Bringing Meaning to Learning: An Interdisciplinary Project for First-Year Community College Students

Abstract

Interdisciplinary pedagogy can enhance Introduction to Psychology curricula. We developed an interdisciplinary project to make meaning in a learning community (LC) clustering Introduction to Psychology with Introduction to Criminal Justice. Our purpose is to describe the project as a model and report on students’ evaluations of the project and their academic progress. We collected questionnaire data about students’ experiences completing the project. Results were positive with most students valuing make meaning, feeling more connected to psychology and expressing satisfaction. We measured student learning using project grades and final grades in the psychology course. Participants performed satisfactory on the project and outperformed a comparison group in the Introduction to Psychology course. Findings demonstrate the value of interdisciplinary pedagogy in psychology curricula.

Keywords

interdisciplinary teaching making meaning reflective pedagogy psychology curricula community college project-based learning learning community

Interdisciplinary pedagogy enhances student learning through collaboration with peers and faculty (Bournlik et al., 2018; Jones, 2010). Students gain a deeper understanding as well as develop critical skills, such as communication, teamwork, and respecting diverse perspectives, when using an interdisciplinary lens in learning (Dirsch-Weigand et al., 2015; Lim et al., 2012). Interdisciplinary teaching can also facilitate reflective pedagogy, a practice that encourages connection of course content to the self and everyday life (Desjarlais & Smith, 2011). Reflective pedagogy is important in creating a valuable learning experience as it creates opportunities for making meaning of content and engaging in critical dialogue. Faculty make meaning by teaching content that connects to students’ lived experiences (Guthrie & McCracken, 2010). Instructional tools are culturally and socially relevant, purposeful and practical to students (Layman et al., 2007; Yamauchi et al., 2005). Reflection is the most meaningful when it is ongoing, relatable, challenging and contextualized (Guthrie & McCracken, 2010). Students reflect upon their community, cultural norms, and professional aspirations while applying previous knowledge to establish connections and critically analyzing new content (Center for Research on Education, Diversity, and Excellence, 2019). To summarize, making meaning moves beyond memorization or the “banking model” of information and, alternatively, better guides students to connect knowledge, methods, concepts, and theories across disciplines (Association of American Colleges and Universities, 2005; Pearlman, 2014).

Interdisciplinary reflective pedagogical models can incorporate project-based learning into curricula to enhance student learning and engagement. Project-based learning makes meaning for students through an active learning process. The project requires students to critically analyze an issue. Student engagement increases as they evaluate the issue and develop solutions to real-world problems by reflecting upon their lived experiences and previous knowledge (Beaudin et al., 2017).

We created an interdisciplinary project that was explicitly meaningful to students. The project incorporated a reflective and relatable problem that can be addressed from multiple perspectives. Students enrolled in a first-year learning community at an urban community college in the Northeast participated in the project. The community college is located in the Bronx, New York and 78% of its students reside in this borough. The college serves an underprivileged student population with most identifying as first-generation, low-income, and/or racial and ethnic minorities; 61% identify as Latino/a and 57% as female. Most entering first-year students require supplemental support to succeed in college. For example, approximately 64% need remediation in the first year. First-year learning community programing is one supplemental support service available for incoming students at the community college.

The learning community model is a high-impact teaching practice that involves one student group completing a cluster of courses together (Kuh, 2008; Visher et al., 2011; Weiss et al., 2014). Although learning communities can vary in structure, typically they include faculty cooperation and integrated coursework from different disciplines, and collaborative learning activities (Weiss et al., 2015). Learning communities are effective first-year programming tools that improve student success in part because they facilitate interdisciplinary and cooperative learning (Fink & Inkelas, 2015; Kuh, 2016; Rima et al., 2018).

