Removing the Educational Silos

This collection was written by educators who are engaging in multi- and interdisciplinary education and are led by curiosities encompassing the collaborative nature of cognitive and kinesthetic engagement and awareness.The chapters are designed as sources for inspiration, replication, and adaptation. They are a place to start or continue. Each chapter, in varying modalities, addresses interdisciplinary course development and implementation in institutions of higher education. The common themes that emerge in the collection include navigating administrative systems and solving the challenges encountered when crossing departments or colleges, whether it be regarding listing of courses or the intricacies of course load on each professor.Many chapters also provide detailed information on the nuts and bolts of the specific course or courses taught, including syllabi, lesson examples, and both formal and informal assessments implemented. Multiple case studies are included in this collection, with many chapters providing specific examples of students’ work.Contributors candidly offer discussions of failures and successes of their interdisciplinary collaborations, be it in course design, lesson planning or complications brought in by unforeseen pandemics. Most chapters end with a section entitled ‘Lessons learned’, where experiences from the field provide opportunities for growth and continued exploration.Readers can follow the book from cover to cover or dip in, finding the chapters that serve a particular project or teaching endeavour. The varying writing styles and topics are in direct relationship with the exact nature of the inspiration for this text. The over-arching themes of collaboration (diverse backgrounds, ideas, and skill sets, multidisciplinarity, and interdisciplinarity) are the consistent touchstones that create a thematic self-guided journey of exploration through the book.The chapters offer readers guidance and encouragement to implement some of the approaches described, and inspiration to forge their own paths in the world of multi- and interdisciplinary teaching and research. The depth and breadth of collaborative possibilities are exciting, and the editors’ goal is to spark further experimentation.    An excellent and practical resource for any educator hoping to teach his or her subject matter through an interdisciplinary approach and for all courses revolving around topics of pedagogy. The key audience will be graduate students, and teachers in all stages of education from primary to higher education. 

Heather Trommer-Beardslee, MFA, MA, is the Coordinator of the Central Michigan University Dance Program, Artistic Director of the University Theatre Dance Company, and author of a textbook, Dance Production and Management (Princeton Book Company, 2013) and journal articles. Heather’s dance works have been performed nationally and internationally and her choreography was featured in Eric Limarenko’s films, Waiting in the Rain and Slipping By.Wiline Pangle, Ph.D., is a faculty member in the Biology department at Central Michigan University. She teaches a variety of classes, which include entering freshman introductory Biology courses, upper-level courses in Evolution and Behavior, and graduate level writing courses. Her research is centered on the behavior of mammals, specifically the decision-making processes involved in antipredator behaviors.Keeley Stanley-Bohn, M.F.A., is a Professor of Theatre at Central Michigan University, where she directs and teaches acting, directing, stage combat, dialects, and Theatre and the Holocaust. Keeley has worked as a professional actor and director at theatres across the USA, with increasing forays into Eastern Europe.Ann Dasen, MFA, is a Costume Designer and Make-up Artist. She is the resident Costume Designer of the mainstage theatre and dance season at Central Michigan University, as well as the faculty of costume and make-up related courses. Ann’s areas of interest and continued practice focus on SFX Make-up and integrating non-traditional technology, such as sound and light, into costume designs. Ann’s use of electroluminescent lighting in dance costuming was featured in Eric Limarenko’s film, Waiting in the Rain.Jay Batzner is a composer and zazen practitioner currently on the faculty of Central Michigan University where he teaches composition and music technology courses. He holds degrees in composition and/or theory from the University of Kansas, University of Louisville, and University of Missouri – Kansas City. Scores and recordings available at his website: jaybatzner.com