Online Module B: Interdisciplinarity in/for Science

Online Module: Interdisciplinarity in/for Science
1. Overview
It is commonplace the fact that “in their daily routine, teachers face difficulties originating from a
fragmented teaching-learning process” (Santos et al., 2017, p. 71), where knowledge is organized
(and presented) into distinct disciplines. In this context, an interdisciplinary approach to education
can overcome a disjointed view of the world (You, 2017).
Interdisciplinarity1 is not the same as multidisciplinarity. While the latter draws isolatedly “upon
two or more disciplinary perspectives in order to better understand or address a certain issue or
problem” (McMurtry, 2011, p. 20), the former attempts to “consciously [apply and integrate]
methodology and language from more than one discipline” (Jacobs, 1989, p. 8)2 to examine a
central topic.
Specifically, in the case of school science, one could say that interdisciplinarity seeks to go beyond
the limits of school disciplines to promote a transformation on how science is taught, learned and
ultimately perceived by the public (e.g. Broggy, O’Reilly & Erduran, 2017). An example of
interdisciplinary approach in science education is medical physics, where one is expected to
correlate physics with molecular biology, chemistry, computing, mathematics and technology
(Marcu, 2007). Likewise, themes such as pollination (Reis, 2014a), climate change (McCright et
al., 2013), recycling (Reis, 2014b) and cell biology (Rackauckas, Schilling & Nie, 2018) also offer
rich opportunities for interdisciplinarity to take place.
2. Promoting interdiciplinarity in the science classroom (activity)
2.1. Choose one (1) of the many resources cited in here (see reference section). They are either
publicly available or can be accessed through our university library website.
2.2. Next, check out the “Maple Math” online module (posted on Brightspace).
2.3. Based on your reading of the resource of your choice (2.1.) and the online module (2.2.),
create your own online module3 that illustrates how interdisciplinarity can be integrated
into the intermediate science classroom (grades 7-10). Your document should have the
following five (5) elements:
a. overview: it offers a brief intro to the activity/ theme to situate it within the curriculum
documents and the reality of students’ life.
b. activity: this is the actual activity that your students are required to complete.
c. on the submission: it explains what the final submission is expected to look like
(specifics of the document, video, etc.) and how it is to be submitted (through email,
posted on YouTube, etc.).
d. on the evaluation: here, you indicate how the activity (“b”) will be evaluated; for
example, using a rubric.
1 See also http://www.arj.no/2012/03/12/disciplinarities-2/. 2 See https://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/interdisciplinary/index.html for a workshop idea. 3 Minimally defined, an online module is any activity built to replace a 3-hour face-to-face session.
Online Module: Interdisciplinarity in/for Science
e. references: find and list at least three (3) resources (academic articles, book chapters,
books, websites, etc.) that were used in the preparation of any of the previous sections
and/or that you’d like to suggest to your students for further consultation. The
reference list must follow the latest APA formatting guidelines4
.
f. rationale + reflection: write a short rationale (½ page) explaining how you have
integrated the ideas from your reading of choice into the online module. (Please,
remember to identify the reading that you selected). In addition, offer a brief
reflection/ critique (½ page) of this online module: In which way(s) was it beneficial
– or not – to your professional development as a science teacher? What would you
change? Why? (Please, feel free to use a direct quote from the resource. Remember to
be as honest as possible. There is no “right” or “wrong” answer and your grade will
be based on the clarity, logic and support of your argument).
In addition to all the sections listed above (“a” to “f”), feel free to add a warm-up activity
if you’d like (in which case it must come before the main activity.) It could be a game, a
link to a video or the recommendation of a book chapter meant to get students thinking
about the topic of the module.
3. On the submission (format & deadline)
A word document (up to 3 pages maximum, single-spaced, font Times New Roman 12 and margins
1-inch all around) must be submitted through our website (Brightspace) in the appropriate section.
Deadline is indicated in the syllabus.
4. On the evaluation
(continues next page)
4 https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/general_format.html
Online Module: Interdisciplinarity in/for Science
Exceeds Expectations
(3 pts.)
