Interdisciplinary Studies in the Humanities

The necessity and feasibility of interdisciplinarity in pre-academic education, the collage of the future of schools

Document Type : Original Research Paper

Authors

M. Taheri Demneh 1
Z. Heidari Darani 2

1 Assistant Professor, Futures Studies, Department of Futures Studies, Faculty of Advanced Sciences and Technologies, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran

2 Master Candidate, Futures Studies, Department of Futures Studies, Faculty of Advanced Sciences and Technologies, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran

https://doi.org/10.22035/isih.2020.3557.3750
Abstract
Apart from the fact that the conceptualization and application of interdisciplinary fields are still in midway, most studies in this field have focused on f the university and paid attention to the necessity of establishing an interdisciplinarity at the university. However, academic experience has shown that a student at the university who has not learned interdisciplinary skills before (in a pre-academic period or school), is weak in the understanding and use of interdisciplinarity at the university. From this viewpoint, regardless of the concept of "discipline," which remains a specialized activity in the university, the term "interdisciplinarity" expresses a set of future-oriented skills that have to be from the first stage of human development in the Education Portfolios. This paper is a theoretical and analytical attempt to extend interdisciplinarity in pre-academic literature. In this paper, first the feasibility and necessity of pre-academic interdisciplinarity are studied, and second, some practical solutions are offered to achieve this goal in order to form a collage of the future of the school. This collage is a future image of the schools where the interdisciplinary human achieves skills such as adaptability, teamwork, creativity, critical thinking, and problem solving for living in a complex environment.

Keywords

phenomenon-based learning
pre-academic education
interdisciplinarity
interdisciplinary
future-oriented skills

Subjects

Ahmadvand, S., & Hamidi, S. (2014). Čāhār revayāt dar fahm-e ma’nā-ye motāle’āt-e miyānrešte’i [Four narrations of understanding the interdisciplinary studies]. Interdisciplinary Studies in Humanities, 6(1), 31-54. doi: 10.7508/isih.2014.21.002
Austin, J. D., Hirstein, J., & Walen, S. (1997). Integrated mathematics interfaced with science. School Science and Mathematics, 97(1), 45–49. doi: 10.1111/j.1949-8594.1997.tb17339.x
Bahrani, M. (2013). Rešte, miyānrešte va taqsimbandi-ye olum [Discipline, interdiscipline and classification of knowledge]. Interdisciplinary Studies in Humanities, 5(2), 37-59. doi: 10.7508/isih.2014.18.003
Barrett, J. R. (2001). Interdisciplinary work and musical integrity. Music Educators Journal, 87(5), 27.  doi: 10.2307/3399705
Barzegar, E. (2009). Tārixče, čisti va falsafe-ye peidāyi-ye olum-e miyānrešte’i [History, quality, and philosophy of interdisciplinary sciences]. Interdisciplinary Studies in Humanities, 1(1), 37-56.  doi: 10.7508/isih.2009.01.003
