Exploring Venice as a Place-Based, Problem-Based Interdisciplinary Learning Experience
Introduction
Interdisciplinarity is...
“...the bringing together of different approaches, different methods, and different definitions of truth—indeed, different understandings of reality— into the study of a particular topic.”
“Really good interdisciplinarity should always be uncomfortable. It should be about confronting the complex intersections and tensions that are created when we bring together discrete ways to study and see the world. Ideally, it should be about bringing those contrasting ways in dialogue with each other and encouraging us to remain in the zone of productive discomfort and dissonance that emerges.”
Dr Bryan Brazeau discusses Venice: A Sustainable Serenissima: Water and the Future of Venice and Venice: Resistance and Representation, both two-week intensive modules offered by the Warwick International Intensive Study Programme that occur in Venice in term three and in the summer. These modules, open to second-year undergraduates at Warwick, demonstrate how problem- and place-based learning can complement each other as an interdisciplinary experience that supports students in tackling big, real-world issues from a variety of disciplinary angles via immersive experiences and placemaking.
A Sustainable Serenissima was first developed thanks to project funding awarded by IATL. This proof of concept led to the development of both this module and Resistance and Representation as regular intensive modules within the School for Cross-Faculty Studies’ structure. Bryan first discusses the module structure where students explore the city and engage with their own interests, followed by a deeper exploration of how community-based partnerships can be built to facilitate interdisciplinary learning outside of the classroom, moving from inter- to transdisciplinarity.
Students Say...
Bryan offers some summaries of student feedback:
“Students really appreciate the different forms of learning on this module,” and many say that “it's the highlight of their Warwick experience.” Several students have noted that at first they were hesitant and thought “I'm not going to learn that much,” but then realize they “actually learned more than any other module.”
Dr Bryan Brazeau
Head of Liberal Arts
Dr Bryan Brazeau is Head of Liberal Arts in the School for Cross-Faculty Studies. Bryan is also the Academic Lead on the SCFS Venice programme, spearheading two interdisciplinary place-based modules in Venice: A Sustainable Serenissima: Water and the Future of Venice and Venice - Resistance and Representation.
See Bryan’s full bio here.
Highlights
“Another key component of good interdisciplinarity is valuing the depth of existing knowledge that students bring”
“My approach to experiential interdisciplinarity also empowers students with the freedom to navigate their own interests. I don't use essay questions, and encourage students to use assessments as opportunities to explore their own interests and develop a skillset that fits with their broader goals.”
“We need to be careful that our own definition of interdisciplinarity stays flexible and doesn't ossify into a new discipline in its own right. In my practice, I bring in various ways of thinking about interdiscpilinary tensions.
I find students respond best to various forms of content and the modelling of different methodologies and how they work, rather than being told how to think. Ultimately, what I'm trying to do is to encourage students to recognise new ways in which we can think about these complex global problems."
Further Resources
- IP315 (WIISP): A Sustainable Serenissima: Water, Fire, and the Future of Venice (T3)♠
- IP317 (WIISP): Venice - Resistance and Representation (T3)♠
- A Sustainable Serenissima - Water, Fire, and the Future of Venice
Curious to learn more?
Please find information on below:
You can also contact Bryan : B.Brazeau@warwick.ac.uk