Interdisciplinary Learning Opportunities Research Articles

Untapped potential of collective intelligence in conservation and environmental decision making.

Environmental decisions are often deferred to groups of experts, committees, or panels to develop climate policy, plan protected areas, or negotiate trade-offs for biodiversity conservation. There is, however, surprisingly little empirical research on the performance of group decision making related to the environment. We examined examples from a range of different disciplines, demonstrating the emergence of collective intelligence (CI) in the elicitation of quantitative estimates, crowdsourcing applications, and small-group problem solving. We explored the extent to which similar tools are used in environmental decision making. This revealed important gaps (e.g., a lack of integration of fundamental research in decision-making practice, absence of systematic evaluation frameworks) that obstruct mainstreaming of CI. By making judicious use of interdisciplinary learning opportunities, CI can be harnessed effectively to improve decision making in conservation and environmental management. To elicit reliable quantitative estimates an understanding of cognitive psychology and to optimize crowdsourcing artificial intelligence tools may need to be incorporated. The business literature offers insights into the importance of soft skills and diversity in team effectiveness. Environmental problems set a challenging and rich testing ground for collective-intelligence tools and frameworks. We argue this creates an opportunity for significant advancement in decision-making research and practice.

Interdisciplinary Learning Opportunities in Agriculture, Food, Natural Resources, and Science: The Role of the Teacher

Providing interdisciplinary learning opportunities in agriculture, food, natural resources (AFNR), and science is critically important. School-based agricultural education offers a valuable platform to connect AFNR and science; however, interdisciplinary teaching requires willing and able teachers. The current study considered the intentions of school-based agriculture teachers to teach science within AFNR curriculum. Using the theory of planned behavior, attitude toward teaching science, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and perceived science knowledge were considered as independent variables to teaching science within AFNR curriculum. The explanatory model was analyzed using structural equation modeling. In total, school-based agriculture teachers intended to teach science in 39.91% of AFNR curriculum. Only perceived science knowledge was a statistically significant, negative predictor of intended science teaching. Findings pinpoint the need for additional research into the unexpected relationship between perceived science knowledge and science teaching intentions. The need and nature of potential explorations, along with specific recommendations for practice, are discussed.

Music making as place making: a case study of community music in Japan

ABSTRACTA body of research on ‘place’ in various disciplines indicates that the concept stands at the nexus of time, space, and experience. Acknowledging also that place represents a meaningful learning context, this study examines its pedagogical underpinning within the framework of community music making. Three cases of community music making in Japan are introduced to identify the processes of place-based music learning. Characteristic features include students’ involvement in instrument making, school-community collaboration, interdisciplinary learning opportunities, and diverse formats and localised styles of music making and learning. The findings support the view that music making is also place making.

To understand and be understood: facilitating interdisciplinary learning through the promotion of communicative competence

Whilst interdisciplinarity has become a central concern of research and learning in geography, few from the discipline have considered the practical facilitation of interdisciplinarity in the classroom. Module convenors, I argue, must pay greater attention to how learners engage and negotiate with peers and perspectives from other disciplines. In this paper, I focus on my own efforts in designing and teaching a second year undergraduate course on health, biomedicine, and society, to illuminate the opportunities and challenges facing teaching staff who seek to provide opportunities for interdisciplinary learning in the classroom. Drawing upon theories of communication, I demonstrate the significance of developing “communicative competence” as a pathway to successful interdisciplinary learning. Unless learners from one discipline can understand, and be understood by, peers from other disciplines, the accomplishment of interdisciplinary learning is undermined. Interdisciplinary modules should include learning outcomes that facilitate student development in this area. Approaching interdisciplinary learning through the lens of communicative competence casts critical attention upon the central abilities and cultural sensitivities that are the hallmarks of interdisciplinary collaboration – from negotiating meaning to critical disciplinary awareness – and highlights the lessons that interdisciplinarity poses for disciplines, such as geography, tasked with preparing students for interdisciplinary learning.

Interdisciplinary and Transdisciplinary Research and Education in Canada: A Review and Suggested Framework

Transcending disciplinary boundaries is becoming increasingly important for devising solutions to the world’s most pressing issues, such as climate change and food insecurity. Institutions of higher education often present challenges to teaching students how to work and innovate on transdisciplinary teams. We first define transdisciplinarity and like concepts, using these to review databases of three major funding agencies (CIHR, NSERC, and SSHRC) for awards given to inter- and transdisciplinary programs across ten fiscal years beginning 2005-2006 and ending 2014-2015 to identify trends in funding as an indicator of skill need. We then search for programs offering transdisciplinary learning opportunities at Canadian universities accounting for 71% of all students. Though the proportion of interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary funded research grants has risen considerably, we found only a few examples of interdisciplinary learning opportunities for students in post-secondary education programs. Generally, while students were able to take a range of courses, instruction remained discipline-specific. Specifically, Canadian undergraduates lack an in-program, experiential, transdisciplinary learning opportunity. We propose a framework (ICON) as a solution to fill this gap. Using senior independent study courses, which often have built-in curricular flexibility, students can participate with ICON while still obtaining credit towards their degrees. We conclude that transdisciplinary education opportunities are an essential part of the undergraduate experience and should be recognized across degree programs.

