6 Summary of Unit 5

Transdisciplinarity makes something different or new, through its unique entanglement of people, disciplines, materials, languages and environments. Therefore, this process of making as an act of doing learning is central. The making process then becomes part of the wayfaring. It could be making a small endeavour of playful experimentation to encourage thinking differently to be a substantial part of the outcome, or it could be making an artifact from a project or experience. Such making can act as a catalyst for connecting transdisciplinary learning to communities or environments, or it could remain something to think with individually or collectively as learning continues to develop and extend outwards.

In this unit you have explored what transdisciplinarity means, how it can be enacted, and the challenges it poses to existing forms of education. Essentially, outcomes of a transdisciplinary approach are not defined by individual disciplines but result in something that is entirely new. The environmental challenges currently faced by humanity require a shift from power over others to power with others, and developing resilience to live within our ever-changing world can be supported by this sustainable pedagogy.

When learners are attuned to and pay attention to the world using all of their senses, a sensitivity and drive for action can emerge as a result of the new awareness, understanding and way of travelling through the world. Instead of following the well-worn route to the acquisition of knowledge and understanding, learners need to be given the time and space to explore and experiment. In doing this, ties to specific disciplines are lessened and a complete change in our understanding as to what it means to learn can result. Continuing with the current approach to education, knowledge and learning can hinder such valuable exploration, along with the potential for the transformation that is driven by active citizenship.

In bringing together different disciplines to make something new, there is a redefinition and constructive approach to exploring and understanding our actions. As transdisciplinarity results in making something new this can take on many different forms, all of which have the capacity to promote further learning, both individually and collectively. Understanding and using transdisciplinarity is central to sustainable pedagogies and offers a vital element to support the development of the competencies learners need to prosper in an uncertain future.

Unit 5 cards

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