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MYP Interdisciplinary

teaching and learning

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An Introduction

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What is interdisciplinary teaching and learning in the MYP?

MYP Interdisciplinary teaching and learning Quick Start Guide

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What

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What?

Interdisciplinary teaching and learning

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is when different areas of knowledge

and ways of thinking

are connected and synthesized

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to form a more holistic understanding

of complex ideas,

issues, challenges or problems.

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Why does the MYP emphasize interdisciplinary teaching and learning?

MYP Interdisciplinary teaching and learning Quick Start Guide

Why

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Why?

The world is complex.

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In order to more fully understand

and take action to create

a “better, more peaceful” world,

we need to be able to

think and problem-solve

by synthesizing knowledge and skills

from multiple subject areas!

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How does interdisciplinary teaching and learning occur in the MYP?

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How

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How?

In MYP classes,

different subjects might make connections by individually considering the

same topic or idea

during their own separate units…

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(ex. PHE and Sciences might individually explore aspects of

body systems and health)

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How?

Or,

in a particular unit,

one subject might “borrow”

information or skills

from another subject...

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(ex. In a Design unit, students might

learn and use Visual arts drawing skills)

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How?

Or,

one subject might “weave” in information or skills from another subject in many units.

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(ex. In multiple Science units, students might learn and use Mathematics

graphing and data analysis skills.)

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How?

OR,

two or more subjects

(or disciplines within the same subject)

can collaborate to create

a “formal interdisciplinary unit”.

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What is a “formal” IDU?

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What

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Formal IDU

MYP Interdisciplinary teaching and learning Quick Start Guide

  • A formal IDU is a collaboratively planned unit involving at least two subjects (or disciplines within the same subject).

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  • In a formal IDU, the content and perspectives of the participating disciplines are integrated in a purposeful outcome.

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  • A formal IDU involves substantive disciplinary grounding and synthesized integrative learning.

Integrative

Purposeful

Grounded in disciplines

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Formal IDU requirements

MYP Interdisciplinary teaching and learning Quick Start Guide

  • Each year of the MYP must involve students in at least one formal IDU.

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  • Schools must use the collaborative interdisciplinary planning process.

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  • The integration must be meaningful and purposeful.

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  • Schools must address all strands of all three interdisciplinary objectives at least once per year.
    • If only one IDU is implemented in a year, then all strands of all three objectives must be addressed in that unit.

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  • Schools must use the interdisciplinary assessment criteria to inform formative assessment and to determine achievement levels in integrated summative assessment tasks.

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  • Schools must report student achievement in interdisciplinary learning to parents and students.

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What are

the outcomes

of a

“formal” IDU?

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Interdisciplinary objectives

Objective A: Evaluating

  • Analyze disciplinary knowledge
  • Evaluate interdisciplinary perspectives

Objective B: Synthesizing

  • Create a product that communicates purposeful interdisciplinary understanding
  • Justify how their product communicate interdisciplinary understanding

Objective C: Reflecting

  • Discuss the development of their own interdisciplinary understanding
  • Discuss how new interdisciplinary understanding enables action

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The interdisciplinary objectives

necessitate an authentic purpose and product

“Formal” interdisciplinary units

support students in making connections

between subject-based perspectives,

and using those perspectives to develop

“new understanding,

create products

or address real-world issues

in ways that would have been unlikely

through a single approach”.

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- Interdisciplinary teaching and learning in the MYP

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Students need to develop a product (or outcome)

Objective A: Evaluating

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Objective B: Synthesizing

  • Create a product that communicates purposeful interdisciplinary understanding
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Objective C: Reflecting

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The objectives also require students to demonstrate their understanding through higher order thinking processes

Objective A: Evaluating

  • Analyze disciplinary knowledge
  • Evaluate interdisciplinary perspectives

Objective B: Synthesizing

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  • Justify how their product communicate interdisciplinary understanding

Objective C: Reflecting

  • Discuss the development of their own interdisciplinary understanding
  • Discuss how new interdisciplinary understanding enables action

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When developing new IDUs

or re-developing previous IDUs...

  • What meaningful aspect of the real-world

(idea, situation, issue, challenge, problem) will this unit help students more fully understand through the content and perspective of at least two disciplines?

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  • What purposeful product or outcome could students develop to communicate their interdisciplinary understanding (and potentially use to take meaningful action)?

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  • How will students communicate their ability to analyse, evaluate, and discuss their learning,

and to justify how their product communicates interdisciplinary understanding?

ASK

YOURSELF

???

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What types of integrated tasks

might students develop in an IDU?

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MYP Interdisciplinary teaching and learning Quick Start Guide

...

...

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Integrated task types

Command terms

Example task types

Analyse

Evaluate

Justify

Discuss

Communicate thinking through:

Commentary, presentation, blog,

process journal, visual organizer, personal learning log, shared digital notes and workspaces, script, cartoons

Create

(a product that communicates interdisciplinary understanding)

Product or outcome:

Website, essay, artistic performance, experiment, investigation, oral presentation, infographics...

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Service as action product/outcome

Consider the

command terms

-Interdisciplinary teaching and learning in the MYP

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How are the integrated

tasks

assessed?

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MYP Interdisciplinary teaching and learning Quick Start Guide

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A

B

C

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1-2

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3-4

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5-6

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7-8

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Interdisciplinary criteria

Integrated tasks are collaboratively assessed

using the interdisciplinary criteria.

A. Evaluating

- Analyse disciplinary knowledge

- Evaluate interdisciplinary perspectives

B. Synthesizing

- Create a product that communicates purposeful interdisciplinary understanding

- Justify how their product communicates interdisciplinary understanding

C. Reflecting

- Discuss the development of their own interdisciplinary understanding

- Discuss how the new interdisciplinary understanding enables action

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Changes in assessment practice

*New guide changes:

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  • Student achievement levels in disciplinary criteria

are not used to inform achievement levels in any interdisciplinary criteria.

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  • The same criteria rubrics are used in all year levels.

Differentiation occurs through the complexity of the contexts and tasks.

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Can there be disciplinary tasks

in an IDU?

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MYP Interdisciplinary teaching and learning Quick Start Guide

Interdisciplinary tasks

Disciplinary task(s)

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Disciplinary assessment in an IDU

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MYP Interdisciplinary teaching and learning Quick Start Guide

  • Teachers have the option of including disciplinary mini-summative tasks during the disciplinary learning processes of an IDU.

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  • “Disciplinary summative tasks can be assessed with subject-group assessment criteria and strands.
  • Student achievement levels in subject-group criteria can be recorded as subject-specific marks; they are not used to determine student achievement in MYP interdisciplinary criteria.”

-Interdisciplinary teaching and learning in the MYP

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How is learning structured in an IDU?

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The learning process includes...

Distinct disciplinary learning

and optional development of disciplinary summative task(s)

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Distinct interdisciplinary learning

and development of integrated summative task(s)

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MYP Interdisciplinary teaching and learning Quick Start Guide

AND

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How are IDUs planned in ManageBac?

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Planning an IDU in ManageBac

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The interdisciplinary unit planner on ManageBac has been updated

to align with current MYP guidance.

The new IDU planning process is simpler and more efficient

and helpful features have been added such as:

  • One click to open the interdisciplinary unit planner!
  • Easy access to unit planning guidance and clarifications!
  • Improved Contrast and Readability
  • Better Edit Modes (especially useful on tablet)
  • Non-concurrent Units

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More help and questions?

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  • The ManageBac Interdisciplinary Teaching and Learning eBook includes a wealth of information for coordinators and teachers.

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March, 2020