Stakeholder perspectives of the Extended Scope Physiotherapy Practitioner (ESPP) role in Australia – a qualitative study

Background: A recent advancement in physiotherapy in Australia has been the development of Extended Scope Physiotherapy Practitioner (ESPP) roles. However, compared to the UK, ESPP roles in Australia have generally been introduced in a piecemeal fashion. To assist with defining ESPP roles and credentialing requirements for ESPP in Australia, we felt it was important to engage with context-specific key stakeholders. This study sought to understand the perceptions of a range of key stakeholders on the ESPP role in Australia, using qualitative interview techniques.Methodology: Semi-structured interviews were held with medical, nursing and allied health professional staff employed within an Australian health directorate who had reported experience with ESPPs.Findings: There was general consensus of the value of ESPP in improving the efficacy and efficiency of health service delivery, achieving positive patient outcomes and offering opportunities for interdisciplinary learning among colleagues. Participants agreed that physiotherapists were well placed to practice in an ESPP role in musculoskeletal clinical practice (orthopaedic clinics/ emergency departments), and that future opportunities may exist in the areas of women’s health, cardiopulmonary, and neurology physiotherapy. There was consistency that postgraduate courses should be accredited and tailored to the scope of ESP trainees. Core knowledge and skills required by ESPPs included ordering/interpretation of radiology, working with and educating staff from other disciplines, and triage, screening and early identification of musculoskeletal conditions.Finally, common barriers to the ESPP role in Australia were characterised as either ‘hard’ (legislative) or ‘soft’ (jurisdictional, professionally/culturally based).

Exploring students’ conceptions of internationalised learning: Experiences from international online collaborative seminars

This paper outlines the findings from a research project on students’ conceptions of learning in a series of international online collaborative seminars that involved partner institutions from Europe and the US. The lead institution was an international, graduate university in Europe. The study was conducted with the aim of exploring the qualitatively different ways in which graduate students conceive of learning in an international, interdisciplinary and multimodal setting. Of the 82 participants in the seminars, 42 students in social sciences and humanities volunteered to be interviewed. The transcripts were analysed using a phenomenographic approach. A hierarchical system of qualitatively different conceptualisations was created; according to which students conceptualised internationalised learning as (1) a process to integrate information, skills and knowledge, (2) international encounters designed to harness diversity of views and (3) an opportunity for interdisciplinary learning. The varying forms of fragmented and cohesive conceptions are also discussed.

Graduate learning outcomes in science: variation in perceptions of single- and dual-degree students

The development of transferrable skillsets, articulated in statements of graduate learning outcomes, is emphasised in undergraduate science degree programmes. Science students enrolled in dual (double) degrees comprise a significant minority of Australian science undergraduates. Research comparing perceptions of single and dual degree students on their science learning outcomes has rarely been explored. The Science Students Skills Inventory was used to compare the perceptions of single (n = 640) and dual (n = 266) degree undergraduate science students. The instrument explored science graduate learning outcomes across six indicators: importance; the extent to which outcomes were included; the extent to which they were assessed; improvement; confidence; and likely future use. Analysis of findings, employing the planned–enacted–experienced curricula framework, offers insight into potential avenues towards coherence of the experienced curriculum by arguing the need for shared perceptions of graduate learning outcomes for single and dual degree science students. The key contribution of this study is a shift towards progressive curriculum development that draws on both single and dual degree student perspectives to achieve graduate learning outcomes. Recommendations include: whole-of-programmes curricular pathways premised on progressive development of learning outcomes that are inclusive of dual degree students, explicit interdisciplinary learning opportunities, and adoption of dual/single status as a demographic variable reported in future research.

Expanding Interdisciplinary Learning Opportunities on a Shoestring through a Medical-Legal Partnership

This article describes why and how the author started a medical-legal partnership at her small law school, the curricula associated with the medical-legal partnership, and the experience she and her students have had with the curricula to date. It also provides “lessons learned” which may be useful for individuals interested in expanding interdisciplinary and experiential opportunities at institutions that presently lack traditional sources of such opportunities.

