Graham, C., & Longchamps, P. (2020). Innovation in convergence education; 4DFrame as a pedagogical tool for holistic active learning A case study from Bilingual Montessori School of Lund, Sweden. In SH. Paik, KH. Cho, M. Ha, & YH. Kim (Eds.), International Conference on the Advancement of STEAM 2020 : Borderless Connectivity (pp. 7-14).
Innovation in convergence education; 4DFrame as a pedagogical tool for holistic active learning A case study from Bilingual Montessori School of Lund, Sweden Charlotte Graham a and Philippe Longchamps a * a
Bilingual Montessori School of Lund, Margaretavägen 1, 22240 Lund, Sweden
Abstract: To integrate the evolution of technology as an integral part of any History curriculum is to literally sow seeds of creativity in the students’ minds. When new concepts related to science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) are taught while using a multidisciplinary pedagogy together with an active learning approach, ideas that might have a considerable impact on the emerging environmentally sustainable economy of the future can flourish in the students’ imagination. With a case study from Bilingual Montessori School of Lund in Sweden (BMSL), we will attempt to demonstrate how the different concept acquisition skills needed to apply the theoretical aspects of history and other non-STEAM related school subjects are akin to an understanding of the creative process that led to technological evolutionary patterns. We will endeavour to demonstrate that by adopting a holistic approach while using 4DFrame it is possible to stimulate analytical and creative thinking, but most importantly, to develop a deeper understanding of historical and technological concepts and their relationships with one another, while creating a stimulating multidisciplinary teaching and learning environment. In order to illustrate this, we will use this case study to demonstrate where the boundaries between science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics are overlapping to such an extent that they can perfectly fit in a chronological historical narrative where technical innovation is at the heart of the evolution of civilisation, while preparing our students for the challenges of tomorrow. By using the example of the 4DFrame prototype of the Wind Powered Seed Drill we will illustrate how this approach to active learning generates sustainable learning and creative thinking. Keywords: 4DFrame, Active learning, History, Technology, Pedagogy, Convergence, Creativity 4DFrame mechanical devices while focusing on the connectivity of ideas in a multidisciplinary pedagogy. .
1. INTRODUCTION This case study attempts to investigate how history and technology teachers can integrate the five essential aspects of STEAM™ education at the core of their respective classes while using 4DFrame as a pedagogical tool. 4DFrame is an original educational material invented by Mr. Ho-gul Park in South Korea. It consists of plastic tubes and connectors and is used to create 3D shapes that can also be put in motion. STEAM™ strives to develop an educational model of how the traditional academic subjects of science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics can be structured into a framework by which to plan integrative curricula and thus create a more holistic, integrative education [1]. By endeavouring towards a more active form of learning and teaching, we will seek to demonstrate how our students integrate what they have learned in other school subjects to build
2. BACKGROUND Georgette Yakman describes STEAM™ as: "Science & Technology, interpreted through Engineering & the Arts, all based in Mathematical elements. […] as a way to teach how all things relate to each other, in school and in life”, and it is further defined as being the subjectareas of Science and Technology “interpreted through Engineering and the Arts, all based in Mathematical elements” [2]. 2.1 STEAM™ According to Deron Cameron, STEAM™ represents a paradigm shift from traditional education philosophy, based on standardised test scores, to a modern ideal which focuses on valuing the learning process as much as the results. “In essence, we dare our students to be wrong, to try multiple ideas, listen to alternate opinions and create a knowledge base that is applicable to real life as opposed to simply memorising facts for an exam” [3].
__________ Manuscript received June 3, 2020; revised June 21, 2020; accepted June 26, 2020.
Corresponding author Tel.: +46-708-144-066 e-mail: philippe.longchamps@bmsl.se
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productive and enjoyable, they need to experience the connection between different subjects and their respective curriculums. Furthermore, active learning takes place when students can generate their own connections, questions, and solutions. One of the strongest findings in the learning sciences is that “recall and comprehension are greater if learners are frequently required to produce ideas rather than exclusively receiving information from an instructor or textbook” [6]. In other words, active learning can be described as an efficient way to stimulate the mind, not only the memory.
