Transdisciplinary teaching involves a coordinated approach to apply knowledge, principles, and/or values to more than one academic discipline simultaneously. The disciplines may be related through a central theme, issue, problem, process, topic, or experience (Jacobs, 1989). The organizational structure of transdisciplinary teaching is a central theme which serves as a framework with outcomes that specify what students are expected to learn as a result of the experiences and lessons that are a part of the unit.
Transdisciplinary teaching is seen by many practioners as a way to address some of the recurring problems in education, such as fragmentation and isolated skill instruction. This approach supports goals such as transfer of learning, teaching students to think and reason, and providing a curriculum more relevant to students (Marzano, 1991; Perkins, 1991).
2. Values and Benefits of Transdisciplinary Teaching
Applies, Integrates, and Transfers Knowledge
With a traditional teaching method, while students are learning the basic information in core subject areas, they are not learning to apply their knowledge effectively in thinking and reasoning (Applebee, Langer, & Mullis, 1989). Transdisciplinary thematic teaching provides a meaningful way in which students can use knowledge learned in one context as a knowledge base in other contexts in and out of school (Collins, Brown, & Newman, 1989).
Increases Motivation
Transdisciplinary teaching can increase students' motivation for learning and their level of engagement. In contrast to learning skills in isolation, when students participate in interdisciplinary experiences they see the value of what they are learning and become more actively engaged (Resnick, 1989). When this teaching and learning approach is complemented with the process of lapbooking, it greatly increases a young child's motivation to learn as they are involved in every step of the creation of their personal lapbook.
Improves Learning
Students learn more when they use the language arts skills to explore what they are learning, write about what they are learning, and interact with their classmates, teachers, and members of the community (Thaiss, 1986). The lapbooks which the students make at each lesson further enhances and reinforces the learning experience, both during and after lessons.
With the unique and purposeful combination of transdisciplinary thematic learning approach and lapbooking, a young child's learning journey is delivered with effective and fun-filled experiences that are relevant to his daily world.