A new venture in interdisciplinary student learning in a co-located health service.

Learning about interdisciplinary health approaches is important for students of health professions. Yet, interdisciplinary learning programs are sparse within primary health clinics. Larger health care complexes, such as superclinics in Australia, offer interdisciplinary learning opportunities for health, but also pose difficulties. This case study describes the introduction of an interdisciplinary student learning program in Adelaide, South Australia, over a 1-year period. The objectives of the program were for students to: (1) understand the range of patient needs in primary healthcare (PHC); (2) identify circumstances in which the involvement of another professional may benefit patients; and (3) learn more about team work. Despite barriers, the practice environment was found to be suitable for student learning. Program modifications were made in response to the need for scheduled time for clinic staff to work with students, non-simultaneous student placements, a need for a coordinator, the availability of discipline-specific supervision and the need to provide incentives for students to participate, particularly giving course credits or recognition. Embedding interdisciplinary programs in a clinic setting requires time and resources. The present case study demonstrates that larger PHC clinics have the potential to implement interdisciplinary learning programs based on an authentic learning approach.

Undergraduate cardiac arrest team training.

Health profession students are traditionally educated within their discipline with little to no interaction with other health professionals, but are expected to function as integral members of the health care team after graduation. Health profession educators must bridge this disconnect by providing interprofessional learning experiences for students. We sought to evaluate the impact of interdisciplinary team-based (ITB) versus individual discipline-based (DB) learning with multiple health care disciplines during a simulated cardiac arrest. We performed a randomised trial with trainees from radiologic science (RS), physician assistant (PA) and nursing programmes (RN), taught by ITB and DB methods. Teams assessed a simulated patient experiencing a cardiac arrest before and after being educated using the First 5 Minutes(®) Curriculum (First-5). Knowledge and subjective evaluations were collected on each participant both before and after the educational intervention. The data were analysed using generalised estimating equations to account for correlated data. We enrolled 29 subjects: 15 ITB (4 PA, 5 RN, 6 RS) and 14 DB (3 PA, 5 RN, 6 RS). Knowledge improved more in the ITB group than in the DB group: with a median change of 2 (IQR 0-2) versus 1 (IQR 0-2), respectively (p = 0.014). Subjectively, participants overwhelmingly responded that working and learning with other disciplines was a valuable experience, and that more opportunities for interdisciplinary learning should be integrated into the curriculum. More opportunities for interdisciplinary learning should be integrated into the curriculum In our pilot study using a simulated model and the First-5, ITB education appears to improve trainees' knowledge over DB education, and was subjectively preferred by the learner.

A Model for Interdisciplinary Clinical Education: Medical and Legal Professionals Learning and Working Together to Promote Public Health

<p>Interdisciplinary training for professionals is becoming more common in higher education. Educators are beginning to understand the benefit of jointly training students in complex and interrelated skills that improve and complement the primary skills needed to succeed in a particular profession. Legal educators have recognized the value of encouraging flexible, collaborative thinkers who become better problem-solvers through interdisciplinary learning. Many of these are also coming to realize the importance of interdisciplinary training as a component of readiness for professional practice. For many law students, law school clinics are the first opportunity they have to learn legal skills and to engage in problem-solving for real clients. This experiential learning opportunity is often powerful and transformative, and can imprint skills, values, and practice habits that stay with students throughout their professional careers. Incorporating interdisciplinary learning opportunities into the law school clinic experience affords opportunities for co-learning, holistic problem-solving, and community building during young professionals’ formative years. Learning to be a lawyer in the context of an interdisciplinary law school clinic combines the experience of working with real clients and academic inquiry into the nature of the lawyering process itself and the ethical and fundamental practices of other professionals. Clinics serve as incubators for professional development. They provide opportunities for reflection on the practice of law, professionalism, social justice, and countless skills that help ready students for the profession of law. The HeLP Legal Services Clinic at Georgia State University College of Law aims to create an interdisciplinary dimension to such practice and inquiry, and thus influence the way in which the professional students from the law and medicine disciplines work together as learners and future professionals.</p>

Convergence and translation: attitudes to inter-professional learning and teaching of creative problem-solving among medical and engineering students and staff

BackgroundHealthcare worldwide needs translation of basic ideas from engineering into the clinic. Consequently, there is increasing demand for graduates equipped with the knowledge and skills to apply interdisciplinary medicine/engineering approaches to the development of novel solutions for healthcare. The literature provides little guidance regarding barriers to, and facilitators of, effective interdisciplinary learning for engineering and medical students in a team-based project context.MethodsA quantitative survey was distributed to engineering and medical students and staff in two universities, one in Ireland and one in Belgium, to chart knowledge and practice in interdisciplinary learning and teaching, and of the teaching of innovation.ResultsWe report important differences for staff and students between the disciplines regarding attitudes towards, and perceptions of, the relevance of interdisciplinary learning opportunities, and the role of creativity and innovation. There was agreement across groups concerning preferred learning, instructional styles, and module content. Medical students showed greater resistance to the use of structured creativity tools and interdisciplinary teams.ConclusionsThe results of this international survey will help to define the optimal learning conditions under which undergraduate engineering and medicine students can learn to consider the diverse factors which determine the success or failure of a healthcare engineering solution.