Bridle, H., Vrieling, A., Cardillo, M., Araya, Y., & Hinojosa, L. (2013). Preparing for an interdisciplinary future: a perspective from early-career researchers. Futures, 53, 22-32. doi: 10.1016/j.futures.2013.09.003
Buckley, F. J. (2000). Team teaching: What, why and how?. SAGE Publications.
Carpenter, D., Crawford, L., & Walden, R. (2007). Testing the efficacy of team teaching. Learning Environments Research, 10, 53e65. Retrieved from https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10984-007-9019-y
Crow, J., & Smith, L. (2005). Co‐teaching in higher education: Reflective conversation on shared experience as continued professional development for lecturers and health and social care students. Reflective Practice, 6(4), 491-506. doi.org/10.1080/14623940500300582
Dahlin, B. (2001). The Primacy of cognition or of perception? A phenomenological critique of the theoretical bases of science education. Science & Education, 10, 453-475.
Dahlin, B. (2003) The ontological reversal. A figure of thought of importance for science education. Scandinavian. Journal of Educational Research, 47(1), 77-88. doi: 10.1080/00313830308606
Dorin, A., & Korb, K. (2009). Improbable creativity. In J., McCormack, M., Boden, & M., Dinverno (Eds.). Proceedings of the Dagstuhl International Seminar on Computational Creativity. Springer: Heideberg.
Ebrahimabadi, H. (2011). Āmuzeš-e miyānrešte’i dar mohithā-ye dānešgāhi bā ta’kid bar tajrobe-ye Iran [Interdisciplinary learning in universities with emphasis on the experience of Iran]. Interdisciplinary Studies in Humanities, 4(1), 41-67. doi: 10.7508/isih.2012.13.003
Elia, G., & Margherita, A. (2018). Can we solve wicked problems? A conceptual framework and a collective intelligence system to support problem analysis and solution design for complex social issues. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 133, 279-286. doi: 10.1016/j.techfore.2018.03.010
Farahani, M., & Khanipour, H. (2016).  Role of psychology in connecting human sciences for developing interdisciplinary institutions. Interdisciplinary Studies in Humanities, 8(4), 173-193. doi: 10.22035/isih.2016.239
Farasatkhah, M. (2011). Interdisciplinarity and emerging frontiers in science; A study on origins, capabilities and requirements of interdisciplinarization. Educational Planning Studies, 4(1), 54-89. doi: 10.7508/isih.2012.13.001
Fazeli, N. & Koushki, F. (2016). Disciplinary, interdisciplinary and post-disciplinary: changing disciplinary patterns in linguistics. Interdisciplinary Studies in the Humanities, 9(1), 1-24. doi: 10.22035/isih.2017.243
Fazeli, N. (2014). Academic disciplines: functions, dysfunctions and developments. Interdisciplinary Studies in the Humanities, 6(1), 1-30.   doi: 10.7508/isih.2014.21.001
Garcia, J. R., Geher, G., Crosier, B., Saad, G., Gambacorta, D., Johnsen, L., & Pranckitas, E. (2011). The interdisciplinarity of evolutionary approaches to human behavior: a key to survival in the ivory archipelago. Futures, 43(8), 749-761. doi: 10.1016/j.futures.2011.05.018

