Page 17 - Teaching and learning of interdisciplinary thinking in higher education in engineering

General introduction
the learning processes would contribute to the development of the pedagogical content knowledge for IDT in HEE.
1.4 Present thesis research
The present thesis research aim is to gain insight in the pedagogical content knowledge for IDT as suggested by Boix Mansilla (2010), in order to develop a conceptual framework representing the teaching and learning aspects of IDT that need to be taken into account. To achieve this aim, the understanding of design criteria of IDT learning environments (teaching- focus) and the understanding of IDT learning process characteristics (learning-focus) are considered as necessary. The gain in understanding of the design criteria starts, in the present research, via the use of the constructive alignment theory of Biggs and Tang. In particular, the general 3P model of teaching and learning was used as starting point to review the literature (see chapter 2). Figure 1.1 presents the 3P model of teaching and learning for higher education (Biggs, 1999a, 2003).
The 3P model describes the three points in time at which learning-related factors are placed: (a) presage, before learning takes place, (b) process, during learning, and (c) product, the outcome of learning. In addition, the 3P model represents the elements of an education practice, which can be a curriculum, course, or classroom setting, that influence the learning outcomes of students. In particular, the arrows of the 3P model show the mutual interdependencies between these elements. The major flow of influence (see bold arrows in Figure 1.1) is the joint influence of the student factors and teaching context that lead to particular learning-focused activities, and that in turn lead to particular learning outcomes.
The premise of this theory is: “good teaching is getting most students to use the level of cognitive processes needed to achieve the intended learning outcomes that the more academic
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