whatisadiscipline-thescottishgovernment（8页）.docVIP

PILLARS AND LINTELS: THE WHAT’S, WHY’S AND HOW’S OF INTERDISCIPLINARY LEARNING IN STEM EDUCATION Summary Interdisciplinary learning (IDL), one of the four contexts for learning of Curriculum for Excellence (CfE), cannot be properly understood without a clear understanding of the nature, benefits and limitations of disciplines. Disciplines are branches of learning characterised by distinct objects, concepts, principles, theories, skills, tools and applications, and comprise groupings of ‘like-minded’ people. By ensuring depth of knowledge and understanding, disciplines give rigour and structure to the development of knowledge and importantly are characterised by their transferability and applicability to other areas of knowledge. Science disciplines may also be inward-looking and fail to address new and relevant real-world problems, whereas major new insights and breakthroughs increasingly occur in interdisciplinary areas. In IDL learners draw on two or more disciplines in order to advance understanding of a subject or problem that extends beyond the scope of any single discipline. Successful IDL must provide substantial disciplinary knowledge and understanding that is also transferable into different contexts. By contrast, multi-disciplinary learning involves the juxtaposition of disciplines and knowledge that may have no apparent connection and may be taught as separate entities around a theme or topic. Successful development and delivery of IDL in STEM will require a strong and sustained external support system to provide CPD and support development of learning communities. Rapid scientific and technical innovation has irreversibly altered the demand for skills in a hyper-connected global marketplace. Employment growth will continue to favour highly-skilled and tertiary-educated workers. Skills are the global currency of the 21st century in which working life will become even more networked. Work will be increasingly variable and done on a project basis in