CFP – Common Ground: Making Connections in Interdisciplinary Place-Based Learning

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The New York City College of Technology (City Tech) Interdisciplinary Studies Committee will host a full-day conference,Ā Common Ground: Making Connections in Interdisciplinary Place-Based Learning,Ā on Friday, October 18, 2024. This conference invites individual presentations, panel presentations, short talks, and workshop proposals that include, but are not limited to, the following topics as they relate to interdisciplinary exploration of the latest educational strategies, innovations, and practices.

Innovative approachesĀ to learning and learning environments (e.g., advanced technologies for education, augmented reality, game-based learning, simulations for learning, place-based and virtual place-based learning, virtual reality learning environments, etc.)
Collaborative learningĀ (co-teaching, team teaching, project-based learning, place-based learning, problem-based learning, etc.)
Communities of practiceĀ and socially responsive learning (diversity, equity, and inclusion; digital divide issues, initiatives, and cases; education for sustainable development; climate change, sustainability, conservation; food security/urban agriculture/local food system; civic engagement)
Best practicesĀ in assessment and implementation
Educational policyĀ and innovation

To submit a proposal, please complete the following form:Ā https://forms.gle/7Tb9vK4NqKG5iCK47

Please note that there will be no conference registration fee.

The proposal submission deadline has been extended to March 20, 2024. Email us at ids@citytech.cuny.eduĀ if you have any questions.

Interdisciplinary & Individualized Major Programs (IMP) 2023 Conference at CUNY Graduate Center

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Founding Chair Dr. Reneta Lansiquot, Co-Chair Dr. Sean MacDonald, and Professor Tamrah Cunningham presented at the 14th annual meeting of a national conference, Interdisciplinary & Individualized Major Programs (IMP) 2023, CUNY Graduate Center, March 15-17. Their panel presentation was titled “Interdisciplinary Studies at City Tech: Courses, minors, and game-based learning.” Here is the abstract of their talk: This panel presentation will spotlight interdisciplinary studies at CUNY New York City College of Technology (City Tech) through the lens of interdisciplinary courses, interdisciplinary minors, and the newly established Interdisciplinary Design Game-Based Learning Lab (ID GBL2). The presenters will discuss interdisciplinary learning outcomes, assessment, design game-based learning, and undergraduate research.

The theme of this year’s conference was The Future of Interdisciplinary and Individualized Studies: “The promotion of interdisciplinary and individualized learning is not new. Individualized and interdisciplinary forms of learning trace their roots to the progressive educational movements of the early 20th century. In the past few decades, higher education has increasingly adopted some of the characteristics of this progressive educational tradition by promoting connections between classroom learning and the ā€˜realā€™ world, by recognizing the importance of mentoring, and by breaking down some disciplinary silos. More recently, the rising cost of higher education and the upheavals of the pandemic have reinforced student interest in making their education meaningful and relevant to their lives and career ambitions, a goal many IMPs heartily endorse. In this context, what distinguishes IMPs from other academic programs? How can IMPs best navigate institutions that remain organized around disciplines? What challenges do IMPs face when promoting the learning goals of their students?”

What is Interdisciplinary Studies?

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Definition
Interdisciplinary studies involve two or more academic disciplines or fields of study organized around synthesizing distinct perspectives, knowledge, and skills. Interdisciplinary study focuses on questions, problems, and topics too complex or too broad for a single discipline or field to encompass adequately; such studies thrive on drawing connections between seemingly exclusive domains. Usually theme-based, interdisciplinary courses intentionally address issues that require meaningful engagement of multiple academic disciplines. Pedagogical strategies focus on, but are not limited to, inquiry or problem-based learning.

Although many academic disciplines, such as African American Studies and Engineering, are inherently interdisciplinary, to be considered an interdisciplinary course at City Tech the course must be team-taught[1] by more than one faculty member from two or more departments[2] in the College. An interdisciplinary course, by definition, has an interdisciplinary theme as its nucleus. In its essence, such a course brings the analytic methods of two or more academic disciplines to bear on a specific problem or question. Thus, a course in Music History is not likely to be considered interdisciplinary, but a course in Music History from an economistā€™s perspective might very well lead to such a course. The application of different methods and concepts is the key to assessing whether a course is or is not interdisciplinary. The term interdisciplinary is occasionally used to identify individual projects or assignments, but these, though possibly commendable, fall short in the necessary scope for learning experiences that demand in-depth exposure to the methodologies of distinct intellectual disciplines, and the creative application of these methodologies to specific problems.

Studies show that interdisciplinary courses improve student learning (Elrod & Roth, 2012; Klein, 2010; Lattuca, 2001; Lattuca, Voigt, & Fath, 2004; Project Kaleidoscope, 2011). To foster interdisciplinary learning, the Interdisciplinary Committee has identified goals and outcomes that students taking interdisciplinary courses should be able to achieve.

Learning Outcomes of Interdisciplinary Courses
Students will be able to:

  • Purposefully connect and integrate across-discipline knowledge and skills to solve problems
  • Synthesize and transfer knowledge across disciplinary boundaries
  • Comprehend factors inherent in complex problems
  • Apply integrative thinking to problem-solving in ethically and socially responsible ways
  • Recognize varied perspectives
  • Gain comfort with complexity and uncertainty
  • Think critically, communicate effectively, and work collaboratively
  • Become flexible thinkers

[1] See ā€œApplication for Interdisciplinary Course Designationā€ question 9b for team-teaching options.

[2] Exceptions are made for Departments that provide a home for multiple disciplines, such as Humanities and Social Science.