2.2 4DFrame The students at BMSL have already been using 4DFrame in their classes for a few years. As educators, we always strive to further develop our students’ general knowledge, culture, and competence level, partially with the use of 4DFrame material which arguably offers an enhanced learning experience. Furthermore, the Swedish school curriculum actively encourages teachers to use a more holistic approach when teaching which can in many ways be facilitated by the use of 4DFrame. Many have stated that “exploration and hands-on experience is the most effective learning activity for creative education” [4] and this paper will postulate that at least partly owing to the use of 4DFrame materials, our students have been able to show better assimilated knowledge and in a more sustainable work process. The advantage of the 4DFrame material compared to more traditional school material such as egg cartons, paper, glue, and PET bottles is that 4DFrame makes the procedures more natural and mathematically correct. Students will quickly learn that their models will be much stronger and more stable if they build with equilateral triangles with 60 degree angles instead of long straight pipes. With the 4DFrame material, students can also work with mechanics in a different way than with, for example, LEGO where the mechanical parts are already completed.
Fig 1. Levels of knowledge retention [7] Among other things, the imparting of active learning strategies can prove beneficial as it will help create a “positive learning environment, it allows direct interaction between lecturers and students, it promotes an open minded ideology, it will teach students to respect someone else's opinion and enhance communication skills whilst allowing participants to personally engage with the learning activities” [8].
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While engaging in a multidisciplinary pedagogical methodology, students are encouraged to conceptualise some inventions of a specific era that has been studied historically while using 4DFrame as part of a multidisciplinary History and Technology class. In this manner, the students can be graded on their progress theoretically and practically as they develop their analytical skills while observing old sketches from famous sources of inspiration whilst also being encouraged to be creative. As a representation of this, 4DFrame has been utilised to help pupils gestate certain important breakthroughs in technology, as for example James Watt’s invention of the steam engine, pistons, and gearboxes, and to understand how simple cogwheel systems work. After a 4DFrame workshop, our students may effortlessly fathom the inner workings of all of these important inventions.
2.4 Bilingual Montessori School of Lund BMSL’s Montessori, multilingual & multidisciplinary profile is the perfect environment for pedagogical experiments such as these. We can show that it brings results, because our students learn to make connections between different disciplines and, crucially, they learn to see a bigger picture instead of focusing or specialising on specific details [9]. This way, they develop a broader perspective and they have a more positive view of education. This is why using 4DFrame as a pedagogical tool to develop the concept acquisition skills of our students is at the heart of the advancement of STEAM™ education. The goal of the described experiments is to help our pupils to conceptualise some of the most important historical breakthroughs with hands-on 4DFrame workshops.
2.3 Active Learning Equals Sustainable Learning For decades, “there has been evidence that classroom techniques designed to get pupils to participate in the learning process produce better educational outcomes at virtually all levels and age-groups” [5], and the main assertion for active learning is that it aims to develop a pupil’s capacity for analysing information and applying it to real life dilemmas. To improve students’ understanding and make the learning process more
2.5 The Skill of a Teacher Other than all the factors mentioned above, one certainly needs to acknowledge the well documented [10] crucial role that the skill of the teacher has in bringing
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Innovation in convergence education; 4DFrame as a pedagogical tool for holistic active learning A case study from Bilingual Montessori School of Lund, Sweden
In order to qualify, their wind-operated models had to function properly when put in front of a wind source such as an electric fan or a powerful hairdryer. In the form provided, the pupils had to describe the characteristics of their 4DFrame prototype, while highlighting the technical and scientific principles they had made use of. The jury awarded points for the quality of their construction and sketch, their creativity, their ability to work as a team as well as the mathematical and scientific principles used in their designs. The students were encouraged to use several different mechanical principles that they had learned about in the theoretical technology classes, such as cogwheels, levers, and gears.
about a deeper learning in their pupils. According to John Hattie “we work on the absurd assumption that all teachers are equal, which is patently not true” [11] and to learn to recognise excellence in teachers, we need a deeper representation of what that teaching quality entails, schools and society as a whole must “commit to recognising excellence with a coherent well integrated and high level of deep understanding about teacher expertise”. [12] 3. INTRODUCING THE CONTEST INSTRUCTIONS Enlightening Imagination is the Swedish National 4DFrame Qualification contest for the International Mathematics and Science Creativity Competition (IMSCC) finals which is held every year at the Gwacheon Science Museum in Seoul, South Korea. The Swedish contest is organised by the Managing Director of Nordic 4DFrame [13] Mariana Back and different science centres throughout Sweden [14]. This year’s contest was based on an original idea from the inventor of 4DFrame, Ho-gul Park. The goal was to emulate what was done by the participants of a previous experiencebased 4DFrame festival in South Korea. However, the original idea was to come up with creative designs to conceptualise a wind driven power turbine that could generate electricity. According to Ho-gul Park, the goal is “to learn to make energy using wind with the help of models made with 4DFrame tubes and connectors, and to understand how to make electricity with the help of the mechanical gears of a windmill” [15].
