Chalmers University of Technology Aalto University Aalborg University

A growing trend in education is incorporating interdisciplinarity into curricula, where students learn from multiple fields of study to tackle complex problems. This approach is particularly relevant for engineering students, who are often tasked with working on projects that require knowledge from various disciplines.

However, a recent study has highlighted the varying views among teachers regarding what students should learn and how interdisciplinarity should be implemented in the classroom. Researchers conducted interviews with 18 educators from three universities: Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden, Aalto University in Finland, and Aalborg University in Denmark.

The study revealed that some teachers focus on bringing together students from different disciplinary backgrounds to foster collaboration and teamwork. This approach emphasizes forming diverse student groups with a range of expertise to tackle complex projects. In contrast, other educators prioritize the integration of knowledge, theories, and methods from various disciplines, focusing on which perspectives students need to draw upon.

This dichotomy in teaching approaches raises questions about what interdisciplinarity truly means in an educational context. While some teachers see it as a way to promote collaboration and diversity, others view it as an opportunity to integrate different bodies of knowledge and expertise.

As the study demonstrates, the implementation of interdisciplinarity varies significantly among educators, reflecting differing views on its core principles and goals. The researchers' findings highlight the need for further discussion and clarification on what students should learn when engaging with interdisciplinary projects.

The concept of interdisciplinarity in engineering education is often borrowed from other disciplines without considering how it applies specifically to this field.

To address this issue, researchers developed a model consisting of four dimensions for understanding interdisciplinary education. These dimensions are not mutually exclusive and can overlap or be combined within the same course, allowing teachers to tailor their approach.

The model aims to provide a framework for teaching teams to clarify expectations and make informed decisions about curriculum development. By using this tool, instructors can ensure that students gain specific skills from joint projects, such as learning to coordinate work or develop shared methods of problem-solving.

Disciplinary dynamics also play a significant role in interdisciplinary collaborations. Research has shown that engineering and natural sciences tend to dominate these interactions, often relegating the humanities and social sciences to secondary roles.

This imbalance raises questions about how students from different disciplines can effectively collaborate on joint projects.

To effectively teach interdisciplinarity, teachers must consider which perspectives are given space and who gets to define the problem. This requires them to reflect on their own biases and assumptions.

Teachers planning interdisciplinary lessons need to strike a balance between different viewpoints, ensuring that students from various disciplines can collaborate successfully.