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UBC Mix

(brief description) Interdisciplinary Team Teaching Interdisciplinary Course Design

Academic Journals

Academic writing : interdisciplinary perspectives on communication on across the curriculum

Brief chronicles: an interdisciplinary journal of authorship studies.

Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad
Interdisciplinary humanities [electronic resource] : dedicated to the teaching of integrated studies among the humanities, arts and related fields in schools, *colleges and cultural institutions

Interdisciplinary journal for Germanic linguistics and semiotic analysis

Interdisciplinary Journal of Contemporary Research in Business (IJCRB)

Interdisciplinary journal of human rights law

Interdisciplinary journal of information, knowledge, and management

Interdisciplinary journal of knowledge & learning objects

Interdisciplinary journal of research on religion

Interdisciplinary peace research

Interdisciplinary studies in literature and environment : ISLE.

Journal of interdisciplinary studies

Measurement: Interdisciplinary Research and Perspectives
Reading and Writing: An Interdisciplinary Journal
The interdisciplinary journal of problem-based learning

The journal of interdisciplinary history

Interdisciplinary Collaboration (Annotated)

Amey, M. J., & Brown, D. F. (2000). Interdisciplinary collaboration and academic work.

The purpose of this project was to develop the community's capacity to own and operate a community center that would provide a wide range of services and respond to the future needs of the community. Several themes emerged from the study and an interdisciplinary collaboration model was developed to capture the complexity of the activity. The group activity moved through stages classified as: (1) dominant/expert/individual; (2) parallel/coordinated/group; and (3) integrative/collaborative/team. The discussion focuses on the intellectual challenges of interdisciplinary collaboration and the institutional challenges of and strategies for supporting such collaborative engagement. Observations and data analysis resulted in the development of a model of three dimensions of team development and growth: disciplinary orientation, knowledge engagement, and work orientation.

Amey, M. J., & Brown, D. F. (2005). Interdisciplinary collaboration and academic work: A case study of a university-community partnership. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, (102), 23-35. Permalink

The authors propose a model of the stages of interdisciplinary collaboration grounded in their experiences as external evaluators of a university-community partnership.

Bloodworth, G., & Petersen, N. J. (2011). Developing visualization tools for geographic literacy in a museum exhibit: An interdisciplinary collaboration. Journal of Geography, 110(4), 137-147.

As a result of reduced formal instruction and reduced direct experience in the natural environment, students suffer from a deficiency in geographic literacy. Informal learning environments, such as a model railroad exhibit at a history museum, can be exploited to introduce key geographic concepts. Presented here are historically and geographically accurate visualization tools developed via community collaboration across disciplines (geography/education) and institutions (university/museum/community volunteers). This article highlights geographic learning that takes place in informal education settings.

Garcia, M. L., Mizrahi, T., & Bayne-Smith, M. (2010). Education for interdisciplinary community collaboration and development: The components of a core curriculum by community practitioners. Journal of Teaching in Social Work, 30(2), 175-194. Permalink

Collaborations are challenging and require great skill and commitment. The pedagogy and the content of curricula have become a more prominent part of teaching to macro practice students and practitioners the art of effectively convening and moving collaborative efforts forward. This article adds to the literature on the content and methods of teaching students and novice practitioners the competencies embedded in ICC. It provides empirical data from six focus groups of experienced community practitioners (social workers and others) in New York City who identified components of a core curriculum for this work. Eight months later, these 33 community practitioners were asked to reprioritize the topics and concepts that they had collectively identified at the earlier time. Skills such as the ability to share power, manage differences, include the constituency and diplomacy are among those discussed. Core curriculum themes, the pedagogy and process, and the attributes and values necessary for training an ICC practitioner are presented.

Mellin, A. E., & Winton, P. J. (2003). Interdisciplinary collaboration among early intervention faculty members. Journal of Early Intervention, 25(3), 173-88.