Extracurricular Activities, an Alternative for Interdisciplinary Learning

Extracurricular activities include multiple measures of education and training. They are characterized by a greater variety and flexibility, providing better options for folding the particular skills and interests of students, satisfying the greater needs of children and young people, having at the same time a strong band. As extracurricular activities are not unequivocally associated to content, they may be an opportunity for interdisciplinary learning, which is much closer to learning to life than learning school subjects, which is strictly divided. Interdisciplinarity as a way of organizing learning content, with implications for the entire design strategies curriculum provides a consistent view of phenomena and processes proposed for study and facilitates contextualization and application of school knowledge in different life situations. Interdisciplinary approach to learning leads to the achievement of learning objectives of a high complexity. Children learn to make decisions, to think critically, to solve problems. Learning is achieved mainly through cooperation, teacher and students become partners in learning. The student is asked to solve various tasks and make an active contribution to his own development. The assessment focuses on the qualitative elements and targets the learning progress. In this paper we propose a way to achieve the design of an extracurricular activity – the trip in an interdisciplinary manner, in terms of Bloom’s taxonomy and of the theory of multiple intelligences – HowardGardner. The tasks approach the interdisciplinary learning, differentiated, based on the eight types of intelligences: linguistic, logical -mathematical, visual-spatial, musicalrhythmical, kinesthetical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, naturalistic, following step by step the six levels of Bloom’ s taxonomy: knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation.

Rush Medical College

Rush Medical College

Blurring the Divide: Perspectives on Interdisciplinary Learning

AbstractAt the 3rd International Conference on Design Principles and Practices in Berlin, Germany, we discussed the results of an undergraduate course that brought together the disciplines of Geography, Dance, and Architecture and used the Creative Process as a methodological basis for design work. During the 2009 Fall Semester at Temple University, we again developed and taught an interdisciplinary course with many of the same tenets as last year’s course. Our previous paper focused primarily on the instructors’ experiences and viewpoints while teaching from an interdisciplinary perspective, and the goal of this paper is to focus primarily on the students’ experiences of interdisciplinary coursework. What do students derive from interdisciplinary learning opportunities? How is the experience of learning in an interdisciplinary course different from learning in single-discipline courses? Does interdisciplinary exploration in the classroom relate to other life experiences? This paper addresses the challenges and potentials of interdisciplinary learning and includes students’ perspectives.

An Interdisciplinary Online Course in Health Care Informatics

To design an interdisciplinary course in health care informatics that enables students to: (1) understand how to incorporate technology into the provision of safe, effective and evidence-based health care; (2) make decisions about the value and ethical application of specific technologies; and (3) appreciate the perspectives and roles of patients and providers when using technology in care. An online, interdisciplinary elective course using a distributive learning model was created. Standard courseware was used to manage teaching and to facilitate student/instructor interactions. Interactive, multimedia lectures were developed using Internet communication software. Upon completion of the course, students demonstrated competency in identifying, analyzing, and applying informatics appropriately in diverse health settings. Online education using multimedia software technology is effective in teaching students about health informatics and providing an innovative opportunity for interdisciplinary learning. In light of the growing need for efficient health care informatics training, additional study of this methodology is warranted.

An Interdisciplinary Approach to Introducing Professionalism

To provide interdisciplinary structured activities in academic and clinical settings for introducing the concept of professionalism to health professions students. Undergraduate and graduate students from 8 health care disciplines including pharmacy, nursing, communication sciences and disorders, dietetics and nutrition science, genetic counseling, advanced medical imaging, medical technology, and physical therapy participated in an orientation program focusing on interdisciplinary health care and professionalism, as well as a field experience. Survey results from both components (orientation, n = 284; field experience, n = 123) indicated that the project was valuable in increasing students' awareness of (1) the importance of professionalism in the clinical setting and (2) the potential contributions of their profession to the health care team. Health professions curricula should include interdisciplinary learning opportunities that enhance collaboration, collegiality, and professionalism among future members of the health care team.