Interdisciplinary Education

In a young child’s mind, isolated concepts and information tend to remain unrelated to their previous fund of knowledge. Interdisciplinary studies help young students to note relationships between their previous knowledge and the concepts in topics and problems they study.

What is Interdisciplinary approach towards Education?

Interdisciplinary teaching is the latest buzzword in education. Interdisciplinary programs draw from two or more academic disciplines that work together to create a powerful learning experience and emphasize integrative learning, critical thinking, and creative problem-solving.

It has four major components – 

1. 1. The integration of experiences
   2. Social integration
   3. The integration of knowledge 
   4. Integration as a curriculum design.

Why does Manav Rachna believe in an interdisciplinary approach in teaching?

• Interdisciplinary studies respond to the developments of our society’s needs which will be reflected by future innovations within our education systems.
• Makes it possible for young students, whose thinking tends to be centred, to process information more accurately and effectively. Foster social opportunities for students to interact with one another and to work together collaboratively.
• As a school, we believe Interdisciplinary instruction helps students develop their cognitive abilities- brain-based skills and mental processes that are needed to carry out tasks.

An example of a case scenario situation of seventh grade –  Language, Arts, Science and Social Science teachers might work together to form an interdisciplinary unit on rivers. The local river system would be the unified idea but the English teacher would link it to language by studying river vocabulary and how to do a research report. The Science teacher might teach about the various life systems in the river while Social Studies teacher would teach about the local history and Geography as well as about the people who lived near the river for food and transport.

• Teachers help students cover topics in depth because they consider the many and varied perspectives from which a topic can be explored.
• Interdisciplinary knowledge and application of different disciplines leads to greater creativity.
• Such an approach allows students to learn by making connections between ideas and concepts across different disciplinary boundaries. Students learning in this way are able to apply the knowledge gained in one discipline to another. 
• To help students become proficient in this kind of curriculum, teachers encourage students in book reading, usage of internet for research and development, learning through newspapers and magazines, video and powerpoint presentations. 
• Research shows that children collect information more efficiently when the information is presented with holistic interdisciplinary studies.
• Students discover the value of integrating the study of various academic disciplines suited to their life-long interests.

To sum it all, the interdisciplinary approach shows a very promising way to young students to learn and apply their education to solve real-life problems.