Fostering Critical Thinking Through Interdisciplinary and Transdisciplinary Education—A Boundary-Crossing Approach in Biomedical Science Education

Abstract

Critical thinking (CT) is essential for navigating the complex socio-scientific issues in contemporary biomedicine. These issues cross disciplinary boundaries and involve multiple societal stakeholders. Interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary (ITD) education therefore provides a valuable context for developing CT by confronting students with diverse forms of knowledge and prompting reflection on their disciplinary assumptions. In this study, boundary crossing is used as a pedagogical framework, with a focus on identification (understanding alternative perspectives) and reflection (examining one’s own assumptions). We examine how such ITD education can foster CT by enhancing students’ appreciation of disciplinary and societal viewpoints. Data from a pre- and post-course assignment were analyzed using a convergent mixed-methods approach. Students ranked the relevance and effectiveness of sessions engaging with different perspectives and identified educational design elements that contributed to broadening their biomedical outlook. Findings indicate shifts in how students perceived the relevance of different perspectives. Particularly, appreciation of the legal perspective increased. Sessions were considered most effective when involving interaction with perspective owners, interactive learning methods, and clear instructional design. The results suggest that boundary-crossing pedagogies can support CT in higher education by engaging students in reflective engagement with different disciplinary and societal perspectives.