Interdisciplinary Education Overview

Principles

Definition

Interdisciplinary education is a field of study or pedagogical approach that integrates knowledge, methodologies, and perspectives from multiple distinct academic disciplines. It investigates complex phenomena and problems that cannot be fully understood within a single disciplinary framework, aiming to foster comprehensive understanding, generate novel insights, and equip individuals to navigate and contribute across diverse intellectual landscapes.

Ontological type

Curriculum Design

Pedagogical Strategies

Learning Outcomes

Key developments

Key Figures

Competency-Centered Curriculum era

Hugh Barr [1], associated with the University of California, Los Angeles [3] and the University of Bristol [4], helped shape competency-centered education in this era. His key contributions include advancing a competency-based model for interprofessional education [7] and summarizing a CAIPE survey of interprofessional education in health and social care in the United Kingdom [8], illustrating how shared competencies could translate into practice. William H. Newell [2], affiliated with the University of Sydney [5] and Miami University [6], contributed to interdisciplinary curricular design in this era. His notable work, Designing interdisciplinary courses [9], helped codify how interdisciplinary curricula could be designed and implemented to foster collaboration and integration across professions.

Policy-Driven Institutionalization era

Amy C. Edmondson [1] is associated with Harvard University [3] and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology [4] in the Policy-Driven Institutionalization era. Her key contribution, exemplified by the 2003 paper Speaking Up in the Operating Room [7], demonstrates how leadership that promotes speaking up and psychological safety fosters interdisciplinary learning, laying a foundation for standards-driven collaborations in this era. Ivy Oandasan [2] is affiliated with the University of Toronto [5] and the University of Calgary [6] during this era. Her contributions, through Interprofessionality as the field of interprofessional practice and interprofessional education: An emerging concept [8] and Key elements for interprofessional education—Part 1: The learner, the educator and the learning context [9], helped codify interprofessional education into standards and curricula, aligning with licensure pathways and health-system quality goals in this era.

Assessment and Practice Consolidation era

Merrilyn Goos [1] is associated with The University of Queensland [3] and University of Limerick [4] during the Assessment and Practice Consolidation era (2017-2023). Her key contribution, The Role of Mathematics in interdisciplinary STEM education [5], advances measurement-driven approaches that translate mathematical reasoning into rubrics and longitudinal assessment tools in this era. Greg Pearson [2] collaborates with institutions such as the National Academies [6] on an integrated STEM initiative. Greg Pearson [2] highlights the National academies piece on integrated STEM [6] as a model for translating interdisciplinary competencies into scalable assessment practices that align with workforce and societal goals.