Qualitative and quantitative methods were used to investigate interdisciplinary practices of 116 early intervention faculty. Faculty engaged in a small amount of interdisciplinary teaching in their preservice programs. Quantitative results indicated work environment variables were the strongest predictors of the level of interdisciplinary collaboration.

Paproski, D. L., & Haverkamp, B. E. (2000). Interdisciplinary collaboration: Ethical issues and recommendations. Canadian Journal of Counselling, 34(2), 85-97. Permalink

Explores issues and ethics of interdisciplinary care based upon discussion among five experienced mental health professionals. Presents their recommendations for effective interdisciplinary work including, ensuring clients give informed consent, maintaining confidentiality, and making sure paraprofessionals and families are involved. Reports that major barriers to collaboration are client protection, variation in training, time constraints, lack of knowledge, and lack of coordination.

Plank, J., Feldon, D., Sherman, W., & Elliot, J. (2011). Complex systems, interdisciplinary collaboration, and institutional renewal. Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning, 43(3), 35-43.

There is no consensus regarding the most fair or effective means of evaluating faculty work that does not fall within a traditional scholarly paradigm. Interdisciplinary scholarship also is hard to do. The boundaries of a problem and the appropriate tools for investigating it are undetermined. Collaborators from different disciplines may lack a common conceptual framework or a common vocabulary for grappling with a problem of shared interest. Indeed, the larger and more diverse an interdisciplinary group is, the less likely they are to come together or endure as a cohesive and productive entity. Even if these gaps are bridged, a successful outcome to an intrinsically challenging, real-life problem is far from certain. In light of the number and diversity of factors that hinder successful interdisciplinary collaboration, it is remarkable when they succeed. But the UVA Bay Game--an ongoing collaboration at the University of Virginia among faculty members from nine schools--has bucked the odds. In this article, the authors examine the history and evolution of this project as an emerging success story to highlight the components that have been instrumental to its durability and productivity, in the hope that it can provide a model for similar efforts elsewhere.

Rubenow, R. C., & Pauls, L. W. (1993). Interdisciplinary collaboration in teacher education programs. Contemporary Education, 64(4), 258-60.

This article outlines the structures and outcomes for teacher education that characterize the collaboration between the college of arts and sciences and the school of education at Emporia State University (Kansas).

Tompkins, F. M., & Others, A. (1989). How institutional factors are perceived to influence interdisciplinary collaboration efforts among educational preparation programs. Teacher Education and Special Education, 12(1-2), 75-78.

An Ohio research project is documenting the perceptions of college/university faculty and administrators (n=25) regarding the institutional factors that inhibit or facilitate interdisciplinary collaboration among their own educational preparation programs. This presentation is based on a preliminary analysis of available data.

Tompkins, F. M., & Others, A. (1989). The identification of factors which influence interdisciplinary collaboration within educational settings. Permalink

Recent research suggests that a key educational reform step is developing interdisciplinary collaborative inquiry activities. Bringing together professionals representing diverse, interrelated disciplines yields a more thorough understanding of organizational systems. Despite widespread support for interdisciplinary collaboration (IDC), few projects are currently under way. This study aims to (1) discover faculty and administrator perceptions regarding factors influencing current IDC efforts at their institutions; (2) discover these groups' perceptions about factors most likely to promote future IDC activities; and (3) document current IDC activities within Ohio colleges and universities. The study selected 12 representative higher education institutions. Following completion of a questionnaire, 46 participating faculty/administrators were interviewed. A preliminary data analysis was made using qualitative methods. Results showed great diversity of opinion among faculty and administrators. There was, however, general agreement regarding the factors most important to promote future IDC efforts. Currently, administrative structure, the role of funding and institutional priorities, merit and formal recognition, and faculty attitude and autonomy were significant promotional factors. Organizational inhibitors included physical housing, special languages, and hierarchical status associated with various disciplines. Current IDC projects included research and grant projects, program development and delivery, governance committees, professional organization memberships, and activities such as joint authorship of books and articles. Future directions are discussed. Included are seven references and an appendix containing the study questionnaire.