The participants were allowed to use a pencil, a ruler, and a pair of scissors and they were allowed to cut into the material. When their models were completed, all residual material was supposed to be put back in their respective plastic bags. Each team was also judged on the general tidiness of their workspace at the end of the contest. Some have argued that “to make multidisciplinary learning as effective as possible, it should occur in a realistic and applied setting” [16]. This type of opportunity for competition provided by the IMSCC is, to our pupils, just such a realistic and applied setting. The pupils are able to conceptualise their models as being representative of real objects, inventions that would work and be beneficial in the real world.
4. ANALYSIS OF COMPETITION OUTCOMES 3.1. Enlightening Imagination However, in this year’s Swedish version of the competition some elements were added to further stimulate creativity. The Enlightening Imagination “Wind Power Challenge” asked the students to build wind-operated devices, create a machine or construct an appliance that can be beneficial for our environment in the future. In contrast to Ho-gul Park’s original notion, the idea of generating electricity was replaced by the idea of saving energy while using wind power. The models created by the Swedish participants aged 13-14 were supposed to have at least one or more moving parts that can operate in any direction while interacting with each other with the support of wind power. The jury assessed how the models worked with the help of a wind source, such as an electric fan or a hair dryer. Each team of two participants received a competition kit with 4DFrame material. The participants had an hour and a half to complete the task of building a model, formulate an original name for it, write down and describe the technical and scientific principles used while suggesting creative alternative uses for their inventions, but very importantly, they needed to blue-print their models on an enclosed A3 form.
The most interesting aspect observed during the competition was that the participants were not only using the theoretical concepts they assimilated during their technology classes but, as a matter of fact, they were mostly inspired by things they have learned in other school subjects such as: Mathematics, Geography, Physics, History, and Home Economics. According to Senge [17], we are from a very early age “taught to break apart problems, to fragment the world. This apparently makes complex tasks and subjects more manageable, but we pay a hidden, enormous price. We can no longer see the consequences of our actions; we lose our intrinsic sense of connection to a larger whole. When we try to see the big picture, we try to reassemble the fragments in our minds, to list and organise all the pieces” [18]. The curricular concept of integrating or connecting school subject areas has gained significant attention in recent years as a plausible solution to developing a more relevant approach to teaching and learning and Wicklein and Schell [19] concluded that the “primary identified factors in succeeding with a multidisciplinary method of teaching consist of, firstly that each teacher must understand that the sum of their collective efforts can be more than the simple addition of multiple school subjects, and secondly, that the empowerment of teachers is most
3.2. Rules
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likely to occur in organisations where participation, innovation, access to information, and accountability” [20] are encouraged. Furthermore, the successful multidisciplinary teacher needs the support of the school’s leadership and administrative staff so as not to be hindered by scheduling and location issues for example.
disciplines such as: History, Geography, Home Economics, etc.
5.2 Presenting Table Content and Data: Table 1. Achieved level of development during the contest.
5. ANALYSIS OF DATA AND OBSERVATIONS This year, at Bilingual Montessori School of Lund BMSL-, the 7th graders were divided into 18 teams of two while the 8th graders competed a few days later and were also divided into 18 teams of two for a total of 36 different constructions. Each team had the same starting kit, instructions, and material as described previously. As the students were building their prototypes and sketching them the teacher observed that most inventions had a clear ‘real world’ purpose and were either inspired by the United Nations Global Goals and/or by historical inventions the students have learned about during their history classes.
Number of teams competing Reaches level 1 Reaches level 2 Reaches level 3 Reaches level 4 Reaches level 5 Reaches level 6
The jury members Veronica Holmgren, Andra Covaciu, and Charlotte Graham tested each wind-powered device with a fan and eliminated every prototype that was not functional. In the end, the top five prototypes were put on a table for final evaluation. Meanwhile, the teacher in charge, Philippe Longchamps, who was not part of the jury, collected data about the types of constructions, their potential source of inspiration, and classified them as belonging to different levels of development as described below.
