Integrated Projects and the Development of Interdisciplinary Problem-Solving Strategies

Interdisciplinary problem solving and research skills require early preparation in two categories: critical thinking and communication. This chapter reviews the two-year process of interdisciplinary curriculum development, shaped by collaboration between the New York City Department of Education, the New York City College of Technology of the City University of New York, and City Polytechnic High School of Engineering, Architecture, and Technology. The resulting course, “Inter-Academy Integrated Projects” (IP), emphasizes multidisciplinary problem solving that includes creativity, observation, research, visual and discursive communication, and reflection. The collaborative lessons make use of project-based methodology and emphasize social responsibility. Core skills are combined across the two trimesters of IP. This endeavor will be contrasted and compared to the work of the Partnership for the 21st Century Skills by examining the use of high-impact learning practices, feedback from students and teachers, and the issues surrounding the implementation of any new curriculum.

Communication, Culture, and Technology

The challenges of teaching Content Strategy and Information Architecture in a professional Master’s program are daunting because in these two disciplines the source of quality is hidden, and methodology can provide little useful guidance. The solution was to provide the cultural, epistemological, structural, and strategic principles behind these disciplines in classroom sessions, employing traditional lecture methods plus interactive exercises. All practical, hands-on experience comes through group research projects where students are expected to apply the principles that have been discussed in class. Students are evaluated solely on the group research projects. This case study suggests classroom methodology adjustment to make it more interactive and bring it into line with the informational environment students live in every day.

STEM Learning Communities

This chapter presents a case study involving the fictional Coastal University’s move to the next level of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) student achievement by applying a holistic approach to educating the STEM student using a learning community. Learning communities are designed to improve retention rates, increase student learning and achievement, increase faculty engagement, and lessen the feelings of isolation some students feel on large campuses. This case discusses the various components that were utilized to enhance the learning community including cluster courses, seminars, branch activities, academic progress assessments, and meetings. The challenges with the implementation of the learning community and the engagement in interdisciplinary activities will be discussed as will recommendations for the future.

Interdisciplinary Learning from a Student’s Perspective

This chapter provides a retrospective look at my experiences during an interdisciplinary course at an urban university. Course format and objectives allowed for a varied experience by combining multiple learning methodologies and opportunities. A focus is given to two class assignments that illustrate the process of integrating insights from disparate disciplines through critical thinking, creativity, and teamwork. Despite the variability and unpredictability of individual experience, the review provides evidence for the unique challenges and distinct advantages of interdisciplinary learning.

Development of Interdisciplinary Problem-Solving Strategies through Games and Computer Simulations

The purpose of this chapter is to provide two case studies examining how games and computer simulations can be used to link different disciplines in the setting of a college education for underrepresented, urban undergraduate students. The first case study illustrates how researchers from different disciplines collaborate to advance our understanding of the physiology of normal and diseased hearts. Computer simulations provide a link between an understanding of biological systems at different scale levels, from molecules to organs, making it possible to create a superior systemic (non-reductionist) representation. Problems in science and engineering require interdisciplinary thinking, so it is crucial that the next generation of researchers/professionals develop an interdisciplinary approach to problem solving. The second case study shows how computer games can be used to develop programming problem-solving and narrative skills by linking English composition with computer programming courses.

Reengineering an Introductory Computer Education Course for Undergraduate Students

Computing@Carnegie Mellon (C@CM), a required 3-unit course for all incoming Carnegie Mellon undergraduate students, went through total reengineering during 2010. The content, the delivery method, and the support model for this course were all changed simultaneously. The objective of this case study is to share experiences in reengineering this introductory computer education course, including experiences with reengineering the content, the delivery method, and the support model in a rapid rollout mode. Specifically, this case study will discuss lessons learned and speculate on the next step for future academic years based on the successes and challenges in teaching this reengineered course to 1,683 students during the 2010-2011 academic year.

STEM Academic Enrichment and Professional Development Programs for K-12 Urban Students and Teachers

This chapter highlights exemplary STEM programs in an urban school district that can be replicated in K-12 schools. The programs were developed from partnerships established between Urban Higher Education Institutions (UHEIs) and K-12 students and teachers in an urban school district. The key criteria for the assessment of these programs, both quantitative and qualitative, were based on guidelines cited from the Building Engineering and Science Talent (BEST) Commission, the National Science Education Standards, and the National Science Resources Center: (a) challenging content/curriculum; (b) inquiry-based learning; (c) clearly defined outcomes and assessments; and (d) sustained commitment and support. The development of “real-world applications” promoted critical thinking skills and were linked to STEM state and national standards. Teachers were offered STEM professional development that enhanced their content knowledge and pedagogy. Each program case was independent of each other; therefore, they were not compared or contrasted.

All Hands on Deck

The nationwide National Science Foundation (NSF) Innovation through Institutional Integration (I3) program challenges faculty, administrators, and project partners to think strategically about the creative integration of NSF-funded awards and to provide students with an interdisciplinary, cross-curriculum, technologically current approach to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) curriculum. The NSF I3 program places particular emphasis on underrepresented minorities seeking two- and four-year degrees in STEM disciplines. The focus of this chapter is on how survey data collected across STEM departments in the School of Arts and Sciences and the School of Technology and Design have been used to guide the City Tech I3 Project to implement case study teaching methodologies as a means for creating institutional change in STEM laboratories. The City Tech I3 Project addresses three of the national NSF I3 goals: broadening participation, integrating research and education, and developing a global workforce.

Enhancing Diversity in STEM Interdisciplinary Learning

The Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines have traditionally been woefully unsuccessful in attracting, retaining, and graduating acceptable numbers of Underrepresented Minorities (URMs). A new paradigm of STEM practices is needed to address this vexing problem. This chapter highlights a novel interdisciplinary approach to STEM education. Instead of being siloed and mired in their respective STEM disciplines, students integrate real world, inquiry-based learning that is underpinned by a strong foundation in mathematics and a myriad of other pillars of STEM activities. These activities include Peer-Assisted Learning Workshops, Mentoring Programs, Undergraduate Research Experiences, STEM Exposure Trips, Conference Participation, and Peer Leadership. This strategy enhances STEM education among URMs by purposefully connecting and integrating knowledge and skills from across the STEM disciplines to solve real-world problems, by synthesizing and transferring knowledge across disciplinary boundaries, and by building critical thinking skills in a manner that is relevant to their experiences and yet transformative.

Energizing Interdisciplinarity

The U.S. military is the largest single consumer of energy in the United States. Global attention to the management of energy resources will require the Department of Defense (DoD) to address its energy consumption. Prompted by a DoD directive on environmental sustainability, this chapter provides a case study on West Point’s potential to assist the Army with the problem of energy consumption through its participation in the DoD’s Net Zero Energy initiative. To be successful, West Point must transform its largely compartmentalized curriculum into one with interdisciplinary potential. Although its mission—to develop commissioned leaders of character for the Army—has changed very little during the past two centuries, its approach to leader development has shifted from a pedagogical orientation on attrition to development. This pedagogical model, when coupled with the energy initiative, is positioned to transform undergraduate education at West Point with an enhanced sense of urgency and action.