New Perspectives in Science Education

The Liberal Education Program at the University of Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, has had a long history of interdisciplinary science teaching. Recently, however, our Program has expanded into a School of Liberal Education serving all students regardless of major. The School is now under the Vice-President’s Office whereas previously it was a program in Arts and Science. This paper discusses the role of science teaching in our Creativity and Innovation Across Disciplines course, Liberal Education 3300.  In this third-year course, the instructor engages 60 students per semester in an interdisciplinary exploration of thinking outside of the box. The students represent all majors and minors of study. The course is grounded in the Humanities and has a humanitarian base. But all of the main tools that the students use to think creatively are based in the logical and empirical foundations of the scientific method. This course in creativity and innovation represents a teleological synthesis of the Humanities’ and Scientific orientations.[1] 
Our School of Liberal Education believes in creating innovative learning environments within which all students can inquire into both new and settled interconnections between various silos of knowledge. In this course, students train in logical, step-by-step critical thinking and then present solutions to real world problems.  This methodology combines conceptual rigor with genuine innovation, and this is attested by the years of accumulated final projects of very high quality as well as the overall popularity of the course. Moreover, it is precisely these skills that employers of our graduates are primarily looking for in today’s market. The paper will discuss methods and findings related to interdisciplinary teaching and learning, creativity and innovation, and the grounding benefit of the scientific method in such pedagogy.  Though this paper is primarily experienced based, relevant research on the subject of science teaching and creativity is addressed.[2]

Keywords: Science teaching, creativity, innovation, pedagogy, social benefit.

References:
[1] This can be seen in the juncture of two of our main textbooks: Roberta Ness. Innovation Generation: How to Produce Creative and Useful Scientific Ideas. OUP. 2012. and Frank M. J. LaFasto and Carl Larson. The Humanitarian Leader in Each of Us: 7 Choices That Shape a Socially Responsible Life. Sage. 2011.
[2] See: Charlene M. Czerniak and Carla C. Johnson. Interdisciplinary Science Teaching. Handbook of Research in Science Education, Volume 2. Routledge. 395-412. 2014. and Tony Liversidge. “Creativity and Innovation in Science Teaching and Learning” in Matt Cochrane, Bernie Kerfoot & Judith Thomas. Teaching Science. 160-188. Sage. 2009.