Knowledge objects and knowledge practices in interdisciplinary learning: Example of an organization simulation in higher education

ABSTRACT

Background

Higher education is expected to prepare students with interdisciplinary learning (IDL), which is important for their educational and working life opportunities. The cocreation of knowledge in interdisciplinary teams offers multiple opportunities for the emergence of collective knowledge objects (KOs) and knowledge practices (KPs).

Methods

During iterations of an organization simulation course, interdisciplinary student teams created an offer of human resource services for a client. To analyze the students’ IDL (84 students in 12 teams), we conducted an interaction analysis, drawing on sociocultural and knowledge practice perspectives on technology-mediated learning. First, video-recordings of two teams’ meetings were analyzed to trace the tensions, negotiations, and cocreation of KOs. Second, students’ reflective diaries were analyzed to identify collective KPs.

Findings

The negotiation and cocreation of KOs were mediated by multiple material resources and participants’ disciplinary knowledge. In their diaries, students described the following collective KPs: 1) attending to interdisciplinary problems, 2) responsibility taking, 3) framing expertise and contribution, 4) crossing interdisciplinary boundaries, 5) exploring and concretizing new knowledge, and 6) reflecting and expanding upon practices and knowledge.

Contributions

The study widens our understanding of the intertwined dynamics of KOs and KPs through which students collectively create and engage in interdisciplinary learning.

Acknowledgments

We are very grateful for the course students for their generous participation and the collaborating teachers Jutta Karhu, Heli Kiema-Junes, Marko Kesti and Ville Tikkanen for their expertise.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.