InterdisciplinaryTeaching

Malcolm Potts, Qatar University, February 2008

1. Introduction

Definition of Interdisciplinarity

“A process of answering a question, solving a problem, or addressing a topic that is too broad or complex to be dealt with adequately by a single discipline or profession.... IDS draws on disciplinary perspectives and integrates their insights through construction of a more comprehensive perspective” (Klein & Newell).

Why bother?

One discipline is not enough; the traditionally existing scientific disciplines are too

narrow.

Social scientists must be involved; since all kinds of science has a social aspect, either in the form of consequences or context.

• Complexity of social and cultural phenomena

• Comparative cultural work & real intercultural contacts

• Important discoveries often occur at the intersection

• Opening to international and interdisciplinary perspectives

• Merging and overlapping of different fields and disciplines

• Many societal, environmental, industrial, scientific & engineering

problems cannot be adequately addressed by single disciplines

• Intensified specialization of disciplines and the concurrent

explosion of new hybrid areas of research

The Case for Interdisciplinary Teaching & Research

Global Problems Demand Integration Poaching of endangered

species AIDS epidemic in Africa World hunger Middle East crisis Working conditions for

sweatshop employees

in developing countries

Local, Daily Lives Require Integration

Developing a multimedia

presentation Serving on a cross-

functional team Balancing one’s personal

and professional life Collaborating with others who come from

different cultural backgrounds Volunteering on a community service project

Employers Seek Integrative Thinkers Communication skills Ability to work in teams Flexibility Ability to accept ambiguity

comfortably Ability to work with people of

diverse backgrounds Ethical reasoning Understanding of globalization

The Different Terms

The different degrees of interdisciplinarity, reflect the failure to achieve true interdisciplinary teaching…

Multi-disciplinary: Tag Teaching

Pluridisciplinary: Conscious Tolerance

Cross-Disciplinary: Filtered

Access

Interdisciplinary: Fully Integrated Experience

* Julie Thompson Klein http://www2.ac.edu/faculty/gened/Exploring.htm

Degrees of Interdisciplinarity*

• Disciplines and presenters remain separate

• Data are shared, but viewed only in terms of the difference between the 2 disciplines

• Students are expected to manage integration

• Disciplinary methods and epistemologies are not examined critically

Multi-disciplinary: Tag Teaching

A “Team-Taught” Course

• Each instructor interacts with the class but…• Instructors in the “team” have zero to limited contact with one another

Tag Team

I wonder when my section of the

course starts ?

What do youthink about

the textbook?

• Instructor 1 for first half of course• Instructor 2 for the second half “and never the two shall meet!”

• Faculty have private talks about integration of material

• Faculty gain insight into the other discipline, but maintain their disciplinary filters

• Similarities/differences in interpretation, methods, and assumptions are explored

• Discussions of methods and epistemology are implicit (implied but not expressed) by end of course

Pluridisciplinary: Conscious Tolerance

Conscious Tolerance

• Dominant and subordinate roles of disciplines; not a partnership

• Practice in one discipline is examined through the filter of the other discipline

• Insights are gained, but the perspective of one viewpoint is emphasized

Cross-Disciplinary: Filtered Access

Cross Disciplinary

One owner and the owner drives

Interdisciplinary: Fully Integrated Experience

• Faculty have regular interaction inside/outside of the course

• Students and faculty collaborate in synthesis/integration; direction of course shifts as course evolves

• Disciplinary perspectives are acknowledged and made explicit; points of synthesis are developed & areas of conflict are explored

Fully Integrated Experience

A winning team

Group Discussion

Do you see any similarities between these 4 degrees of interdisciplinarity and teaching at QU?

What problems do you see with true interdisciplinary teaching at Qatar University?

Effective administration includes Centralized leadership Faculty input & joint appointments of full-time faculty

“Responsibility is in the hands of an appropriate leader(s), rather than being dispersed across units whose primary loyalties are to their disciplines”

(Association for Integrative Studies for AUCC)

“Well-funded, well-respected organizations, which have an independent physical and intellectual center outside of, and different from, a traditional university department” (NSF)

Opinions on What Interdisciplinarity Requires

Deep, “truly paradigmatic shift” among newer scholars (NSF)

“A moment of academic redefinition and university reform, at the center of which – if implemented correctly – could and should sit interdisciplinary research centers.”

(NSF)

More Opinions on Interdisciplinarity . . .

Iron Law (J. Z. Smith)

“Students shall not be expected to integrate anything that the faculty can’t or won’t.”

New Yorker

Integrative Learning is Growing

General and liberal education Cross-disciplinary majors and minors,

including area studies concentrations Professional training and degrees Individual courses within disciplinary

departments Internships, study abroad, practicals New centers, institutes

Growing in Invisible Ways

Learning communities Capstone experiences Problem-based research projects Shared databases, facilities Interdisciplinary schools of thought and

approaches Inter-institutional consortia Sub-disciplinary boundary crossing

• Pedagogy Disciplinary training with limited methodologies Focus on specific techniquesNarrow research goals of students’ labs

Lack of integrative thinking

• Disciplinary loyalty

• “Disciplinary ‘silo’ may penalize interdisciplinary work” (Lesner)

• University structure & funding

• “Most academics are still evaluated for tenure and promotion within their departments” (Lesner)

Obstacles

General Challenges for ID Teaching

Coordinating different units and departments Recruiting faculty and students Rewarding faculty Creating opportunities for faculty to meet and

collaborate Overcoming disciplinary biases Securing funding

More Challenges

Interdisciplinarity is often misunderstood. It is demanding as a result of the need to

operate in two or more disciplines. Faculty teaching courses may have little

experience in interdisciplinarity. Professional literature is relatively small and

unknown.

For Discussion

“Instructors should be as informed about research in teaching, as they are about research in their own discipline”

M. Potts, Feb 2008