Week 31: Crossing boundaries – Creating Connections

My Interdisciplinary Connections:

My current interdisciplinary connections vary greatly.  I work in a team of six year 7 teachers who meet weekly to share ideas, resources and integrate planning.  We all have our specific strengths and areas of expertise which we share.  Many ‘Key Competencies’ and 21^st Century skills are incorporated into my class programme as students work together on a joint assignment and collaborate on their learning path, along with their learning direction and presentation method.  On reflection, this does not go far enough for interdisciplinary learning as shown in the video ‘Interdisciplinary Learning’ where the curriculum is T.I.P.-Thematic, Interdisciplinary and Project-based where students are exposed to ‘authentic’ educational experiences and solve real-life complex problems.

Andrews (1990) defines interdisciplinary collaboration as occurring "when different professionals, possessing unique knowledge, skills, organizational perspectives, and personal attributes, engage in coordinated problem solving for a common purpose" (cited in Berg-Weger &. Schneider, 1998).  

My future Interdisciplinary Connection:

I would like to collaborate with other ‘expert’ teachers at my school.  I am fortunate enough to have a team of highly qualified and professional technology teachers who teach Food, Art, Hard and Soft Materials, and Science.  Currently they run their own specialised programme with a mixed group of my year 7 students on an 8-week rotation.

Mulligan & Kuban (2015) identified three essential elements for successful interdisciplinary collaboration shown in the ’conceptual model for interdisciplinary collaboration’ model.

1.   Favourable attitudes and personality qualities toward interdisciplinary engagement.

2.   Common goals determined between the involved parties.  

3.   Workplace conditions.

They state that collaboration can be sustained for a long and successful partnership if all 3 elements are operating in harmony.

I would be very excited working with the technology team to create a joint inquiry technology-project plan where all facets of information technology, balanced curriculum (including numeracy) & specialized technologies are integrated into my class programme.

I feel it would be necessary to foster the following emotional qualities with the technology team.

·         Co-operation

·         Compromising

·         Respect

·         Trust

·         Open

·         Honesty

·         Willing to learn

·         enthusiasm

I believe I have a good professional relationship with all the technology staff who are a professional group and possess a growth mindset.  Showcasing leadership styles would enable everyone the chance to be a leader or follower, and respecting one another’s role would be a priority. 

We would all need to establish common goals for this progamme such as;

·         Shared interest in student technology-projects.

·         Promote student engagement.

·         Develop critical thinking skills.

·         Foster information literacy.

In this way, the technology team and I could develop an inquiry technology-project with necessary 21^st Century skills such as critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and communication.  

I would develop a positive and favorable workplace to jointly plan, make decisions by:

·         Having a set and regular meeting for at least 1 hour per week.

·         Booking the conference room to communicate ideas, plan and work without distraction.

·         Having a projector and other audio/digital equipment, or a multi-media interactive table to bounce off ideas, brainstorm and strategize.

·         Providing tea and coffee and refreshments.

In the past I have been involved in full year 7 teaching meetings that were held in our conference room with light refreshments and snacks. This created a relaxed culture where teachers shared their ideas, digital technology innovations and we worked together to develop digital plans for our students. 

It took the Ross Institute 25 years to develop a Ross Spiral Curriculum, an interdisciplinary approach to Science.  However, it showed students developed a higher level of understanding of the world they live in due to the different style of learning, teacher and awareness of the world.  This started with just a few changes ;

·         Interconnected systems.

·         Change in direction of ‘values.’

·         Planned professional development for staff as ‘learners’ (enhancing pedagogy).

·         Students visiting and working in different places.

·         Senior student’s projects (many were innovative and showed students empathy and understanding of the planet and species survival).

Jones (2010) stated “The interdisciplinary approach synthesis more than one discipline and creates teams of teachers and students that enrich the overall educational experience” (p.76).

Reference:

·         Berg-Weger, M., &. Schneider, F. D. (1998). Interdisciplinary collaboration in social work education. Journal of Social Work Education, 34, 97-107.

·         Jones, C.(2009). Interdisciplinary approach - Advantages, disadvantages, and the future benefits of interdisciplinary studies. ESSAI7 (26), 76-81. Retrieved from http://dc.cod.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1121&context=essai

·         Lacoe Edu (2014, Oct 24) Interdisciplinary Learning [video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cA564RIlhME

·         Mulligan, L. M., & Kuban, A. J. . (2015). A Conceptual Model for Interdisciplinary Collaboration. Retrieved fromhttp://acrlog.org/2015/05/14/a-conceptual-model-for-interdisciplinary-collaboration