The project we describe in this paper was implemented in a first-year learning community that clusters together Introduction to Psychology and Introduction to Criminal Justice. The community college enrolls a maximum of 25 students in learning community clusters to facilitate student engagement and support. We developed this cluster because Introduction to Psychology is a requirement for many degree programs, including the Criminal Justice program, and follows a specific curriculum as mandated by the college’s psychology discipline. Developing a learning community with integrative coursework allows for more creativity and flexibility in the course. The learning community curriculum centers on the theme of justice, tying together content from both courses through integrated lessons and coursework. We developed a meaningful interdisciplinary project titled The Kalief Browder Project to integrate the content in the two learning community courses. Our aim is three-fold: 1) to describe The Kalief Browder Project as a model for future interdisciplinary projects, 2) report on students’ experiences completing the project and 3) report their academic performance on the project and progress in the Introduction to Psychology course.

The Kalief Browder Project

The objective of The Kalief Browder Project is to make meaning for students through integrative assignments. The project involves lessons, discussions, readings, videos, and assignments in both courses about Kalief Browder and his experiences with the criminal justice system. Browder was a young black male, from a low-income community, and a former student at the community college. At 16 years old, he was incarcerated at Rikers Island jail while awaiting trial for allegedly stealing a backpack (Gonnerman, 2014; 2015a, 2015b, 2015c). Browder spent 3 years on Rikers Island; he spent 2 years in solitary confinement. Browder maintained his innocence and, despite pressures to do so, refused to accept a plea bargain. His case was eventually dismissed. Six months following his release, he attempted suicide resulting in two hospitalizations (Gonnerman, 2014). Although facing adversity, Browder was determined to reclaim his life, he earned a G.E.D. and later attended the community college. During and after incarceration however he experienced psychological symptoms including depression, anxiety, and paranoia (Gonnerman, 2014; 2015a, 2015b, 2015c). Sadly, Browder died by suicide 2 years after release from Rikers. Our students perceive similarities between Browder’s experiences and their own, which makes his life story immensely meaningful. Students relate to him as a resident of the Bronx, a person living in a low-income neighborhood, a fellow student peer, a young person of color, and as someone facing adversity and sociocultural disadvantages.

Students complete The Kalief Browder Project in both learning community courses throughout the semester. In the third week, students read four newspaper articles (i.e., Gonnerman, 2014; 2015a, 2015b, 2015c) and view the documentary series Time: The Kalief Browder Story (Carter et al., 2017) about different aspects of Browder’s experiences. They learn about his criminal and civil case, time on Rikers Island, family life and childhood, community and education, and his own voiced perspective of his experiences with the criminal justice system.

In the Introduction to Criminal Justice course, students complete a short answer assignment during the fifth week of the semester. The assignment requires analysis and evaluation of issues within the investigation, court delays, and abuse by correctional officers and other inmates. Students define criminal justice terms and develop creative institutional policies to prevent future injustices.

In the Introduction to Psychology course, students write a reflection paper that connects Browder’s experiences to psychology. The assignment tasks students to critically analyze and reflect upon Browder’s story using a psychology lens. Students are free to utilize any content from their Introduction to Psychology course in their reflection. Examples of psychology content that students reflect upon include but are not limited to racism and stigmatization, adolescent development, learned helplessness, social influence, psychological disorders, and therapy. Students receive instructor guidance for selecting topics throughout the project. In addition, students apply the psychology content to propose strategies for preventing others from having similar experiences. This is a scaffolded assignment, which includes submitting an outline in Week 11, first draft in Week 12, and a final draft in the 14th week. Students receive instructor feedback and support throughout the writing process, including an in-class writing workshop. Staff from the college’s Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) program lead this workshop. As the final assignment of The Kalief Browder Project, the psychology reflection paper is an opportunity to meaningfully apply the content learned in both learning community courses.