Challenges Associated with Interdisciplinary Teaching and Learning (Annotated)

Bray, N. M., & Others, A. (1981). The interdisciplinary team: Challenges to effective functioning. Teacher Education and Special Education, 4(1), 44-49.

Questionnaire responses of 205 professionals on interdisciplinary teams serving disabled students indicated perceptions of few major problems in team functioning. Overall, Ss viewed logistical/procedural barriers of more concern than group interactional or discipline-related categories.

Cummings, R. J. (1989). The interdisciplinary challenge: Connection and balance. National Forum: Phi Kappa Phi Journal, 69(2), 2-3.

For perspective on the interdisciplinary challenge in higher education, it is important to understand the concept and origins of the "discipline." Disciplines are convenient but artificial constructs, and while academia may be divided into them, the world is not. A sense of the balance and connection between them is vital.

Gance, L. L., & National Inst for, S. E. (1998). Understanding interdisciplinary teamwork: Challenges for research and practice. workshop report. Permalink

In November 1997, the National Institute for Science Education (NISE) brought together for a two-day conference faculty members of NISE, individuals who have special expertise or experience pertaining to interdisciplinary collaboration and problem solving and representatives of research projects addressing the topic of interdisciplinarity. The purpose of the conference was to advance understanding of interdisciplinary teamwork and to identify areas for further research. This report provides a synopsis of the issues and ideas that emerged during the conference, including key questions for research, the role of theory in research--particularly theoretical frameworks within the field of cognitive science, methods and methodology, and other general issues. In addition, the report reviews implications for practice of what is known about interdisciplinary collaboration and important considerations for designing effective environments for such collaboration.

Holley, K. (2009). The challenge of an interdisciplinary curriculum: A cultural analysis of a doctoral-degree program in neuroscience. Higher Education: The International Journal of Higher Education and Educational Planning, 58(2), 241-255.

Drawing on data collected through 45 interviews with faculty, doctoral students, and administrators affiliated with an interdisciplinary neuroscience program, I examine the structure of the interdisciplinary graduate curriculum. The data presented here highlight the challenge of such programs. I review the purpose, organization, and content of the interdisciplinary curriculum, noting those challenges that arise. Not only do such programs require collaboration among faculty who traditionally has been highly invested in their individual discipline or department, but they also require an active, deliberate process to foster interdisciplinary integration and student learning.

Holley, K. A. (2009). Special issue: Understanding interdisciplinary challenges and opportunities in higher education. ASHE Higher Education Report, 35(2), 1-131.

The goal of this volume is to provide an overview of interdisciplinarity and American higher education. It focuses on the impact of interdisciplinary work related to the functions of teaching, learning, and research. The landscape of higher education contains multiple areas where such a process might run afoul. For example, how does interdisciplinary research affect standards of faculty tenure and promotion? How do colleges and universities encourage integration among students and faculty located in separate, often isolated departments? How do institutions construct an interdisciplinary course of study that requires students to interact with faculty and areas of knowledge from multiple disciplines? What cognitive, cultural, and social challenges exist as scholars seek to achieve an integrative synthesis? To consider these questions, this special issue discusses interdisciplinary education, research, and practice. This special issue includes the following chapters: (1) Defining Interdisciplinarity; (2) The Disciplines, Interdisciplinarity, and the University; (3) Interdisciplinarity, Learning, and Cognition; (4) Interdisciplinarity and the Practice of Research; (5) Faculty and Institutional Structure: The Conflict of Interdisciplinarity; (6) Best Practices Related to Interdisciplinary Education; and (7) Implications for Practice and the Future of Interdisciplinarity.

