Toward Educational Integration: Interdisciplinary Study as a Vehicle for Meaningful Learning in the 21st Century

Abstract

In this paper, I define and defend a form of interdisciplinary study as a means to better integrating all of students' formal and informal learning experiences. Through the theoretical perspective of constructivism, I argue for an interdisciplinary approach that maintains a focus on disciplinary distinctions and methods of inquiry so that students can gain a more meaningful, relevant, and unified understanding of their world, as well as the ability to approach new situations and "real-world" problems with a practical, interdisciplinary desire to learn. The paper first addresses the rationale, research, and proposed implementation of interdisciplinary study by analyzing theory and research about learners and curriculum. Finally, the paper addresses practical implications for classroom teachers who do not have administrative support for interdisciplinary curricula. These implications center on issues of learning environments and assessment.