Advising

We have stressed in Teaching Interdisciplinary Integration that students can and should be exposed to techniques for integrating across courses. We made a similar argument about integrating coursework with lived experience in Integrative Learning. The efforts of interdisciplinary instructors can usefully be reinforced by academic advisors

We provide here some suggestions for Advising Staff:

    • 1. Start with helping students understand what interdisciplinary education is about. The purpose here is to begin a reframing process for understanding their higher education experience.

    • 2. Help students understand the benefit of such an education.

    • 3. Discuss with students the ways in which they can engage in connection-making between their coursework and life outside of the university. Students can engage in the process by intentionally speaking with their instructors about how to make the necessary and interesting connections. They can speak with their instructors, advisor, and other campus staff about being involved in experiential learning activities such as study abroad, service learning, and internships.

    • 4. Discuss with students your initial thoughts on how their degree plan fits together. One does not need to be an expert to consider possible connections between disciplines. Sometimes having a conversation about a student’s career aspirations is important here.

    • 5. Discuss with students their career aspirations and how they might intentionally choose meaningful coursework from different disciplines to help them accomplish their career goals.

In general, advising for interdisciplinary and integrative learning requires one to help students see a potential future for themselves, then develop a plan for getting there academically.

Tanner, M. (2016). Introduction to Integrative Studies. (2nd ed.) Kendall Hunt explores the challenges students face in integrating across courses and with lived experience. He also describes the many advantages of an interdisciplinary education. We have addressed many of these advantages in Part 1 of this website. They are discussed also in the textbooks listed under Teaching Interdisciplinary Integration