Lin, H. (2008). Opportunities and challenges for interdisciplinary research and education. Journal of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Education, 37, 83-91. Permalink

Interdisciplinary research and education (IDRE) holds center stage in current academic discussions. Despite the widespread agreement on the promises of IDRE, barriers for effective IDRE implementation remain significant. This study explored the opportunities and challenges of IDRE in integrated soil and water sciences at the Pennsylvania State University through a faculty survey and an educational project. The study revealed that: (1) co-advising graduate student is a common practice as a means of IDRE, and the overall positive aspects out-weigh the negative aspects; (2) joint faculty appointments receive mixed reactions, and are viewed by some as advantageous for the university but difficult for the faculty; (3) people issues are absolutely a critical aspect of successful IDRE; however, IDRE could also be accomplished by small groups or individuals; (4) synergistic approaches have not yet been commonly implemented, because IDRE collaborations often consist of faculty continuing piece-meal contributions independent of one another; (5) a new/renewed interdisciplinary undergraduate program in integrated soil and water sciences remains questionable as a viable solution to the declining undergraduate enrollment; (6) a potential new and broader graduate program appears to be promising, with a possible target on the emerging Critical Zone science (an interdisciplinary science that advocates the holistic studies of the Earth's near-surface environments, which extend from the top of vegetations to the bottom of aquifers); and (7) reward system needs to be enhanced to truly facilitate IDRE, and should be considered as a focus from both administration and practicality points of view. It is hoped, through such a study, that more true synergies can be realized through enhanced IDRE in academic environments.

Locker, K. O. (1994). The challenge of interdisciplinary research. Journal of Business Communication, 31(2), 137-51.

Discusses what makes business communication research interdisciplinary and why interdisciplinary research is difficult yet desirable. Details the value of interdisciplinary concepts, methods, and perspectives. Notes how business communication research might be made interdisciplinary and points out the need for tolerance in interdisciplinary research.

Mellor, M. J., Hyer, K., & Howe, J. L. (2002). The geriatric interdisciplinary team approach: Challenges and opportunities in educating trainees together from a variety of disciplines. Educational Gerontology, 28(10-), 867-80.

Health care workers at eight sites were trained to serve on interdisciplinary geriatric care teams. Challenges included differing levels of experience and geriatric knowledge, discipline specific-language and practice philosophies, and scheduling conflicts. Techniques to overcome them included case studies, standardized patients, cross-discipline role-play, glossaries, and a personality profile instrument.

Wineburg, S., & Grossman, P. (2000). Interdisciplinary curriculum: Challenges to implementation.

The reputed merits of the interdisciplinary curriculum movement are explored in this collection of works by leading educators. Context is laid out in the introduction, "When Theory Meets Practice in the World of School," by Pam Grossman, Sam Wineburg, and Scott Beers. The chapters are as follows: (1) "On Disciplinary Lenses and Interdisciplinary Work," by Veronica Boix Mansilla, William C. Miller, and Howard Gardner; (2) "Hunting the Quark: Interdisciplinary Curricula in Public Schools," by Judith Renyi; (3) "Scenes from a Courtship: Some Theoretical and Practical Implications of Interdisciplinary Humanities Curricula in the Comprehensive High School," by Sam Wineburg and Pam Grossman; (4) "Disciplinary Landscapes, Interdisciplinary Collaboration: A Case Study," by Frederick L. Hamel; (5) "Curricular Conversations in Elementary School Classrooms: Case Studies of Interdisciplinary Instruction," by Arthur N. Applebee, Robert Burroughs, and Gladys Cruz; (6) "The Photosynthesis of Columbus: Exploring Interdisciplinary Curriculum from the Students' Perspectives," by Kathleen J. Roth; (7) "The Subjects of Debate: Teachers' Clashing and Overlapping Beliefs about Subject Matter During a Whole-School Reform," by Karen Hammerness and Kay Moffett; (8) "'...So That the Two Can Mix in This Crucible': Teachers in an Interdisciplinary School-University Collaboration in the Humanities," by Gabriella Minnes Brandes and Peter Seixas; and (8) "Restructuring Knowledge: Mapping (Inter)Disciplinary Change," by Leslie Santee Siskin.

Online Resources

Interdisciplinary teaching, the UNC school of Education.

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