What is Interdisciplinary Work?
In an era of interconnected challenges and opportunities, the need for reimagining our approaches to education has never been greater. At the ICRC, interdisciplinary work is at the heart of our mission, fostering collaboration across disciplines to reimagine how knowledge is taught, learned, and applied.
Interdisciplinary work involves integrating ideas, methods, and perspectives from multiple fields to address complex questions that cannot be fully understood through a single lens. In the context of curriculum research, this means drawing on diverse disciplines—such as sociology, psychology, technology, environmental science, and the arts—to enrich and expand our understanding of education.
Rather than being confined to traditional academic silos, interdisciplinary work encourages researchers to think holistically, combining knowledge to generate innovative solutions for curriculum design, implementation, and evaluation. It’s about seeing connections between seemingly disparate areas and leveraging those connections to enhance educational experiences.
Curriculum research sits at the intersection of theory and practice, grappling with fundamental questions such as:
How do we design curricula that prepare learners for the challenges of a rapidly changing world?
How can education address social inequalities and foster inclusion?
What role should technology play in shaping the future of teaching and learning?
By embracing interdisciplinary work, curriculum researchers can address these challenges with depth and creativity, ensuring that education evolves to meet the needs of a complex and interconnected world.
The Process of Interdisciplinary Work at the ICRC
Interdisciplinary work at the ICRC follows a collaborative and iterative process:
- Identifying Key Questions: Researchers begin by defining the challenges or opportunities they wish to address. These questions often emerge from real-world issues in education.
- Building Diverse Teams: Teams are assembled based on the expertise needed, bringing together individuals from different disciplines, perspectives, and professional backgrounds.
- Integrating Perspectives: Through dialogue and collaboration, researchers identify connections between their fields and synthesize knowledge to develop innovative approaches.
- Applying Insights: The findings are translated into practical solutions, such as new curricula, teaching methods, or policy recommendations.
- Reflecting and Refining: Feedback from educators, students, and stakeholders is used to refine the work and ensure its relevance and impact.
