The Importance of Transdisciplinarity in Teaching and Learning

Abstract

In contemporary academe there are still hostilities and tensions between disciplines that have different ontological, epistemological, axiological, and methodological systems. The future of the pursuit of learning, knowledge, and teaching is at risk of becoming stagnant unless the barriers between disciplines can be overcome. Transdisciplinarity (and interdisciplinarity) are some ways in which to synthesize knowledge at a time where it is greatly needed and these holistic ways of knowing and learning, especially transdisciplinarity (TD), are continually being denied and thwarted in formal academic settings. TD may be difficult to incorporate pedagogically due to its complex nature but is vastly important because it can ease tensions between qualitative and quantitative methodologies and promote mixed methods research. Keeping knowledge systems separate perpetuates status quo and the marginalization of certain groups, denying many other knowledge systems a voice in learning, research, and teaching. This paper will define Transdisciplinarity and present a case for its importance in knowing (epistemology), research (methodology), and teaching (pedagogy).