Ghadampour, E., Khalili, Z., & Rezaeian, M (2018), Effect of Teaching Meta-Cognition Package (Critical Thinking, Problem Solving and Meta-Cognition Approaches) on the Motivation and the Scholastic Achievement of Male Students of First Grade High School, journal of Instruction and Evaluation, 11(42), 71-90.

Haapasaari, P., Kulmala, S., & Kuikka, S. (2012). Growing into interdisciplinarity: how to converge biology, economics, and social science in fisheries research?. Ecology and Society, 17(1). 6.
Huutoniemi, K., Klein, J. T., Bruun, H., & Hukkinen, J. (2010). Analyzing interdisciplinarity: Typology and indicators. Research Policy, 39(1), 79–88.  doi: 10.1016/j.respol.2009.09.011
Jones, C. (2010). Interdisciplinary approach - advantages, disadvantages, and the future benefits of interdisciplinary studies. ESSAI: Vol. 7, Article 26.
Khorsandi Taskooh, A. (2008). Goftemān-e miyānrešte’i-ye dāneš: gune šenāsi, mabāni-ye nazari va xat-e mašyhāyi barāye amal dar āmuzeš-e āli [Interdisciplinary Discourse of Knowledge : Typology, Theoretical Foundations, and Policies for Action in Higher Education ]. Tehran, Iran: Institute for Social and Cultural Studies.
khorsandi Taskooh, A. (2009). Miyānreštegi va masā’el-e ān dar āmuzeš-e āli [Interdisciplinarity and its challenges in higher education]. Interdisciplinary Studies in Humanities, 1(2), 85-101.   doi: 10.7508/isih.2009.02.005
Khorsandi Taskooh, A. (2009). Tanavo’e gunešenāxti dar āmuzeš va pažuheš-e miyānrešte’i [Variety of typologies in interdisciplinary education]. Interdisciplinary Studies in Humanities, 1(4), 57-83.  doi: 10.7508/isih.2009.04.003
Klein, J. T. (2012). Research Integration: A comparative knowledge base. In A. F. Repko, W. H. Newell, & R. Szostak (Eds.), Case studies in interdisciplinary research, 283-269. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage Publications. doi.org/10.4135/9781483349541.n10
Klein, J. T. (2015). Reprint of “Discourses of transdisciplinarity: Looking back to the future”. Futures, 65, 10-16. doi.org/10.1016/j.futures.2015.01.003
Kroger, M., & Schäfer, M. (2016). Scenario development as a tool for interdisciplinary integration processes in sustainable land use research. Futures, 84, 64-81. doi.org/10.1016/j.futures.2016.07.005
Lam, C. C., Alviar-Martin, T., Adler, S. A., & Sim, J. B. Y. (2013). Curriculum integration in Singapore: Teachers' perspectives and practice. Teaching and Teacher Education, 31, 23-34. doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2012.11.004
Lam, J. C. K., Walker, R. M., & Hills, P. (2014). Interdisciplinarity in sustainability studies: a review. Sustainable Development, 22(3), 158–176. doi.org/10.1002/sd.533
Lawrence, R. J. (2004). Housing and health: from interdisciplinary principles to transdisciplinary research and practice. Futures, 36(4), 487-502.   doi.org/10.1016/j.futures.2003.10.001
Lenoir, Y., & Hasni, A. (2016). Interdisciplinarity in primary and secondary school: issues and perspectives. Creative Education, 7(16), 2433-2459.   doi: 10.4236/ce.2016.716233 
Mattila, P., & Silander, P. (2015). How to create the school of the future: Revolutionary thinking and design from Finland?  University of Oulu. Center for Internet Excellence.
Mawdsley, A., & Willis, S. (2019). Exploring an integrated curriculum in pharmacy: Students' perspectives on the experienced curriculum and pedagogies supporting integrative learning. Currents in Pharmacy Teaching and Learning, 11(5), 450-460. doi.org/10.1016/j.cptl.2019.02.006
Mohammadi Rouzbehani, K. (2009). Fostering Interdisciplinary Thought, Prerequisite of Interdisciplinarity in Higher Education(with Emphasis on Issue-Based Learning. Interdisciplinary Studies in Humanities, 1(2), 103-125. doi: 10.7508/isih.2009.02.006
Motamedi, A., Yamani Doozi Sorkhabi, M., Khorsandi Taskoh, A., Arefi, M. (2018). The Evolution of the Typology of Interdisciplinary Research: A Historical-genealogical Study]. Interdisciplinary Studies in the Humanities, 11(1), 1-32. doi: 10.22035/isih.2019.2929.3266
Murata, R. (2002). What does team teaching mean? A case study of interdisciplinary teaming. The Journal of Educational Research, 96(2), 67–77. doi:10.1080/00220670209598794
Nabavi, S. (2016). Mo’tā’leā’te miyānrešte’i va ta’ka’so’r raveš šenāāxty bārāxy mo’l ā’hezat va pišnāhādhā [Interdisciplinary Studies and Methodological Plurality: Some Considerations and Suggestions]. Interdisciplinary Studies in Humanities, 8(2), 57-74. doi: 10.22035/isih.2016.216
