What does Transdisciplinary Learning look like at our school?
Transdisciplinary Learning at ISS provides students with learning experiences that
are: Engaging - of interest to students, involving them actively in their learning Relevant - linked to students prior knowledge and experiences, current circumstances which allow our students to learn in a context related to their lives Challenging - extend students prior knowledge and increase their competencies and understanding Significant -have global significance for all students in all cultures
What do we want students to learn? (Written curriculum)
The core of the PYP is often referred to as the five essential elements.
1. Knowledge: Significant and relevant content which students revisit throughout their years at school, which are taught through Mathematics, Language (Literacy Programme), Programme of Inquiry, PSPE (Personal, Social and Physical Education), Art, Music and Additional Languages.
2. Concepts: Powerful ideas that have relevance within a subject and transcend them. These are written as key concept questions which students explore in order to develop a coherent and in-depth understanding.
Form: What is it like? Function: How does it work? Causation: Why is it like it is? Change: How is it changing? Connection: How is it connected to other things Perspective: What are the points of view? Responsibility: What is our responsibility? Reflection: How do we know?
3. Skills: Capabilities that students need to demonstrate that may be disciplinary (e.g. numeracy and literacy skills) or Transdisciplinary (e.g. social. self- management, communication, research, thinking skills) in nature.
4. Attitudes: What we would like students to feel. Expressions based on fundamental values, beliefs and feelings about learning the environment and people. (Appreciation, commitment, confidence, cooperation, creativity, curiosity, empathy, enthusiasm, independence, integrity, respect and tolerance)
5. Action: A demonstration of deeper learning by practicing and applying their learning through responsible behavior and responsible action.
The Curriculum Corner
The Primary Years Programme
A Curriculum Framework for International Primary Education
A curriculum framework for international primary education. How Best Will Students Learn? (Taught Curriculum)
Using a Transdisciplinary approach to teaching and learning provides both teachers and students with a rich learning environment.
We are learning about a subject and we are also learning through these subjects. This means that the knowledge, concepts and skills from the subject areas (Knowledge -Written Curriculum) will support the 5 essential elements and enhance the Transdisciplinary Learning in the PYP
Example: Language We learn about different types of texts in Language through reading and writing (literacy skills). We learn about Transdisciplinary Themes through Language by applying our literacy skills to identify relevant information and record our learning using different text types e.g. report, poem, exposition, role play etc.
Math: We learn about patterns, chance and data in Math. We learn through Math by using our knowledge of patterns, chance and data to analyse data collected during our units of inquiry. We will then be able to predict trends and draw relevant conclusions from our findings.
Finally Transdisciplinary learning is inclusive. The learning experiences are differentiated to accommodate the range of abilities and learning styles in a group.
Students are empowered to value their learning and learn from it. seen as competent and are listened to encouraged to be curious, inquisitive, explore and interact with the environment physically, socially and intellectually made aware of explicit learning outcomes and the learning processes are made transparent to the students supported in their struggle for mastery and control on their journey to become independent and autonomous learners
Action: Delegation from Middle Primary students with suggestions on how we can save paper in our school. From the PYP Coordinator Rosi Uluiviti
References from; 1. Making the PYP Happen -A curriculum framework for international primary education, revised 2009, IB, Cardiff, Wales, 2009. 2. The Primary Years Programme as a Model of Transdisciplinary Learning IB, Cardiff, Wales 2010.