Embedding general education in the Chinese university education system is a considerably complex systemic project, and a lack of institutional arrangements beneficial to general education has always been a key barrier in implementation. Currently, the main institutional restricting factors for university general education include substantial…

Students who engage in undergraduate research experiences acquire many benefits, including an understanding of how scientific knowledge is constructed, recognition that knowledge can be complex and uncertain, and the habit of viewing knowledge critically. This paper describes a first-year two-course sequence that provides multidisciplinary…

This work focuses on a possible teaching approach to promote chemistry learning for students during the first two years of technical high school in Italy (age 14-15). Critical thinking skills can be developed by integrating two different curriculum designs, converging in a novel didactic approach, a modified version of the Systemic Approach to…

The authors describe a model for embedding science communication into the science curriculum without displacing science content. They describe the rationale, development, design, and implementation of two courses taught by science faculty addressing these criteria. They also outline the evaluation plan for these courses, which emphasize broad…

Over the past twenty years, universities have increasingly employed credit-­based modular curriculum structures in an attempt to cater to the needs of more diverse student groups and to allow students greater flexibility and choice in managing their studies. With the increasing pressures placed on Australian universities to better support teaching…

This paper reflects upon the development of a multidisciplinary lesson plan aimed at developing science skills for Physics and Astronomy, Geographical and Earth Sciences, and Chemistry students at a research intensive Scottish university. The lesson plan was co-developed with a small group of staff and undergraduate students from these…

This paper presents an innovative, interdisciplinary, design-and-build course created to improve placement, content, and pedagogy for introductory engineering design education. Infused at the freshman level, the course aims to promote expert design thinking by using problem-based learning (PBL) as the mode of delivery. The course is structured to…

Higher education institutions and scientific funding agencies are emphasizing international projects that involve the integration and synergy between research groups, particularly if different disciplines are involved. Students with an education that reflects these trends will have more tools to succeed in the future, but it is challenging to…

This article explores the history and development of interdisciplinarity within the Australian context. Conditions and circumstances for the emergence of interdisciplinary approaches are explored with discussion identifying how these approaches impact and shape national curriculum, teachers' practice and pedagogy. Policies, proposals, and debate…

General objectives of interdisciplinary education are examined and some possible pitfalls of multidisciplinary courses suggested. Guidelines for improvement are offered. (LBH)

Presents three aspects of multi-professional shared learning. Discusses the levels of knowledge, skills, and attitudes that comprise a learner's "readiness" for Inter-Professional Learning and describes the design and implementation of a multi-professional shared-learning course. Identifies the educational principles underlying shared…

An approach to integrating classroom instruction of subject area content and a second language is outlined. In the integrated classroom, teams of language and content specialists bring their expertise to course planning, teaching, and assessment, and work together in the same classroom for each session. The approach was constructed by drawing on…

This syllabus describes a college course developed to address South Asian literature and culture with a focus on India. Suggestions for student readings and discussion, oral communication, listening, writing, and field trips are included. The empires of South Asia, its religions, social stratification, parallels of history and religion with the…

Describes a team-taught immersion-style, content-based program in English as a foreign language (EFL) in a Japanese college liberal arts curriculum. The collaborative model of content-based instruction differs from the typical theme-based, sheltered, and adjunct models in its educational goals and instructional format. Suggestions are made for…

This paper outlines the development of a generic Business Research Methods course from a simple name in a box to a full e-Learning web based module. It highlights particular issues surrounding the nature of the discipline and the integration of a large number of cross faculty subject specific research methods courses into a single generic module.…