Navy, S., Edmondson, E., Maeng, J., Gonczi, A., & Mannarino, A. (2019). How to create problem-based learning units. Science and Children, 56(5), 68.
Nikitina, S. (2006). Three strategies for interdisciplinary teaching: contextualizing, conceptualizing, and problem‐centring. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 38(3), 251–271. doi:10.1080/00220270500422632
Østergaard, E., Lieblein, G., Breland, T. A., & Francis, C. (2010). Students learning agro ecology: phenomenon-based education for responsible action. The Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension, 16(1), 23–37.   doi:10.1080/13892240903533053
Paya, A. (2006). Āyande-ye olum-e ensāni dar Iran [The future of human sciences in Iran]. Methodology of Social Sciences and Humanities, 12(49), 9-24.
Rajabi, S., & Alimoradi, K. (2018). Asarbaxši-ye tā’ātr-e darsi dar afzāyeš-e mahārathā-ye ejtemā’i va yādgiri-ye dorus-e pāye dar dāneš āmuzān-e ebtedāyi [Effectiveness of curriculum theater in social skills and learning of basic courses in elementary students]. New Educational Approaches , 12(2), 98-113.    doi: 10.22108/nea.2018.95583.0
Sayari, S., & Gharamaleki, A.  (2010). Motāle’at-e miyānrešte’i: mabāni va rahyāfthā [Interdisciplinary studies: foundations and approaches]. Journal of Philosophy and Kalam, 43(2), 59-82.  
Shabani Varaki, B & Babadi, A. (2014). Takasorrešte’i alayhe fahm-e rayej az hamkari-e rešte’i [Disciplinary; Against the Common Perception of Collaboration Among Pluri-Disciplines]. Interdisciplinary Studies in the Humanities, 1(7), 1-25. doi: 10.7508/isih.2015.25.001
Shahamat, N., Arasteh, H., Shahamat, F., & Roozagar, M. (2014). Restructuring interdisciplinaries in higher education With emphasis on indicators. Interdisciplinary Studies in Humanities, 6(1), 55-77.   doi: 10.7508/isih.2014.21.003
Sheykholeslami, A., Omidvar. A. (2018). Asarbakhshy āmoozesh tafakor enteghādi bar sabke halle masala [The effectiveness of critical thinking training on problem solving styles (efficient and inefficient) of students]. Journal of school psychology. 6(2), 83-99. doi: 10.22098/JSP.2017.569
Stember, M. (1991). Advancing the social sciences through the interdisciplinary enterprise. The Social Science Journal, 28(1), 1–14.  doi:10.1016/0362-3319(91)90040-b
Stewart, T. Perry, B. (2005). Interdisciplinary team teaching as a model for teacher development. The Electronic Journal for English as a Second Language, 9(2), n2.
Stokols, D., Hall, K. L., Taylor, B. K., & Moser, R. P. (2008). The science of team science: overview of the field and introduction to the supplement. American journal of preventive medicine, 35(2 Suppl), S. 77-89. doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2008.05.002
Su, H. N., & Moaniba, I. M. (2017). Investigating the dynamics of interdisciplinary evolution in technology developments. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 122, 12-23. doi: 10.5465/ambpp.2017.11158abstract
Symeonidis, V. Schwarz, J. (2016). Phenomenon-Based Teaching and Learning through the Pedagogical Lenses of Phenomenology: The Recent Curriculum Reform in Finland. Forum Oświatowe, 28(2), 31-47.
Tsybulsky, D., & Muchnik-Rozanov, Y. (2019). The development of student-teachers' professional identity while team-teaching science classes using a project-based learning approach: A multi-level analysis. Teaching and Teacher Education, 79, 48-59. doi:10.1016/j.tate.2018.12.006 
VanTassel-Baska, J., & Wood, S. (2010). The integrated curriculum model (ICM). Learning and Individual Differences, 20(4), 345–357. doi:10.1016/j.lindif.2009.12.006
Wakil, K., Rahman. R., Hasan, D., Mahmood, P., & Jalal, T. (2019). Phenomenon-based learning for teaching ICT Subject through other subjects in primary schools. Journal of Computer and Education Research, 7(13), 205–212. doi:10.18009/jcer.553507
Wang, Y., & Chiew, V. (2010). On the cognitive process of human problem solving. Cognitive Systems Research, 11(1), 81–92. doi:10.1016/j.cogsys.2008.08.003
Wong, E., & Nguyen, T. V. (2019). Introduction of an integrated curriculum: Early outcomes and experiences within a large private university. Currents in Pharmacy Teaching and Learning, 11(5), 528–532. doi:10.1016/j.cptl.2019.02.015
Wraga, W. G. (2009). Toward a connected core curriculum. Educational Horizons, 87(2), 88-96.
 
Send comment about this article
Enter Name.
Enter a valid email address.
Enter a vaid affiliation.
Enter comments (At leaset 10 words)
CAPTCHA Image
Enter Security Code Correctly.

Home

Editorial Board

Publication Ethics

Reviewers

Submission

Contact Us