Interdisciplinary planning for teaching in higher education: A case study.

摘要

This case study provides a description of an interdisciplinary planning process for teaching in higher education. The investigation followed a team of five professors through their planning and teaching of the same interdisciplinary course on global change. While the course occurred over one semester, the data collection took place over a year's time to capture the precourse planning. Methods of data collection inherent in case studies and used in this study were observations, interviews, and written documents. The qualitative analyses of data supported findings in current theory of interdisciplinarity.;Interdisciplinary teaching has received a renewal of interest at all levels of education. This study provides a review of the literature highlighting the interdisciplinary movement, the limitations, strengths, and process. The findings of the study reflect the significant roles of administration, team leadership, communication, and the importance of evolutionary time involved in an interdisciplinary process. Included in the summary of conclusions is a suggested list of steps to consider when building an interdisciplinary team for teaching in higher education.