Transdisciplinarity
Interdisciplinary inquiry method
Study a local water distribution system. To do this, form three groups in the class.
- The first group works with a historical perspective: When was the water distribution system built? What were the aims and difficulties at that time? What was the context? Is it still the same? Have the aims been reached?
- The second group works with a geographical perspective: How is the water distribution system planned within the territory? What is the underlying spatial logic? How did it develop? Who are the actors involved and what are their interests? How is this reflected in the way the water distribution system is planned?
- The third group works with a citizenship perspective: What are the laws and regulations related to water distribution? What were the political choices made ?
After a phase of sharing work, students are invited to identify some key issues of the local water distribution system, identifying what tends towards sustainability, and what does not.
Pictures are given which represent situations with men and women, and others with only women or only men. The group will be asked
to develop a set of enquiring questions that the pictures might evoke
to develop responses to the questions, paying attention to gender differences, both in the questions posed and in the answers.
Homework: Individually, go to What Can You Do? and look at the section wcydo (What Can You Do?). Think of 4 possible actions that you can take and discuss these with your friends and family. Identify steps that you could take soon and set target deadlines.
Organise a round table discussion regarding “Health as a Public Good”. Invite doctors, people from insurance, people from public and private sectors, patient associations, students, representatives from vulnerable groups, etc. The discussion is expected to reveal the different aspects and interests of the various parties on the issue.
Game-example: helping to developing
Eco is a community-based game; the players develop laws, government, and an economy to determine the success of their world. The developers need extensive playtesting to get the balance of our core features just right. Learners could collect experiences about participation and the transdisciplinary work.
Students conduct group research into an environmental issue, looking for solutions e.g. nitrate pollution in The Netherlands.
Students start by considering and comparing their own actions, beliefs and viewpoints and then research those of others.
Students propose different solutions and for each consider impact, advantages, possible problems/challenges, cost (and to who), practicalities of implementation, time scale.
Students write an advisory report to the government, based on their conclusions. If possible, they arrange a meeting with politicians (local, national and or higher) in which they present and discuss the report.
- Suggested duration: 15-20 mins
- Technique used: Group research
- Materials required: Internet access or reference material
- Aim of activity: To encourage students to think about things from different perspectives to do with age
- Underpinning components: UC 3.1
- Connection with other competences: Attentiveness
Short description
Using any devices you have with you, do a quick search to see what you can find out about the demographic of a local town – what is the size of the population and how is it broken down in terms of age?
Using this information, make some predictions about the future needs of the town. Consider aspects such as traffic/parking; health; housing; education; appropriate leisure facilities.
- Suggested duration: 15 mins
- Technique used: Group discussion
- Materials required: Photographs or pictures
- Aim of activity: To encourage students to explore their responses and different perspectives to a situation.
- Underpinning components: UC 3.3
- Connection with other competences:
Short description
In groups.
Choose a facilitator
Facilitator: guide your group to
- Consider the picture you are about to see
- Develop a set of enquiring questions that it might evoke
- Discuss responses to the questions
- Suggested duration: 25 mins
- Technique used: Simulation
- Materials required: Handout (see below)
- Aim of activity: To encourage students to think about their values
- Underpinning components: UC 3.3
- Connection with other competences: Values; Decisiveness
Short description
Individuals read the handout and decide on a charity. They are paired with someone who chose a different charity and have to agree on ONE charity between them. They then join another pair who chose a different charity to them and try to agree on ONE charity to support.
In plenary discuss whether this was easy or not. What made it difficult?
We are driven by our values – sometimes even positive values conflict with each other.
Handout used in UK setting: Considering Your Values
Your school has a reputation for making small donations to a variety of good causes so when an elderly neighbour of the school passed away, she left a donation of £4,000 to the school with the condition that half should go to the school and half should go to a charity in order to make an impact.
The headteacher is aware that to make an impact, this sum should be paid to one charity.
All staff and pupils were invited to suggest their favourite ‘good cause’ and a number of suggestions were made.
The Head finds it impossible to choose from the top four preferred charities so you have been asked to make a decision because you have no personal connection with any of the listed charities.
The Head’s only guidance is that the school should be “seen in a good light among parents and the public” for making this donation.
Your task is to choose one charity from the list below and then rank the others in order of priority. Explain why the other charities were not selected.
- The local animal rescue centre – their urgent need for more animal housing has been highlighted in the paper recently.
- Oxfam – towards their recent, high profile appeal following a massive earthquake in Malawi.
- The local hospice – caring for terminally ill patients with a reputation for its special care of cancer patients.
- The NSPCC – for a specific campaign to help with the assessment, support and monitoring of children returning home from a period in care.
- Suggested duration: 25 mins
- Technique used: Role play
- Materials required: Instructions to group
- Aim of activity: To encourage students to consdier things from different perspectives
- Underpinning components: UC 3.1, UC 3.2
- Connection with other competences: Decisiveness
Short description
In your assessment groups, please allocate as many of these roles as possible, (starting from the top):
- Facilitator
- Sociologist
- Environmental scientist
- Economist
- Local religious leader
- Computer scientist
- Scientist/mathematician
You make up the governing body of a local educational institution.
Government policy is to take the institution out of local authority control and make it a ‘free’ school, meaning you are able to decide for yourselves its future direction.
Task A
- Group: Discuss what should be the focus/vision from your perspective. Try to win the others around to your idea
- Facilitator: Listen and take notes. Decide who makes the most compelling argument/who ‘wins’
Task B
- Facilitator: stage another discussion.
- This time try to find a focus/vision that can satisfy all members of the group.
- A win-win?
Plenary reflect on the different experiences