Potential for Chemistry in Multidisciplinary, Interdisciplinary, and Transdisciplinary Teaching Activities in Higher Education

Hardy, John and Sdepanian, Stephanie and Stowell, Alison and Aljohani, Amal and Allen, Michael and Anwar, Ayaz and Barton, Dik and Baum, John and Bird, David and Blaney, Adam and Brewster, Liz and Cheneler, David and Efremova, Olga and Entwistle, Michael and Esfahani, Reza and Firlak, Melike and Foito, Alex and Forciniti, Leandro and Geissler, Sydney and Guo, Feng and Hathout, Rania and Jiang, Richard and Kevin, Punarja and Leese, David and Low, Wan Li and Mayes, Sarah and Mozafari, Masoud and Murphy, Samuel and Nguyen, Hieu and Ntola, Chifundo and Okafo, George and Partington, Adam and Prescott, Thomas and Price, Stephen and Soliman, Sherif and Sutar, Papri and Townsend, David and Trotter, Patrick and Wright, Karen (2021) Potential for Chemistry in Multidisciplinary, Interdisciplinary, and Transdisciplinary Teaching Activities in Higher Education. Journal of Chemical Education, 98 (4). 1124–1145. ISSN 0021-9584

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Abstract

For some professionally, vocationally, or technically oriented careers, curricula delivered in higher education establishments may focus on teaching material related to a single discipline. By contrast, multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, and transdisciplinary teaching (MITT) results in improved affective and cognitive learning and critical thinking, offering learners/students the opportunity to obtain a broad general knowledge base. Chemistry is a discipline that sits at the interface of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM) subjects (and those aligned with or informed by STEMM subjects). This article discusses the significant potential of inclusion of chemistry in MITT activities in higher education and the real-world importance in personal, organizational, national, and global contexts. It outlines the development and implementation challenges attributed to legacy higher education infrastructures (that call for creative visionary leadership with strong and supportive management and administrative functions), and curriculum design that ensures inclusivity and collaboration and is pitched and balanced appropriately. It concludes with future possibilities, notably highlighting that chemistry, as a discipline, underpins industries that have multibillion dollar turnovers and employ millions of people across the world.