Interdisciplinary Learning (IDL)
Education Scotland: “Discipline specialism has been the driving force for centuries of educational effort, but it is polymaths, generalists and ‘T’ thinkers with interdisciplinary thinking who are required across the board to make sense of ever more complex and global issues.”
Since June 2021, Musselburgh Grammar School has formalised and developed Interdisciplinary Learning (IDL) practice, with the aim of improving pupil enjoyment, engagement and attainment. This began with a project focused on the principles of Learning for Sustainability.
Pupils in S1 learned about Learning for Sustainability and the Sustainable Development Goals in Citizenship. They also explored Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production by designing sustainable packaging in Art & Design, based on the work they had been doing in Food, Fabric & Care.
Pupils in S2 explored Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities by considering racism and society in Modern Studies. They used this understanding to design persuasive anti-racist campaigns in English.
This trial project looked to connect pupils' learning to real-world issues, demonstrating how their subject-specific skills and knowledge are transferrable between subjects and applicable to the real world.
Where are we now?
Pupils
After experiencing the trial IDL approach, 25% of pupils in S1 and 30% of pupils in S2 said they felt more engaged in their learning as a result.
Their feedback included the following suggestions in relation to enhancing this type of learning:
Build in more active, inquiry-based learning tasks or projects.
Bring in visitors or experts to talk about the issues being explored.
Include trips to see these real-life issues in real-life action.
Staff
In 2022, all faculties were consulted about this approach to learning as part of a Learning for Sustainability in Every Classroom CLPL session.
The survey results below indicate that all faculties have an appetite for collaboration and IDL. The feedback highlighted that there is real scope for depth of learning in this approach but, in order to do it justice, development time would need to be set aside.