Grade 8
Total
18
18
36
18
18
36
16
15
31
12
13
25
5
5
10
3
5
8
9
12*
21
The example of the wind-powered seed drill will subsequently be used to illustrate how acquired knowledge in non-technology related subjects inspires creativity consciously or unconsciously (by osmosis). 5.4 The Winning Teams The jury selected one winner from grade 7 and one winner from grade 8 to go to the National Finals and both inventions respected all the different requirements of the contest. The prototype from the winning team from grade 7 was a wind-powered auto-cooker which clearly stated multiple United Nations Global Goals in their written description while their sketch was conceptualising their prototype accurately. Meanwhile, the winning team from grade 8 was clearly inspired by their history classes about the medieval Dutch windmill since they decided to build a wind-powered water pump.
5.1. Qualitative Levels of Development As a point of comparison, the constructions for each team were documented according to a series of levels of development.
Grade 7
Level 1: The team managed to build a stable structure respecting basic scientific, technical, and mathematical principles. Level 2: The team managed to build a functioning wind turbine rotating freely in front of an electric fan. Level 3: The team managed to have another mechanical device freely interacting with the windshaft of their construction. Level 4: The team managed to have two or more mechanical devices freely interacting with each other, with at least two that are windpowered by the windshaft. Level 5: The team managed to define a clear purpose for their 4DFrame construction respecting the guidelines of the competition. Level 6: The team clearly demonstrates that they have been influenced and/or inspired by concepts acquired in other non-STEAM related
Furthermore, the students clearly stated multiple United Nations Global Goals in their respective descriptions as well. This shows that both winning teams included different aspects of what they had learned during their classes in Technology while integrating important aspects of Social Sciences such as History and Geography in their thought processes. This clearly demonstrates that the concepts acquired during their respective History and Geography classes were integrated sustainably. The subjective analysis of each level of development for every prototype built gives us a clear indication that a multidisciplinary approach to teaching Technology develops concept acquisition skills and that active 10
Innovation in convergence education; 4DFrame as a pedagogical tool for holistic active learning A case study from Bilingual Montessori School of Lund, Sweden
graders’ 4DFrame contest. These two pupils had learned about the original horse-drawn seed drill invented in the early 1700s during their history classes and by building a seed-planting 4DFrame device, they demonstrate that they understand the importance of this revolutionary historical invention whilst creatively developing it further for future real world utilisation.
learning arguably leads to more sustainable knowledge. Furthermore, by demonstrating how aspects of historical, geographical, and other non-STEAM related topics are integrated in the creative thought process, the participating students demonstrate that 4DFrame, as a pedagogical instrument for active learning, brings an added value to the advancement of STEAM™.
6.1. Interview with Amelie and Matilda When interviewed about their invention, the finalists Amelie and Matilda were able to skilfully articulate their original idea going into the competition as being “to make some kind of drill” and that their idea “developed as they were working on it”. They also iterated that a ‘mistake’ had helped develop their invention even further and that “their second prototype would be much better”. The pupils recognise that in their co-operation “one idea led to another” and that the competition-format is a great way to focus their attention on the task and to be more creative than they would otherwise be.
Fig.2. 4DFrame wind-powered organ for xylophones. 6. SPECIFIC EXAMPLE – SEED DRILL – A CASE STUDY
The above extracts from an interview [23] with two participants in the competition reveal the extent to which a multidisciplinary teacher can use important historical improvements in technology while challenging students to use their imagination to recreate, improve, develop or invent machines inspired by the technological devices they had previously learned about. The pupils taking part in the competition had previously also learned about the agricultural revolution, how it triggered the industrial revolution and how different inventions had a profound impact on the different civilisations from which they originated. Consequently, they attempted to apply a creative sustainable solution while using their imagination in order to solve the problems they had identified. The two pupils later developed their invention as having the added function of being used to plant trees. By using wind as a primary source of energy the pupils attempted to demonstrate and illustrate how their ideas for a future sustainable economy had been influenced by the historical inventions they previously learned about in their history class.