Meets Expectations
(2.4 pts.)
Below Expectations
(1.8 pt.)
Overall quality of
online module
All 5 (five) elements
of the activity are
present, including
references in APA
style. In addition, the
proposed activity is of
appropriate length.
Capitalization and
punctuation are correct
throughout the
assignment. There are
no grammatical
mistakes. Language
use is grade-level
appropriate.
At least 4 (four)
elements of the
activity are present,
including references
in APA style. In
addition, the proposed
activity is of
appropriate length.
Capitalization and
punctuation are
correct throughout the
assignment. There are
no grammatical
mistakes. Language
use is grade-level
appropriate.
Less than 4 (four)
elements of the
activity are present
and references are not
in APA style. In
addition, the
proposed activity is
either too long or too
short. Capitalization
and punctuation are
correct throughout
the assignment. There
are few grammatical
mistakes. Language
use is grade-level
appropriate.
Interdisciplinarity/
curriculum links
The interdisciplinarity
nature (degree) of the
online module is
exceptionally clear.
The links of the
activity to different
curriculum documents
are well considered in
both the overview and
rationale + reflection.
The interdisciplinarity
nature (degree) of the
online module is clear.
The links of the
activity to different
curriculum documents
are well considered in
both the overview and
rationale + reflection.
The
interdisciplinarity
nature (degree) of the
online module is
unclear. The links of
the activity to
different curriculum
documents are not
well considered in
either the overview or
the rationale +
reflection.
Rationale +
reflection
This section of the
assignment is
exceptionally clear,
logically structured
and properly
supported. In addition,
it shows strong
evidence of creative
thinking.
This section of the
assignment is clear,
logically structured
and properly
supported. In addition,
it shows evidence of
creative thinking.
This section of the
assignment is
unclear, not logically
structured and/or
poorly supported. In
addition, it shows
little evidence of
creative thinking.
Online Module: Interdisciplinarity in/for Science
References:
Broggy, J., O’Reilly, J., & Erduran, S. (2017). Interdisciplinarity and science education. In K.
Taber and B. Akpan (Eds.), Science education (pp. 81–90). Rotterdam: Sense Publishers.
Jacobs, H. (1989). The growing need for interdisciplinary curriculum content. In H. Jacobs (Ed.),
Interdisciplinary curriculum: Design and implementation (pp. 1-12). Alexandria, VA:
Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Available at
https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED316506.
Marcu, L. (2007). Science education: The need for an interdisciplinary approach. Analele
Universitatii din Oradea, Fascicula Biologie. TOM XIV.
McCright, A., O’Shea, B., Sweeder, R., Urquhart, G. & Zeleke, A. (2013). Promoting
interdisciplinarity through climate change education. Nature Climate Change, 3, 713–716.
Available at https://www-nature-com.proxy.bib.uottawa.ca/articles/nclimate1844#articleinfo.
McMurtry, A. (2011). The complexities of interdisciplinarity: Integrating two different
perspectives on interdisciplinary research and education. Complicity: An International
Journal of Complexity and Education, 8(2), 19-35.
Mulder, M. (2012). Interdisciplinarity and education: Towards principles of pedagogical practice.
The Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension, 18(5), 437-442.
Rackauckas, C., Schilling, T., & Nie, Q. (2018). Interdisciplinary case study: How mathematicians
and biologists found order in cellular noise. iScience, 8, 267–270.
Reis, G. (2014a). Developing a global perspective in science teacher education: The case of
pollination. McGill Journal of Education, 49(2), 491-500.
Reis, G. (2014b). Human body as recycling machine. Green Teacher Magazine, 103, 21-25
Santos, C., Franco, R., Leon, D., Ovigli, D., & Colombo Júnior, P. (2017). Interdisciplinarity in
education: Overcoming fragmentation in the teaching-learning process. International
Education Studies, 10(10), 71-77.
You, H. (2017). Why teach science with an interdisciplinary approach: History, trends, and
conceptual frameworks. Journal of Education and Learning, 6(4), 66-77.