Missemilyp: Chapter 4: Interdisciplinary models

Hey everyone,
This week I read chapter four of the text that was based on the study of interdisciplinary models. It explored how interdisciplinary models are used and how they have been more successful in student learning then the traditional methods. It had many interesting insights and explinations that really opened my eyes to a new kind of education, one I did not know existed.

Even though interdisciplinary studies are not new, it is actually quite an old concept that is very new to me. I think that it is a fantastic style of teaching and really allows students to lead their own education. Before I read this chapter, I briefly learned how a integrated curriculum worked by personal research. However, it was not until I went to observation placement this year that I realized how exciting this teaching/ learning approach can be. So, here is my story.

I did my observation placement at my old high school where I got to reminisce with one of my old teachers, who actually taught me in her first teaching year. She was very excited to tell me about this new data management project that she and the physics department teacher had created. Basically, students from each class would pair up with a student from the opposite class. Then, the students in the physics class would do an experiment on a study that they had been working on. Those students would then share the their results and data with the data management class through Google docs. Students in the data management class would then analyze the data and create a spreadsheet and graphical representations that represented the data on Google spread sheets. The final RPAT, was that each pair of students would create a video together about the research they did and explain their findings, which was sent and posted on the school class website. This video was up to student interpretation and some created a engaging story line that involved everything they did in their assignment.

This really opened my eyes. I saw something new that day that changed my perspective on teaching. It was so exciting to see students using their 21st century skills (creativity, collaboration, communication etc.) and actually enjoying what they were learning. The text provided some great insight to integrated curriculum, but seeing it in action was insightful.

I agree with the text when it says that "For teachers who experienced the discipline-based approach of the old story as students, it is difficult, and a bit scary to consider teaching from a interdisciplinary perspective." It is not an easy task to do this type of teaching because it is hard to wrap your head around the fact that you are not just using one subject to teach a main idea, you are using two or more to allow students to understand a main idea. This is where I think this method of teaching can be flawed. Teachers who do not keep up to date or are older and have never been introduced to this style of teaching can have negative effects on student learning. It takes research, practice and a lot of planning. I think that it not only takes time to learn this skill but more importantly, teachers teaching this way have to be interested in this method and willing to explore the unknown. Teachers cannot all teach in this manor.