Two post-secondary instructors and one K-12 Learning Commons teacher describe how interdisciplinary units of study were designed by undergraduate pre-service teachers and by in-service teachers in a junior high school. The interdisciplinary units focused on two or more disciplines and aimed to engage student learners in understanding a complex…

Today, interdisciplinary education is a hot topic. Gaining an insight into the nature of interdisciplinary education may help when making design decisions for interdisciplinary education. In this study, we argue that, derived from interdisciplinary research, the choice of problem, the level of interaction between different disciplines and…

The author explores the mystery of how and why John Dewey's "The Sources of a Science of Education" came to be lost or forgotten, and why that work is still so important today.

Early mathematical skills have long been hailed as a cornerstone and as the best predictor of later success in mathematics and literacy. This perception highlights the importance of elementary educator's mathematical content knowledge (MCK) and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). This study explored a novel approach to motivating and facilitating…

In this chapter, the authors discuss the potential, value, and barriers to supporting PCK in the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) disciplines through collaborations across learning settings, with special attention to the role of informal science learning institutions in preservice teacher preparation. Particular focus is provided…

Current visions for the education of young people propose learning in meaningful contexts, relevant for citizens of a modern society. Inquiry-based teaching is one such approach in science education, but its potential can best be realised through constructive collaboration between teachers and across subjects. This chapter presents a case of…

Instructional models form based on the needs. To satisfy the needs specific targeted instructions are presented. Teaching how a vehicle is used, is an example for specific targeted courses. This study suggests and defines a new concept namely "integrated instructional material". Integrated structures are applications and structures which…

Literacy is the foundation for success in school and society. An essential goal of every school is to help every student read, write and think critically. Dedicated teachers are the catalyst for reaching this goal. The Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) developed a literacy professional learning model to better support these dedicated…

Despite the increasing interests and practices in interdisciplinary science education, little research has been documented to develop effective assessments targeting students' interdisciplinary learning. In response to this gap, a team of scientists and educators developed an interdisciplinary assessment instrument targeting osmosis, which was…

Facing a working world more flexible, unstable and potentially generator of vulnerabilities, the career counselling has required contemporary approaches that meet these demands, which ones have been present in Latin America for a long time. Thus, the present paper aimed to analyse some Latin American proposals and highlight general principles to…

A geographic information system (GIS) can be a valuable research tool, helping scientists understand location and bridge the gaps between subjects in interdisciplinary research (IDR), which has been promoted for its real-world solutions. However, a GIS can be difficult to use and may require understanding of a number of concepts as well as tools…

As the new generation of designers face more complex design issues, the forms of design research start to shift towards a user-centred approach to problem-solving. The cooperation and communication among various fields and specialisations are becoming more complex; in many practical design cases, in particular, technology developers face…

At many new universities, research is often seen as a fringe and/or niche activity, which falls well behind learning and teaching in the list of priorities of such institutions. This issue has major effects on the research experience of postgraduate researchers (PGRs), especially when the research community is small and fragmented across campuses.…

Like several scientists, Isaac Newton has been represented many times over many different periods, and portraits of Newton were often commissioned by the scientist himself. These portraits tell us a lot about the scientist, the artist and the cultural context. This article examines two very different portraits of Newton that were realized more…

This paper establishes the basis for a pragmatist-inspired theory of human action to predominant ideas about knowledge, learning and education. As a necessary prelude to an examination of pragmatist theory's position on human action and its specific focus on habits and creativity, pragmatism is defined and then related to inquiry. Next, the fields…