalities in three faculties. The project’s objectives are twofold: firstly, to integrate podcasting as a teaching and learning tool in university environments, and secondly, to conduct a pilot test of its interdisciplinary application for future use in various subjects and university programmes. The study explores podcasting as a learning tool to enhance communication skills across various scientific disciplines at the university level. The results indicate high participant satisfaction, affirming the effectiveness of podcasting in higher education, driven by factors such as innovation, autonomy, creativity and new educational paradigms. However, challenges in implementation and significant variations across degree programmes are noted. The project also highlights the importance of raising awareness within the university community about the role of communication in the dissemination of scientific knowledge.

Supporting Speech-Language Pathologists in Schools With Interdisciplinary Team Science: A Viewpoint From the National Artificial Intelligence Institute for Exceptional Education.

Complex scientific problems, including those facing the discipline of communication sciences and disorders (CSD), require interdisciplinary teams of scientists who bring diverse perspectives, knowledge, and skills. According to a recent survey, team science is not yet widely practiced by CSD researchers. This viewpoint describes a current interdisciplinary team science project that addresses a challenging problem for CSD practitioners: meeting the needs of young children with speech and language disabilities for screening and intervention using artificial intelligence-augmented technologies. The article draws from the research literature on the science of team science to describe common challenges faced by interdisciplinary teams and recommended practices to resolve the challenges. Throughout, we provide examples from the National Artificial Intelligence Institute for Exceptional Education to illustrate team science challenges and how they can be addressed. Readers are encouraged to embrace interdisciplinary teamwork to advance the science of CSD. We recommend seeking out training in team science, advocating for professional development opportunities, and institutional support for team science to maximize its benefits for the field.

Strategies for Interdisciplinary Human Gene Editing Research: Insights from a Swiss Project.

CRISPR gene editing is a cutting-edge technology that has advanced tremendously in recent years. The first clinical CRISPR applications have been approved, and more gene editing therapies are to be expected in human medicine. Consequently, continuous basic research is needed to assess possibilities and prime future clinical applications. Because this technology not only offers new possibilities for treating diseases but also raises important ethical and societal questions, collaboration between human, life, biomedical, and medical sciences is needed. In this article, we discuss the practical challenges of such interdisciplinary projects and present strategies for addressing them based on our experience of conducting an interdisciplinary project on CRISPR. This work aims to help and encourage interdisciplinary collaborations and discussions on modern scientific endeavors that, such as gene editing, tend to blur the lines between traditional disciplines. The strategies suggested include realistic expectations, shared goals, space setting, and expert and lay dialogue.

Vitamin D Analysis for Sustainable Healthcare in Inner London Borough

ABSTRACTVitamin D is vital for bone health, immune system support, and muscle function. Deficiency in Vitamin D is widespread, with up to 65% of individuals in certain populations, including Black students at London Metropolitan University, UK, being affected. This study focuses on the need for a deeper understanding of Vitamin D prescription patterns, specifically within an inner London borough, using advanced data analytics. Previous analysis, such as ones conducted by OpenPrescribing.net, has investigated NHS prescription data but lacked a focused examination on Vitamin D. Our study introduces a novel computational approach, integrating NHS datasets from 2013 to 2023. We developed a web‐hosted dashboard using Python, Flask, Cesium, PowerBI, and libraries such as Pandas, Scikit‐learn to provide real‐time data visualization and predictive analytics. Our methodology involved API‐driven ingestion of large‐scale data, focusing on Vitamin D prescriptions in a borough, and mapping this against patient numbers. We used feature manipulation and model training to gain insights into prescription counts, dosages, medication types, and formulations. This interactive platform supports dynamic reporting through PowerBI and Cesium. Our findings reveal significant variations in prescription patterns among GP surgeries influenced by socioeconomic factors. This interdisciplinary project, in future collaboration with local GP federations, United Kingdom, enhances computational health data analysis and aims to inform better prescription practices and healthcare policies, ultimately improving policy practice and public health outcomes.

Building Resilient Project Management Practices for Transportation Research Center

Background: Transportation Research Center (TRCs) plays a vital role in advancing research, education, and innovation within the transportation sector. However, managing interdisciplinary projects, adapting to shifting priorities, and addressing the diverse expectations of stakeholders present significant challenges. These difficulties are further compounded by external disruptions, such as regulatory changes, budget fluctuations, and rapid technological advancements. While resilience frameworks have been explored in other sectors, their application to TRCs remains underdeveloped. This gap highlights the need for tailored strategies to ensure the long-term operational efficiency and sustainability of projects managed by TRCs. Objective: The aim of this research is to develop a project management resilience framework specifically designed for Transportation Research Center (TRCs). The study seeks to: Identify the challenges TRCs face in managing projects, Examine existing resilience practices, and Propose actionable strategies to enhance adaptability, foster effective collaboration, and strengthen risk management. Ultimately, this research aspires to provide TRCs with the tools necessary to navigate disruptions and achieve successful project outcomes. Methodology: This study employs a systematic literature review to identify resilient project management practices tailored to the unique needs of Transportation Research Center (TRCs). The review spans secondary sources published between 1995 and 2023, offering a comprehensive analysis of resilience, adaptability, and risk management in transportation project management. By synthesizing findings from diverse academic and industry publications, this study aims to uncover best practices, highlight gaps in existing approaches, and provide actionable insights. The ultimate goal is to equip TRCs with robust strategies to enhance their capacity to manage uncertainties and deliver successful outcomes in complex and evolving environments. Findings:This study provides a complete framework for resilience that provides strategic approaches for adding project adaptability, improving stakeholder’s collaboration and optimal risk management for TRCs. Through the provision of necessary tools to equip TRCs, the framework equips to effectively manage disruptions and achieve successful project out come so as to address both the immediate influence and projects management challenges in its long term view.