The Effect of the Interdisciplinary Agenda on Science Learning

Abstract

There have been a strong push at the policy level in many countries to promote interdisciplinary integration in the teaching of the STEM subjects. This study explores whether and in what ways the quality of the science teachers’ pedagogical practices change when teaching in an interdisciplinary context. A pilot study has been conducted in five secondary schools in Hong Kong. The eight science and engineering practices in the US NGSS are used as the quality criteria in the analyses of data collected during the lesson design, implementation and reflection phases during the curriculum innovation process. Findings show that the science teachers demonstrate a stronger Science identity in the interdisciplinary context, but no significant changes in the quality of the lessons.