Crossing the Line: Developing an Interdisciplinary Toolkit for Higher Education

Crossing the Line: Developing an Interdisciplinary Toolkit for Higher Education

School:  Moray House School of Education and Sport

Team Members:  David Overend, Seongsook Choi, Andy Cross, Madison Kurchik

Abstract

This project sets out to observe, document and critically reflect on the inaugural delivery of a new undergraduate programme at Edinburgh Futures Institute (EFI). The MA (Hons) Interdisciplinary Futures launches in September 2023, preceded by a suite of pre-honours elective courses. A mixed method approach has been developed through a successful pilot study (EFI 2022), which focussed on one of the current electives, Students as Change Agents. Expanding this research will provide insight into the holistic experience of learners and teachers on a wide range of courses, as they come together to develop skills in interdisciplinary collaboration. This project will lead to the creation of a digital toolkit for interdisciplinary education, which will open pathways for the insights and experiences of the EFI undergraduate cohort and teaching team to be disseminated across the university and beyond. This directly contributes to the University of Edinburgh’s commitment to expand interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary education, as outlined in the 2030 Strategy. Importantly, this research will include co-creation with both students and educators. This will be achieved through the formation of working groups, which will review the data at key points in the project timeline, planning and developing the online resource in teams including students, tutors, researchers and external partners. This is an opportunity to study a collection of new undergraduate courses, establishing an open and reflexive approach to challenge-led learning and interdisciplinary practice. This will be of value to colleagues developing or teaching on interdisciplinary courses; and students working across disciplines in response to global challenges.