Page 38 - Teaching and learning of interdisciplinary thinking in higher education in engineering

Chapter 2
Despite the differing focus of the reviewed publications, similarities in subskills and conditions were noticed. To illustrate, phased with gradual advancement (see Table 2.1) was suggested by three publications (Ivanitskaya et al., 2002; Manathunga et al., 2006; Woods, 2007). Similar subskills and conditions were subsequently grouped and labeled. While conditions and subskills were mentioned in several of the reviewed publications within the context of a narrower focus as referred to above, it was necessary to synthesize the insights found to construct a full picture of teaching and learning in interdisciplinary higher education according to Biggs’ theory. In view of the nature of the present research, the need for empirical evidence is recognized.
Table 2.1 shows that in becoming capable of IDT, the reviewed publications suggested the importance of two categories having knowledge as well as having skills. Each category consists of a number of subskills such as knowledge of disciplinary paradigms and communication skills. In addition, in enabling IDT the publications suggested the importance of eight categories (see Table 2.1): personal characteristics, prior experiences (student component), curriculum, teacher, pedagogy, assessment (learning environment component), pattern, and learning activities (learning process component). Each category consists of a number of typical conditions, ranging from two to six, such as openness, intellectual community focused on interdisciplinarity, pedagogy aimed at achieving collaboration, and learning activities aimed at achieving reflection.
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