As mentioned previously, one of the most fascinating aspects that was observed during the Enlightening Imagination contest this year, was the fact that many teams competing in the creative competition came up with ideas that showed advanced creative solutions while using concepts from older inventions that the pupils had learned about during the previous chapters in their respective history classes. According to Klassen [21], a multidisciplinary study is studying a topic from the viewpoint of more than one discipline and solving a problem using a different disciplinary approach which is what our pupils were putting into action when they used inspiration from a historical invention which they previously learned about in their history lesson when creating a new invention for the contest. As the pupils gain hands-on experience in new subjects, their creativity can be enhanced. Once they leave school, they may become certified professionals that are ready to venture into innumerable fields and possibilities which in turn will boost their confidence in facing the real world. Being able to adopt borderless connectivity when electing to use the knowledge acquired in one subjectarea while studying another, is a revival of a far more inclusive and constructive pedagogy for the true holistic development of an individual. “Especially when integrating art education in other disciplines, artists need to be aware of multidisciplinary studies in today’s contexts as art cannot be alienated from Social Sciences, Politics, Literature, Cultural Studies and Design” [22]. This type of borderless connectivity was utilised in the example of the “Wind Powered Seed Drill” that was inspired by Jethro Tull’s invention. The prototype in focus was created by Amelie and Matilda in grade 8. Their invention made it to the jury’s top 3 in the 8th
Fig.3 Amelie and Matilda’s Wind Powered Seed Drill
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To get this type of synergy through education it can be advantageous to use a chronological approach in teaching as the educational narrative will make apparent how ideas and technological devices are part of different cognitive, social, and cultural evolutionary processes. In this manner, pupils may learn to understand that nothing truly useful can be invented without prior knowledge of what has been invented before. It is on these grounds we argue that a chronological pedagogy highlighting the historical process leading to the improvement of technological devices is an essential part of the advancement of STEAM™ education.
This multidisciplinary approach contributes to our students’ ability to reach some of the Swedish National Agency for Education’s knowledge requirements for grade 9 [25], such as: “Teaching should give pupils the opportunity to develop their knowledge of historical conditions, historical concepts and methods, and about how history can be used for different purposes” [26]. Meanwhile, the participants complied with all the rules of the 4DFrame “Enlightening Imagination” contest and underwent a collaborative learning experience that contributed to the development of team-work abilities 7. DISCUSSION:
By understanding the processes that brought mankind from stone carving all the way to rocket science, it is easier to grasp the essential concepts when they are classified and organised using some type of timeline. The parallels between anthropology, history, and technological development are undeniable, and teaching history while using a chronological approach is a way to integrate multiple school subjects at once in a holistic manner which can advantageously be conjugated with Montessori based teaching methods. To use an old cliché; no one can know where they are going before knowing where they come from, and this can apply to technological innovation as well.
Hopefully, more research on this subject will be conducted in the future. It would be interesting to investigate if there are alternative explanations or other convincing conclusions or hypotheses for BMSL students’ success in different 4DFrame national and international competitions, and in the various Standardised National Tests year after year. One aspect of BMSL that should be considered in future research is the juxtaposition of Montessori pedagogy with the use of 4DFrame as a field of study for a thesis. We propose randomised controlled trials with groups of pupils using alternative teaching materials, such as 4DFrame. Thereupon measuring the learning outcomes in a quantitative manner, in comparison to the use of more traditional teaching tools. Generally, in more holistic education, teachers attempt to support learning while investigating how each discipline relates to each other and how they can provide support for cross-connections and deeper understanding. Connecting pieces together as applied with 4DFrame modelling can arguably stimulate the creation of new connections in and between the students’ minds. The multidisciplinary approach, which has been mentioned several times in this article, was already promoted early in the last century by educators from alternative schooling movements such as: Montessori, Waldorf, or Reggio Emilia. The most successful institutions of purposefully holistic education include Montessori and Waldorf. Maria Montessori attributed holistic learning theories to young children and said they needed to have a “prior interest in the whole; so that they can make sense of individual facts” [24]. Her educational system is one of the most successful systems of ‘holistic’ education established.
