Cross-Curriculum Initiatives

1. Cross-Curriculum Initiatives Definition Benefits Challenges & Responses Recent Example Works Cited Page

2. Definition A mode of curriculum design and instruction in which individual faculty or teams identify, evaluate, and integrate information, data, techniques, tools, perspectives, concepts, or theories from two or more disciplines or bodies of knowledge to advance students’ capacity to understand issues, address problems, and create new approaches and solutions that extend beyond the scope of a single discipline or area of instruction (Rhoten et al. 3).

3. Learning Outcomes Scaffolds Bloom’s taxonomy (Bloom, Krathwohl, & Masia, 1964) Stimulates critical thinking(Elder & Paul, 2007) Complements research based instructional strategies(Marzano, Pickering, & Pollock, 2001) Appeals to multiple intelligences and learning styles(Smith, 2002). Provides opportunities for individual or cooperative-learning knowledge products that address critical issues of importance that transcend a single disciplinary focus  e.g. interdisciplinary writing rubric Catholic Formation Illuminates unity of knowledge in God’s being Continues the tradition of fides quaerens intellectum, or faith seeking understanding, i.e. learning as a form of prayer Appreciates ecumenical “Egyptian gold,” the principle of recognizing wisdom wherever it is discovered Supports the interdisciplinary nature of theliberal arts and a holistic and integrated account of universe Aids the Magisterial teachings of Holy Mother Church on education, particularly its neo-Thomistic recommendations Benefits

4. Challenges & Responses (1 of 2)

5. Challenges & Responses (2 of 2)

6. Example STH Freshman Interdisciplinary Project: An English & History Department Initiative • Focus: Evaluations of moral character through the lenses of history, theology, and literature. • Core text: Dante Alighieri’s Commedia, specifically the Inferno portion of the epic poem. • Convergence: After covering medieval European history and reading from the first section of Dante’s poem in their English class, students will select a canto from the Inferno that they find particularly compelling. Students must then clearly identify the sin and contrapasso (counter-suffering) in Dante’s imaginative scheme; these contrapassos typically correlate in a poetic or imaginative way with the particular sin in question. Students should also note the historical figures that Dante envisions populating their chosen Circle of the infernal realm and consider Dante’s justification for placement of sinners. • English assessment: Each student will re-envision and craft a contemporary version of his selected canto casting himself in the role of Dante and substituting a literary, historical, personal, or spiritual guide of choice in the place of Virgil. The revamped circle must be populated with three (3) or more historical figures and must include dialogue between the student and his guide to suit a twenty-first century audience. The student journeyman must also speak with one or more of the sinners in his updated canto of at least 120 lines. • History assessment: For their history portion of the interdisciplinary project, students will create a dynamic poster board featuring a picture and biographic details of the historical characters in their contemporary version of the selected canto. Additionally, students will offer a historically-based justification of their decision to condemn any one (1) of the historical figures to this particular circle of Hell.

7. Works Cited Page • Advanogy.com. (2004). Overview of Learning Styles. Learning-Styles-Online.com. Retrieved from http://www.learning-styles-online.com/overview/ • Bloom, B., Krathwohl, D., & Masia, B. (1964). Taxonomy of Educational Objectives: The Classification of Educational Goals. New York: Longman. • Boix Mansilla, V., Dawes Duraisingh, E., Wolfe, C.R., & Haynes, C. (2009). Targeted Assessment Rubric: An Empirically Grounded Rubric for Interdisciplinary Writing. The Journal of Higher Education 80 (3) 334-353. In Association For Integrative Studies. Retrieved from http://www.units.muohio.edu/aisorg/PUBS/AssessingIDS/TargetedAssessmentRubric.pdf • Brown, Jordan, & Liepolt, Werner. (2004). Workshop: Tapping into Multiple Intelligences. Thirteen Ed Online. Retrieved from http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/index.html • Churches, Andrew. (2008). Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy. Educational Origami Wikispaces Blog. Retrieved from http://edorigami.wikispaces.com/file/view/bloom%27s+Digital+taxonomy+v3.01.pdf • Elder, Linda, & Paul, Richard. (2007). Elements of Critical Thinking. Foundation for Critical Thinking. Retrieved from http://www.criticalthinking.org/CTmodel/CTModel1.cfm

8. Works Cited Page • Johnson, David and Roger, & Kagan, Spencer. (2001). Cooperative Learning. Kennesaw State University Educational Technology Center. Retrieved from http://edtech.kennesaw.edu/intech/cooperativelearning.htm • Marzano, R., Pickering, D., & Pollock, J. (2001). Classroom instruction that works: Research-based strategies for increasing student achievement. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. • Marzano, Robert. (2009). Researched Strategies. Marzano Research Laboratory. Retrieved from http://www.marzanoresearch.com/research/researched_strategies.aspx • Rhoten, D., Mansilla, V. B., Chun, M. & Klein, J. T. (2006). Interdisciplinary Education at Liberal Arts Institutions.Teagle Foundation. Retrieved from http://www.teaglefoundation.org/learning/pdf/2006_ssrc_whitepaper.pdf • Smith, M. K. (2002). Howard Gardner and Multiple Intelligences. The Encyclopedia of Informal Education. Retrieved from http://www.infed.org/thinkers/gardner.htm • Willmann, O. (1907). The Seven Liberal Arts. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved from New Advent: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01760a.htm