Teaching and Learning in a Multi-Disciplinary World: Examples from a Sino-British University in China

Abstract

Multi-disciplinary teaching and learning is an emerging innovative educational form which harbours significant promise in terms of improving students' study experiences and practitioner's pedagogic practice in an era of higher education massification typified in many places by increased numbers of L2 subject language learners. Drawing on some examples from four Joint Delivery modules which are currently offered at Xi'an Jiao Tong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) this paper provides a reflective and thought provoking discussion on the form, format and pedagogy currently underpinning some of the multidisciplinary teaching and learning experiences offered at this internationally emerging institution and proposes suggestions for good practice in terms of taking them forward in future years. These five credit modules offered in semester two of undergraduate students first year at Xi'an Jiao Tong-Liverpool University are supported by university' staff from the School of Film and Television Arts, the departments of English, Culture and Communication (ECC) and Urban Planning and Design (UPD), as well as the Language Centre (LC). Now into their fifth year, the modules have also undergone some reasonably substantial developments in terms of the syllabus, delivery pattern, content, learning space and staffing. In addition, ICT has also played a much greater role with the advancement of time. This paper will therefore highlight some of the evolutionary changes designed to enhance student learning whilst also illustrating how the courses are increasingly innovative.