6.2 More Examples – Related to the United Nations Global Goals [24] As discussed earlier, some related examples of 4DFrame prototypes such as Juli & Elisa’s WindPowered Auto-cooker and Sofie & Hanna’s Wind Operated Water Pump demonstrate that they gained experience by building wind turbines made with 4DFrame equipment previously. While clearly describing in their sketch that they are aiming to solve some of the most important United Nations Global Goals they used theoretical aspects in their strategies and creative process. As an example, the 8th graders who had previously built 4DFrame Dutch windmills in class consequently remembered the historical and technological concepts of the evolution of water pumps. Despite the fact that they had learned that the Dutch windmills used Archimedes' Screws to irrigate the water of the Polders, they consciously made the choice to use another mechanical concept which they acquired in the study of history about the Industrial Revolution. Since 4DFrame material does not necessarily lend itself well to building a model conceptualising an Archimedes screw, the students applied the mechanical principles of the piston in order to build their prototype of a pump. In contrast, students in 7th grade who had previously experimented with 4DFrame windmills in a multidisciplinary music workshop developed the idea of creating a cooking appliance powered by the wind in order to help the poorest people who do not have access to electricity in developing countries. They found inspiration in the United Nations Global Goals as well as in their regular Home Economics courses.
A more holistic approach to education such as this might also contribute to the pupil’s ability to zoom out and see the bigger picture. Current and societal problems i.e. climate change are arguably the result of a fragmented rather than holistic approach. The solutions to such complex dilemmas may lie in understanding the complex interconnectedness of issues, systems, and societal challenges. Our sentiment is that Education needs to adapt and ensure that specialist knowledge is always applied in a broad contextual understanding. Will borderless connectivity lead to boundless creativity?
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Innovation in convergence education; 4DFrame as a pedagogical tool for holistic active learning A case study from Bilingual Montessori School of Lund, Sweden
8. CONCLUSION REFERENCES To conclude, while highlighting the viewpoint that 4DFrame is an outstanding pedagogical tool to enhance the most active learning experiences and promote borderless connectivity, it literally encourages us to connect pieces as we are connecting ideas from different disciplines. With the help of a few examples including a specific case study, we illustrated how this type of convergence education can contribute to the advancement of STEAM™ education with 4DFrame as a pedagogical tool for holistic active learning.
[1] Georgette Yakman, (2008). ST∑@M Education: an overview of creating a model of integrative education, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/32735132 6_STEAM_Education_an_overview_of_creating_a _model_of_integrative_education [2] Ibidem [3] https://steamedu.com/ [4] Ho-gul Park (2009). The 3 Soil; 4DFrame. 4DLand (Inc.) 4D Mathematical Science Originality Institute, p. 41 [5] Freeman, Scott, Sarah L. Eddy, Miles McDonough, Michelle K. Smith, Nnadozie Okoroafor, Hannah Jordt and Mary Pat Wenderoth (2004). “Active learning increases student performance in science, engineering, and mathematics.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, vol. 111, no. 23, pp. 8410-8415 [6] Bertsch, Sharon, Bryan J. Pesta, Richard Wiscott, and Michael A. McDaniel (2007). “The Generation Effect: A Meta-Analytic Review.” Memory & Cognition, vol. 35, no. 2, pp. 201–210 [7] https://www.researchgate.net/publication/32131337 1_Identifying_the_Effectiveness_of_Active_Learni ng_Strategies_and_Benefits_in_Curriculum_and_P edagogy_Course_for_Undergraduate_TESL_Stude nts [8] Jamila Shaaruddin, Maslawati Mohamad (2017), Identifying the Effectiveness of Active Learning Strategies and Benefits in Curriculum and Pedagogy Course for Undergraduate TESL Students, Creative Education, 8, 2312-2324 [9] Longchamps, Philippe (2015). Multilingual Immersion in Education for a Multidimensional Conceptualization of Knowledge: A Case Study of Bilingual Montessori School of Lund, Malmö University Electronic Publishing. http://muep.mau.se/handle/2043/20207) [10] Hattie, J.A.C. (2003, October). Teachers make a difference: What is the research evidence? Paper presented at the Building Teacher Quality: What does the research tell us ACER Research Conference, Melbourne, Australia. Retrieved from http://research.acer.edu.au/research_conferenc e_2003/4/ [11] Ibidem, p.15 [12] Ibidem, p.16 [13] https://www.nordic4dframe.com/ [14] For more information, see https://fssc.se/ [15] Ho-gul Park (2009). The 3 Soil; 4DFrame. 4DLand (Inc.) 4D Mathematical Science Originality Institute, p.63. [16] Robert C. Wicklein and John W. Schell (1995). Case Studies of Multidisciplinary Approaches to Integrating Mathematics, Science and TechnologyEducation, Journal of Technology Education, Vol. 6 No. 2, Spring, p. 73 rd
