What sparked your interest in applying for a PhD position at INTED?
After completing my master's degree, I was exploring opportunities to pursue a PhD and continue working within educational research. I enjoy both educational research and working at the University of Oslo. While I was not familiar with INTED before applying, I had previously worked with my supervisor, Tor Ole Odden. He encouraged me to apply because he thought the position aligned well with my background and interests. When I started the position, I spent a lot of time discussing the Learning Assistant model with my supervisors. As I have become more involved in the project, both the research field and my role within it have become increasingly clear.
One year into your PhD project, how has it been to engage with the field of interdisciplinarity and interdisciplinary education?
I have not found the field particularly difficult to enter, partly because I went to a lower secondary school with a strong emphasis on interdisciplinary teaching. However, what has become increasingly clear to me is the diversity of approaches and perspectives within the field. Over the past year, I have gained a better understanding of the broader landscape and where my own research fits within it. The field continues to evolve, with ongoing discussions about concepts, approaches, and terminology. Exploring these different perspectives has helped me identify the direction I want to pursue in my own work. It has also highlighted the value of being part of INTED, where I can draw on the expertise of colleagues from different backgrounds and experiences.
Can you tell us about your PhD project?
My project builds on the Learning Assistant (LA) model, which has been widely used in STEM education to promote active learning and student engagement. Learning assistants receive training that helps them support student learning and facilitate productive educational environments. At INTED, we are exploring how ideas from the LA model can be transferred to interdisciplinary education. In interdisciplinary learning environments, students often work in groups that bring together different perspectives and disciplinary backgrounds. Previous research suggests that facilitation plays an important role in supporting effective collaboration in such settings. One part of my work involves investigating how learning assistants can be prepared to support interdisciplinary student groups. The Interdisciplinary Faciltiator Program aims to strengthen interdisciplinary competencies and build communities for interdisciplinary learning.
More broadly, the project seeks to develop a research-based understanding of how learning assistants can contribute to student learning in interdisciplinary contexts, and how we can train students to become facilitators of interdisciplinary group work
What are the interdisciplinary dimensions of your project?
Interdisciplinarity is embedded in the project in several ways. The project itself focuses on interdisciplinary education and on transferring ideas from the established Learning Assistant model into a new educational context. The research also draws on knowledge and methods from different fields. For example, it builds on traditions from physics education research while addressing questions related to interdisciplinary learning. In addition, my supervisory team brings expertise from different academic backgrounds, which creates opportunities to combine perspectives and approaches. As a result, the project sits at the intersection of educational research, disciplinary education research, and interdisciplinary studies.
What motivates your interest in interdisciplinarity?
Interdisciplinarity is relevant because many of the challenges and situations we encounter in everyday life extend beyond the boundaries of a single discipline. Related to this, research and education interests me, and understanding how we can design educational experiences that prepare students for this reality. I find it exciting to explore how my own ideas and experiences related to interdisciplinary teaching align with what we know from research. Through my PhD, I have the opportunity to examine different approaches to interdisciplinary education and contribute to a growing understanding of how such learning environments can best support students.
What do you see as the value of interdisciplinary education?
I think interdisciplinary education is important because the world itself is not organized according to disciplinary boundaries. Throughout our education, we often learn within individual subjects, but many of the challenges we encounter professionally, as well as everyday, require insights from multiple fields. Interdisciplinary education creates opportunities for students to connect knowledge across disciplines, engage with different perspectives, and develop a broader understanding of complex issues. This is particularly relevant when addressing major societal challenges, which rarely have solutions that can be found within a single discipline alone.
With interdisciplinarity gaining increasing attention, what do you see as the future of higher education?
I think the interdisciplinary initiatives we see today play an important role in higher education and will continue to do so. At the same time, I believe there is value in both disciplinary and interdisciplinary educational pathways. One concept I find particularly important is epistemic humility; recognizing that every discipline brings its own perspectives, strengths, and approaches. Students benefit from understanding that different disciplines approach questions in different ways and that these differences can be valuable resources when addressing complex problems. Developing respect for diverse ways of thinking and producing knowledge will be increasingly important in the future.