What is Interdisciplinary Learning?
Interdisciplinary learning provides students with the opportunity to explore how different subjects can be used to understand a key idea. In the workplace, we work alongside different experts in different fields and our interdisciplinary units give students the opportunity to see how different disciplines connect, and can bring each other to life.
During these units, students will bring together concepts and knowledge from a range of subjects that will allow them to explain a key phenomenon, solve a problem or complete a project. A key focus is allowing students to develop knowledge on something that will positively impact the world we live in, either helping a local or global community.
What subjects will students be focusing on?
Students will be participating in the following subjects, based on their year group.
Within the Middle Years program, students undertake interdisciplinary learning. In Years 7-9 are given the opportunity to spend time exploring our interconnected world, through a variety of disciplines. Students are encouraged to explore key issues and concepts through differing subject areas and apply knowledge gained within different disciplines, to help them solve problems, establish links and inspire action. Students, as a consequence, are able to think critically and creatively, fostering intellectual rigour.
Students are also encouraged to consider how their learning can have a positive impact on their community, both locally and globally.
MYP Interdisciplinary encourages students to draw on knowledge from two or more disciplines, integrate knowledge and apply knowledge to new content. Throughout the units, students continue to develop knowledge within the disciplines, exploring how they link to an overarching theme.
Students are given an opportunity to present a final piece of work that draws the disciplines together, helping them to explore the issues addressed.
Assessment practices within MYP interdisciplinary encourage students to:
- Develop a deeper understanding of learning skills and apply them in meaningful contexts
- Integrate conceptual learning, ways of knowing, and methods of inquiring from multiple disciplines
- Inquire into compelling issues, ideas and challenges by creating products or explaining phenomena
- Reflect on and communicate understanding of the interdisciplinary learning process
How will students be assessed?
Students will be assessed under three different criteria:
- Criterion A: Evaluating
- Criterion B: Synthesising
- Criterion C: Reflecting
Each criterion is divided into various achievement levels. The level descriptors for each band describe a range of student performance in the various strands of each objective. At the lowest levels, student achievement in each of the strands will be minimal. As the numerical levels increase, the level descriptors describe greater achievement levels in each of the strands.
The three MYP criteria will be summatively assessed and reported on at the end of the academic year.
Level Descriptor
The student does not reach a standard described by any of the descriptors below.
Level Descriptor
The student:
- Demonstrates understanding by identifying disciplinary knowledge
- Demonstrates understanding by stating the strengths and limitations of interdisciplinary perspectives
Level Descriptor
The student:
- Demonstrates understanding by outlining disciplinary knowledge
- Demonstrates understanding by outlining the strengths and limitations of interdisciplinary perspectives
Level Descriptor
The student:
- Demonstrates understanding by describing disciplinary knowledge
- Demonstrates understanding by describing the strengths and limitations of interdisciplinary perspectives
Level Descriptor
The student:
- Demonstrates understanding by explaining disciplinary knowledge
- Demonstrates understanding by explaining the strengths and limitations of interdisciplinary perspectives
Level Descriptor
The student does not reach a standard described by any of the descriptors below.
Level Descriptor
The student:
- Creates a product that selects disciplinary knowledge in an attempt to communicate some interdisciplinary understanding.
- States how their product communicates interdisciplinary knowledge
Level Descriptor
The student:
- Creates a product that applies disciplinary knowledge in an attempt to communicate some interdisciplinary understanding.
- Outlines how their product communicates interdisciplinary knowledge
Level Descriptor
The student:
- Creates a product that develops disciplinary knowledge in an attempt to communicate some interdisciplinary understanding.
- Describes how their product communicates interdisciplinary knowledge
Level Descriptor
The student:
- Creates a product that synthesizes disciplinary knowledge in an attempt to communicate some interdisciplinary understanding.
- Justifies how their product communicates interdisciplinary knowledge
Level Descriptor
The student does not reach a standard described by any of the descriptors below.
Level Descriptor
The student:
- States the development of their own interdisciplinary learning
- States how new interdisciplinary understanding enables future action.
Level Descriptor
The student:
- Outlines the development of their own interdisciplinary learning
- Outlines how new interdisciplinary understanding enables future action.
Level Descriptor
The student:
- Outlines the development of their own interdisciplinary learning
- Outlines how new interdisciplinary understanding enables future action.
Level Descriptor
The student:
- Describes the development of their own interdisciplinary learning
- Describes how new interdisciplinary understanding enables future action.