Comparing and contrasting the three approaches to integration.

Organizing Center

Multidisciplinary: Subjects are organized around a common theme but remain separate. Each
discipline follows its own standards.

Example: If the theme is "water," in science, you study the water cycle, in geography, you study
water bodies, and in literature, you read poems about water.

Interdisciplinary: Skills and concepts from different subjects are connected. The focus is on the
relationships between disciplines.

Example: In a project about sustainable energy, science teaches how energy is produced, and
social studies examines energy policies, making the subjects more integrated.

Transdisciplinary: The learning is driven by real-world problems or questions. There are no clear
boundaries between subjects.

Example:Students might explore the question, “How can we reduce our school’s carbon
footprint?” This involves using knowledge from various subjects like science, math, and social
studies.

Conceptualization of Knowledge

Multidisciplinary: Knowledge is best learned through separate disciplines. There is typically one
"right" answer within each discipline.

Example: In a history lesson, facts about a historical event are taught, while in science, specific
scientific principles are covered without crossing over into other areas.

Interdisciplinary: Knowledge is constructed through the integration of subjects. There may be

multiple correct answers because concepts from various subjects are combined.

Example: A lesson combining math and economics might allow for different ways to approach a
financial problem.

Transdisciplinary: Knowledge is interconnected and interdependent, and it’s often indeterminate.

There are many ways to approach problems, and answers may vary.

Example: Addressing a global issue like climate change, where science, ethics, and economics
all influence the solution, allows for multiple perspectives and outcomes.

Role of Disciplines

- **Multidisciplinary**: Each discipline teaches its own content independently, sticking to its
own rules and methods.
 - **Example**: English teaches grammar and composition, while math focuses on solving
equations, without mixing the two.

- **Interdisciplinary**: Different subjects are blended, and disciplines work together to form a
unified learning experience.

- **Example**: A biology and math lesson might be combined where students analyze
population growth using both scientific data and mathematical modeling.

- **Transdisciplinary**: Disciplines are used fluidly to address broader questions. Students use
whichever subjects are needed to solve a real-life problem.

- **Example**: Students might use biology, economics, and political science to address the
impact of deforestation on biodiversity and local communities.

### 4. **Learning to Know**

- **Multidisciplinary**: Concepts and understanding are gained separately across disciplines.

- **Example**: In a health project, students learn anatomy in biology, while in physical

education, they learn fitness techniques.

- **Interdisciplinary**: Concepts and skills from multiple disciplines are combined to enhance
understanding.

- **Example**: In a nutrition project, students combine biology (human health) and math
(calorie calculation) to understand dietary balance.

- **Transdisciplinary**: Students learn concepts across disciplines in a real-life context, with a

focus on solving practical problems.

- **Example**: Students analyze a community’s waste management system, drawing on

environmental science, economics, and local government policies.

### 5. **Learning to Do**

- **Multidisciplinary**: Students develop skills in each discipline independently, applying them

in the context of each subject.

- **Example**: Students learn writing techniques in English and apply them only in writing
assignments.

- **Interdisciplinary**: Skills from various disciplines are combined, and students see how they
work together.

- **Example**: In a debate about renewable energy, students use research from science and
argumentation skills from social studies.
 - **Transdisciplinary**: Students apply interdisciplinary skills to solve real-world problems.

- **Example**: To solve a community water scarcity issue, students use science (water
conservation), math (measuring water usage), and social studies (policy-making).

### 6. **Learning to Be**

- **Multidisciplinary**: Focuses on individual subjects developing personal skills like discipline,

persistence, or responsibility.

- **Example**: In math, students work individually on problem-solving, which helps develop

critical thinking and patience.

- **Interdisciplinary**: Combines disciplines to develop broader life skills like teamwork and
self-responsibility.

- **Example**: A group project that combines art and history, where students collaboratively
create a historical exhibit, teaches teamwork and shared responsibility.

- **Transdisciplinary**: Emphasizes life skills and character development through addressing

real-world problems.

- **Example**: Students work on a service-learning project to create a sustainable garden for

the community, which fosters leadership, collaboration, and environmental responsibility.

### 7. **Planning Process**

- **Multidisciplinary**: Each subject follows its own curriculum, and lessons are planned
individually.

- **Example**: Teachers plan separate units for history, math, and science, without
connecting them.

- **Interdisciplinary**: Lessons are co-planned across subjects, often using backward design
and standards-based goals.

- **Example**: Teachers from different subjects work together to design a project where
math, science, and technology are integrated, like building model houses using math formulas
and physics principles.

- **Transdisciplinary**: The planning process is flexible, with a focus on experiential learning,

inquiry, and solving real-life problems.

Example: A school might plan a year-long project where students work with local environmental
organizations to study pollution and design solutions.

Instruction
Multidisciplinary: Instruction is subject-specific and follows traditional teaching methods within
each discipline.

Example: Teachers deliver lectures or lessons within their subject areas, and students study and
complete assessments separately.

Interdisciplinary: Instruction uses inquiry-based learning, with students exploring connections

between subjects.

Example: A science and math teacher might co-teach a lesson on measuring the growth rates
of plants under different conditions, requiring both scientific observation and data analysis.

Transdisciplinary: Instruction is often student-centered, experiential, and focused on real-world

applications.

Example:Students design a project to help reduce waste in their community, working

independently to research, create plans, and present their solutions using multiple subjects.

Assessment

Multidisciplinary: Students are assessed based on their performance in each subject, with
separate tests or projects.

Example:Students take a math test and a history test, each focusing on the respective content
area.

Interdisciplinary: Assessment looks at how students integrate knowledge and skills from multiple
disciplines.

Example: Students complete a project that requires them to combine knowledge from history,
science, and literature to create a presentation on a historical event.

Transdisciplinary: Assessment is more holistic and focuses on how students apply what they’ve
learned to real-world problems.

Example: Students are evaluated based on how they addressed a real-world problem like
recycling in their school, using knowledge from various subjects like environmental science,
math (statistics), and communication skills.