How do students collaborate in an interdisciplinary setting? To answer this question, PhD student Luyao observed 85 meetings across seven student teams. The initial insights may help educators improve their teaching. 'What matters is not avoiding tensions, but how people respond to them.'
When we speak with Luyao Huang, her PhD project at Leiden University is in full swing. Two papers - a systemic literature review and a case study on an interdisciplinary course - are already behind her. Next year, she will carry out a study in which teachers react to various scenarios. Today, Luyao tells us about her most recent study: a deep-dive in student collaboration.
For this study, Luyao wanted to know how inter- and transdisciplinary teamwork functions in practice. She collected data from seven student teams: two from Leiden University College, two from the Leiden Leadership Programme (a master honours programme) and three from the LDE Sustainability Honours Programme (a former bachelor honours programme). What can teachers learn from her initial insights?
Interdisciplinary or transdisciplinary?
- Multidisciplinary education: studying a subject through the lens of multiple disciplines. Each discipline adds understanding in its own way. Example: inviting guest lecturers who share insights from their discipline on the course topic.
- Interdisciplinary education: integrating perspectives from multiple disciplines for a renewed understanding of a complex issue. Example: students from different disciplines designing a solution by using their varied academic expertise.
- Transdisciplinary education: integrating insights from academic disciplines as well as relevant stakeholders. Example: students from various disciplines tackling an issue in close cooperation with an organisation and its clients.
Why did you choose interdisciplinarity as your PhD topic?
'When I came here from China in 2021, interdisciplinary education was a popular theme, both at ICLON and the university as a whole. The pandemic highlighted how difficult it is to solve complex problems by using a single discipline. The university supported interdisciplinary projects in different fields. I saw an opportunity to further explore interdisciplinary teaching in practice. How does it work? What could be improved?'
What makes your study on student teamwork stand out?
'I used not only interviews, but also naturalistic observation. I attended 85 student team meetings as a non-participant observer, whether they took place before, between or after classes, even in the evenings and at weekends.' Luyao tried to remain as unobtrusive as possible, almost as if she was not there. 'To not spoil the data.'
Following students closely over a long period can be challenging, explains Luyao. 'It takes a lot of time, and the researcher's constant presence may make students feel uncomfortable. But I feel the students handled it well. They were willing to show both their strengths and weaknesses to me, which I really appreciated. Their openness was incredibly valuable for the research, as it allowed me to collect more authentic data.'
What are your preliminary findings?
'It is too early to draw final conclusions, but some interesting patterns are beginning to emerge. One thing I noticed is that interdisciplinary teamwork is not a linear process. Students do not simply define a problem, divide the work and then bring everything together. They may move forward, get stuck, return to earlier questions and change direction as new evidence emerges.'
'The difficult part is turning different perspectives into shared knowledge'
'For example, one team initially approached their project by dividing tasks and looking for solutions quite quickly. But as they encountered difficulties and gathered evidence from stakeholders, they began to question some of their original assumptions. Their understanding of the problem gradually shifted, and so did what they thought an appropriate solution might look like.'
'What I find particularly interesting is that interdisciplinary collaboration is not just about bringing different disciplinary perspectives together. The difficult part is turning those and pieces of work into shared knowledge. To accomplish that, students need to keep discussing how their ideas fit together, especially when their understanding of the problem changes.'
Three takeaways for teachers
For teachers who want to set-up interdisciplinary or transdisciplinary education, the following lessons may help. Also see the Leiden University Guide to Transdisciplinary Education (2025) by LLInC and the Honours Academy.
1) Provide structure and guidance
Working on a complex problem with people from diverse backgrounds does not automatically go smoothly. Students need structure. Luyao: 'Sometimes I saw groups losing their way. In one programme, the Double Diamond Model served as a framework for the course and gave students a structure to return to.'
But students need guidance throughout the course, not just at the start. Luyao advises teachers to check in regularly with student teams, and even plan extra meetings if needed. This allows you to provide timely guidance when students get stuck or drift apart. 'Students have to understand what they are doing, why and what they are ultimately expected to produce.'
2) Integration is not self-evident - so help it along
Interdisciplinary education is never a goal in itself: the mode of teaching depends on the purpose of your course. But if you do opt for it, integration is key and demands constant attention. The following tips may help.
- Explain what integration means. Simply putting diverse students in the same team does not guarantee an interdisciplinary outcome. Explain how they can truly combine their insights and why this matters for the learning objectives.
- Feedback, feedback, feedback. A great way to make students think through the lens of other disciplines is to give feedback to peers. Include yourself in the feedback loop, too, to help teams recognise connections between disciplines.
- Facilitate face-to-face collaboration. If teams find it difficult to meet up regularly, make them collaborate in class. Face-to-face interactions build trust and a deeper understanding of each other's fields, making integration more likely.
3) Teachers need to adapt, too
Transdisciplinary teaching can be challenging. You become a bit of a 'coach' to students, which requires different skills. You also need to strike a balance between academic requirements and practical needs. If your expectations and those of stakeholders differ, students get caught in the middle.
It is good to remember that this is all a learning process - for you, your students and your stakeholders. This calls for curiosity, empathy and patience. Luyao: 'Teachers should set clear expectations, keep communicating and maintain a positive attitude towards everybody involved.'
Groupwork may lead to tensions. How should students and teachers deal with that?
'Interdisciplinary collaboration brings together people, perspectives and expectations. Tensions are therefore not uncommon. Students interpret the same situation differently, or have other ideas about everyone's roles. Cultural backgrounds and communication styles matter, too. Some students are more comfortable speaking up, while others prefer to listen first, or find it difficult to express complex ideas in a second language.'
'Students need opportunities to communicate their understanding and needs'
'Frustrations may also arise when there is not enough interaction between teachers and students. Teachers need to make their expectations clear and stay informed about where students stand and where they are struggling. Students need opportunities to communicate their understanding and needs. Neither side should simply assume they understand the project the same way.'
'Interdisciplinary collaboration is, by its nature, about encountering different perspectives, knowledge and ways of working. This can actually create opportunities for learning, encouraging students to reconsider their assumptions. But for that to happen, teams need an open and inclusive environment where deviating voices can be genuinely listened to. What matters is not avoiding tensions, but how people respond to them.'
Are you interested in inter- and transdisciplinary teaching? Start experimenting on the testing grounds of the Honours Academy or join the Special Interest Group at the Leiden Learning & Innovation Centre.
