The Synergistic Classroom: Interdisciplinary Teaching in the Small College Setting

Published by Rutgers University Press 2021

The Synergistic Classroom

Interdisciplinary Teaching in the Small College Setting

Edited by: Corey Campion and Aaron Angello
With contributions by: Corey Campion , Aaron Angello , Paul D. Reich , Patricia Marchesi , Patrick L Hamilton , Allan W. Austin , Christine Dehne , Jonathan Munson , April M Boulton , Erika Cornelius Smith , Maryann Conrad , Julia F. Klimek , Christine D Myers , Audra L Goach , Hilary Cooperman , Winston Ou , Lana A. Whited , Sharon E. Stein , Martha Barcenas-Mooradian , Amanda M. Caleb , Alicia H. Nordstrom , Tina L Hanlon , Peter Crow , Susan V Mead , Carolyn L Thomas , Delia R. Heck , Paola Prado and Autumn Quezada-Grant

https://doi.org/10.36019/9781978818453

Overview
Contents

About this book

Among the many challenges confronting the liberal arts today is a fundamental disconnect between the curricula that many institutions offer and the training that many students need. Discipline-specific models of teaching and learning can underprepare students for the kinds of interdisciplinary collaboration that employers now expect. Although aware of these expectations and the need for change, many small colleges and universities have struggled to translate interdisciplinarity into programs and curricula that better serve today’s students.

Written by faculty engaged in the design and delivery of interdisciplinary courses, programs, and experiential learning opportunities in the small college setting, The Synergistic Classroom addresses the many ways faculty can leverage their institutions' small size and openness to pedagogical experimentation to overcome the challenges of limited institutional resources and enrollment concerns and better prepare students for life and work in the twenty-first century. Taken together, the contributions in this volume invite reflection on a variety of important issues that attend the work of small college faculty committed to expanding student learning across disciplinary boundaries.

Author / Editor information

COREY CAMPION is an associate professor of history and global studies and the director of the master of arts in humanities program at Hood College in Frederick, Maryland.

AARON ANGELLO is the Sophie. M. Libman NEH Professor of Humanities at Hood College in Frederick, Maryland.

Reviews

"Unique and excellently written, The Synergistic Classroom illuminates honest yet hopeful realities about the overlooked system of interdisciplinary teaching in educational institutions. This comprehensive volume provides successful methods of teaching that can easily be implemented to enhance interdisciplinary courses."

— Vicki L. Baker, author of Charting Your Path to Full: A Guide for Women Associate Professors

"The Synergistic Classroom provides concrete examples of how to create interdisciplinary experiences that engage students in the curriculum, foster critical thinking, and support team work. This is a great exploration of the heart of professorship—to facilitate learning."

— Amy Rottmann, Lenoir-Rhyne University

"Unique and excellently written, The Synergistic Classroom illuminates honest yet hopeful realities about the overlooked system of interdisciplinary teaching in educational institutions. This comprehensive volume provides successful methods of teaching that can easily be implemented to enhance interdisciplinary courses."

— Vicki L. Baker, author of Charting Your Path to Full: A Guide for Women Associate Professors

"The Synergistic Classroom provides concrete examples of how to create interdisciplinary experiences that engage students in the curriculum, foster critical thinking, and support team work. This is a great exploration of the heart of professorship—to facilitate learning."

— Amy Rottmann, Lenoir-Rhyne University

Topics

Frontmatter Publicly Available Download PDF	i
Contents Publicly Available Download PDF	v
Introduction: Building Bridges in a Land of Colleges Corey Campion Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	1
Part I Teaching across the Disciplines
1 The Anxiety of Interdisciplinary Teaching Aaron Angello Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	15
2 Challenging the Discipline: First-Year Seminars and the Benefits of an Interdisciplinary Model Paul D. Reich Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	24
3 More Than Just Another Core Class: The Interdisciplinary Composition Course Patricia Marchesi Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	36
4 Breaking Boundaries: Reflections on an Interdisciplinary Course on Race and Graphic Narrative Patrick L. Hamilton and Allan W. Austin Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	48
5 Interdisciplinary Interactivity: Team-Teaching App Design at a Small College Christine Dehne and Jonathan Munson Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	59
6 Honeybees and the Transdisciplinary Classroom: Bridging the Gaps between History, Environmental Science, and Global Studies Corey Campion and April M. Boulton Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	71
Part II Programming across the Disciplines
7 Learning, Leading, and Succeeding: Collaborative Culture and Experiential Interdisciplinary Studies at Nichols College Erika Cornelius Smith and Maryann Conrad Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	87
8 Why Can’t It Be Both?: Supporting Students across the Spectrum of Abilities and Ambitions Julia F. Klimek Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	100
9 From Chemistry to History to Psychology: Creating a Multidisciplinary Minor in Investigative Forensics Christine D. Myers and Audra L. Goach Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	111
10 Creating a “Space of Appearance” through the Rollins Foundations in the Liberal Arts Program Hilary Cooperman Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	123
11 Flipping the Humanities Back into Mathematics Winston Ou Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	134
12 Arts in the Laboratory: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Honors Education in a Small College Setting Lana A. Whited and Sharon E. Stein Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	147
Part III Exploring across the Disciplines
13 Science and Cultural Competence: Incorporating Hispanic Migrants’ Knowledge and Experience in the Spanish Curriculum Martha Bárcenas-Mooradian Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	163
14 Authenticity and Empathy in Education: Team-Teaching “The Voices Project: Mental Health” Amanda M. Caleb and Alicia H. Nordstrom Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	176
15 Experiential Learning in the Rural, Small College Setting: Creating an “Appalachian Cluster” Tina L. Hanlon, Peter Crow, Susan V. Mead, Carolyn L. Thomas and Delia R. Heck Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	189
16 “Hold My Piña Colada”: Operational and Ethical Considerations for Interdisciplinary Experiential Learning Study Abroad Paola Prado and Autumn Quezada-Grant Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	201
Notes on Contributors Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	215
Index Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	219

Language: English
Publisher: Rutgers University Press
Audience: College/higher education;
Pages
- Main content: 231
Illustrations
- Other: 1 table
Keywords: Corey Campion; associate professor; history; global studies; director; master; Arts; humanities program; Hood College; Frederick; Maryland; Aaron Angello; Sophie. M. Libman; Education; Teaching Methods; Materials; Humanities; Teacher; Student Mentoring; liberal arts; Learning; Students; interdisciplinary; Collaboration; Synergistic Classroom; small college faculty; 20th Century

eBook

Published: October 16, 2020
ISBN: 9781978818453