Defining Disciplines and Interdisciplinarity, Understanding their History

It is useful for students to gain an appreciation of the nature of both disciplines and interdisciplinarity [See Understanding the Scholarly Enterprise] Some useful definitions are provided on the "About Interdisciplinarity" set of webpages on the AIS website: See Definitions

It is likewise useful for students to have some appreciation of the history of disciplines and interdisciplinarity. Both of these are only a couple of centuries old at most. A summary of the most important points that might be communicated to students can also be found in About Interdisciplinarity: History of Disciplines and Interdisciplinarity.

This information can be communicated in only one or two class periods, but can usefully be repeated in other courses. Matters of definition and history are naturally addressed in the key textbooks in the field: See Teaching Interdisciplinary Integration