We propose that going forward, rather than expecting pupils to themselves recognise borderless connectivity spontaneously, we will commit ourselves to teach with an intentional focus on convergence and an intellectual and multidisciplinarian borderless connectivity. In doing so, we anticipate our pupils to broaden their horizons and see that knowledge is not at all one-dimensional and potentially nurture true polymaths. In fact, knowledge and learning when taught by the skilful teacher, is all one big composition, one glorious score, no matter how closely we examine the individual vocal or instrumental parts. Our study attempts to demonstrate that the more we use a holistic and multidisciplinary method in teaching, the more we can teach our students to zoom out and see the bigger picture: How each individual subject overlaps and interacts with one another in varying ways. We would encourage further research being undertaken into augmenting school-leaders’ ability to facilitate teaching excellence in the discussed subject-areas as well as the necessity for more studies on the effectiveness of pursuing a more multidisciplinary approach in education in general. By using active learning, we may create a new synergy in teaching and we attempt to equip our students with original creative ways of thinking that are essential for their future. We could conceivably state that with the new emerging and more sustainable and environmentally friendly economy, many of today’s pupils will enter the job market and start their professional careers with jobs that have not yet been invented. Jobs for a generation that regard technology as an extension of their own consciousness and identity, where the power of working collaboratively is the key to solving the world’s greatest challenges. Thus we acknowledge the importance of participating in the group developing competitions such as 4DFrame Enlightening Imagination as most future jobs will presumably be the fruit of our students’ own creativity.
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In other words, as a result of this phenomenal borderless connectivity in pedagogy, we could argue that the businesses and enterprises of the future are already being moulded in the creative minds of our students today. 13
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[17] Senge, P. (1990). The fifth discipline: The art & practice of the learning organization. NY: Doubleday/Currency [18] Ibidem, p. 3 [19] Robert C. Wicklein and John W. Schell (1995). Case Studies of Multidisciplinary Approaches to Integrating Mathematics, Science and TechnologyEducation, Journal of Technology Education, Vol. 6 No. 2, Spring [20] Ibidem p. 72 [21] Klaassen, R.G (2018). Interdisciplinary education: a case study, European Journal of Engineering Education [22] Priti Samyukta (2019). Multidisciplinary Approach in Art Education, International Journal of Scientific Research and Review, ISSN No.: 2279-543X Volume 07, Issue 05, May 2019 UGC Journal No.: 64650, p. 1607 [23] Interview conducted 2020-05-28 [24] https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/ [25] https://www.skolverket.se/download/18.31c292d51 6e7445866a218f/1576654682907/pdf3984.pdf [26] Ibidem, p. 163 and, Longchamps, Philippe (2015). Multilingual Immersion in Education for a Multidimensional Conceptualization of Knowledge: A Case Study of Bilingual Montessori School of Lund, Malmö University Electronic Publishing. http://muep.mau.se/handle/2043/20207
[27] Maria Montessori, (1914), Dr. Montessori's own handbook, https://catalog.loc.gov/vwebv/search?searchCode= LCCN&searchArg=14010265&searchType=1&per malink=y
Charlotte Graham (Deputy Headmaster at Bilingual Montessori School of Lund, Sweden) received a BA (Hons) in Music from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne in the UK, a BA of Education from the Linnaeus University in Sweden and is currently completing the Headmaster Training Programme at Umeå University in Sweden. Her main areas of academic interest include facilitating teaching and learning through effective and progressive school leadership Philippe Longchamps (Teacher and Head of Department at Bilingual Montessori School of Lund, Sweden) Winner of the award “Teacher of the Year in Sweden 2020”, received a M.A. degree in History from UQAM in Canada, B.A. in Education at Malmö University in Sweden and a B.A. in History at Bishop’s University in Canada. Alumni of the Semester at Sea Program of the University of Pittsburgh, USA. His research interests include: multidisciplinary approach in pedagogy, multilingual education, concept acquisition skills and active learning.
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