Method

Instrument

Participants completed an anonymous questionnaire about their experiences completing The Kalief Browder Project. We developed an instrument based on previous research about interdisciplinary assignments, projects, and making-meaning (Koch et al., 2016; Layman et al., 2007; Lowman et al., 2010; Yamauchi et al., 2005). We administered the questionnaire in class during the 15th week of the semester, 3 days after students submitted their final assignment of The Kalief Browder Project. The questionnaire took approximately 20–25 minutes to complete and included 37 items in two parts. In Part 1, students ranked their experiences learning about Browder on a 6-point Likert-type scale, ranging from strongly disagree to strongly agree, with a “not applicable” option. Sample items include: “I enjoyed learning about Kalief Browder in this learning community” and “The Kalief Browder project helped me understand specific psychology terms.” Part II asked students to report demographic information, including their semester in college, residency, race, ethnicity, and gender. Students received extra credit in their Introduction to Criminal Justice class as compensation.

Participants

Sixteen of the 22 students enrolled in the learning community voluntarily participated in the study. Six students did not participate because they had withdrawn from the learning community and/or did not complete The Kalief Browder Project. All participants were non-psychology majors with 88% (n = 14) self-identifying as criminal justice students. All participants were completing their first year of college. Approximately 56% (n = 9) identified as first-generation college students and more than half (63%; n = 10) reside in the Bronx. The majority identified as Latino/a (88%; n = 14) and female (63%; n = 10).

Data Analyses

For Likert scale questions, we coded all agreement responses as “Agree” and all disagreement responses as “Disagree.” We calculated percentages to describe participants’ experiences learning about Browder and completing the project. We also calculated percentages to describe students’ performance on project and final course grades.

Results

The results section reports on students’ perceptions of their experiences completing The Kalief Browder Project as well their academic performance. Results are organized by participants’ responses to items in four categories: previous knowledge and interest, making meaning, connection to psychology, and satisfaction. Finally, we report on students’ psychology reflection paper grades as well as their academic performance in Introduction to Psychology.

Previous Knowledge and Interest

The Kalief Browder Project was a new learning experience for most participants. The majority (75%; n = 12) reported that they learned about Browder’s case for the first time through the learning community’s interdisciplinary project. Some (25%; n = 4) had previous knowledge of Browder’s case. Most (94%; n = 15) participants agreed that they enjoyed learning about Browder’s experiences in the learning community.

Making Meaning

Participants believed that The Kalief Browder Project was a meaningful experience and had positively impacted their study in both courses. Ninety-four percent (94%; n = 15) believed the interdisciplinary project was a meaningful learning experience. Importantly, 94% (n = 15) reported developing increased interest in both courses because of their work on The Kalief Browder Project. All (100%; n = 16) participants felt more encouraged to continue studying this topic because of the project. Participants also viewed the project’s value as extending beyond their work in the learning community courses. A majority (94%; n = 15) of the students believed that The Kalief Browder Project had practical value to society. The interdisciplinary project created meaning in the learning community courses by providing intersections of issues that merge justice and psychology.

Connection to Psychology

The Kalief Browder Project enhanced students’ connection to the psychology content. The majority (94%; n = 15) of participants agreed that learning about Browder helped them to better understand psychology concepts covered in the Introduction to Psychology course. Importantly, all (100%; n = 16) participants reported that The Kalief Browder Project taught them the importance of psychology within the criminal justice field. Participants felt that completing the project had enhanced their study of psychology by shedding light on the application of psychology to their ongoing study of criminal justice.

Satisfaction

Most participants were satisfied with their experiences completing the project as well as with the project’s structure. The majority (94%; n = 15) expressed appreciation for the integrative project. More specifically, 88% (n = 14) of the students were satisfied with the project’s structure. All (100%; n = 16) participants reported liking the scaffolded structure of the reflection paper assignment completed in the Introduction to Psychology course. In sum, students appreciated the experience of completing the project, the project’s structure, and the supplementary support provided during class.

Academic Progress

Students’ performance on the final assignment of the project, the psychology reflection paper, was satisfactory. Eighty-one percent (81%; n = 13) of students earned 70% (C−) or higher on the psychology reflection paper with 68% (n = 11) earning an 80% or higher. Overall satisfactory performance on the final assignment of the project is one indicator of improved student learning.

Participants also demonstrated enhanced academic progress compared to other criminal justice students. Students in the learning community earned higher final grades in Introduction to Psychology compared to criminal justice students in other sections. Eighty-seven percent (87%) of students in the learning community versus 78% of other Criminal Justice students earned final grades of 70% (C−) or higher in Introduction to Psychology. Passing rates were higher among study participants (94%) versus criminal justice students enrolled in other sections of Introduction to Psychology (85%). Retention at the college in the following semester was higher among students who completed the learning community courses compared to criminal justice students in other sections of Introduction to Psychology (75% vs. 66%, respectively). Improved academic progress among learning community students further supports the value of interdisciplinary projects.

Discussion

The purpose of developing The Kalief Browder Project was to meaningfully integrate interdisciplinary content. Previous research has emphasized the importance of making meaning for students that includes ongoing discussions, contextualization, reflection, and analysis in curricula (Guthrie & McCracken, 2010; Yamauchi et al., 2005). We found that students enjoy and value learning experiences involving these components. Participants reported positive experiences completing the meaningful project. In addition to their satisfaction with the project design and structure, most believed the assignments were meaningful and fostered a greater understanding of psychology and its intersections with the criminal justice field. The project’s integration of interdisciplinary content, active learning exercises, and the continuous dialogue encouraged a deeper, more critical understanding of the topic and content. Student engagement and empowerment also improved as the project required critical analysis of a real-world case and consideration of prevention strategies (Beaudin et al., 2017; Kleinberg, 2008; Salemi, 2002).

Meaningful projects with interdisciplinary components may revitalize Introduction to Psychology courses. Teaching undergraduate Introduction to Psychology presents pedagogical challenges. Although the curriculum may vary across colleges, it includes a diverse and large volume of content. Mastery of extensive curricula is challenging, especially for first year students who are often simultaneously acquiring college success skills. Participants in this study, all first-year community college students, felt that their work on The Kalief Browder Project had improved their comprehension of the psychology content. Although further investigation is needed, our finding that participants earned higher final grades in Introduction to Psychology compared to criminal justice students in other sections of the course is promising. Introduction to Psychology projects that guide students to meaningfully connect the content to their own lived experiences may facilitate their learning of the course’s extensive curriculum. Future studies should aim to obtain larger sample sizes and make comparisons across colleges.

Incorporating meaningful projects into Introduction to Psychology courses may also generate more student interest in psychology. Importantly, all of the participants in this study were non-psychology majors. Although it is unique that the learning community enrolled mostly criminal justice students, it is typical for Introduction to Psychology courses across colleges and universities to enroll non-psychology majors. For example, 95% of the 1,300 students enrolled in Introduction to Psychology in Spring 2019 at the community college identified as non-psychology majors. Introduction to Psychology students therefore vary in their previous knowledge and interest in the course as well as intrinsic motivation to learn the content. In this study, we demonstrated that participating in a meaningful class project can inspire non-psychology majors to become interested in psychology. The interdisciplinary component of The Kalief Browder Project was particularly helpful for most participants in the present study as it allowed them to understand the value of psychology within their primary field of study, criminal justice. Recognition that the study of psychology has interdisciplinary implications is beneficial as it deepens students’ understanding and practical use of psychology.

College-wide supplemental support programming makes implementation of meaningful pedagogy more feasible. We relied on the college’s Learning Community and Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) programs to implement The Kalief Browder Project. The learning community format allowed for faculty collaboration to design interdisciplinary lessons and assignments. The project was achievable because students were simultaneously learning the foundations of both psychology and criminal justice in the clustered learning community courses. The support of the Writing Across the Curriculum program provided hands-on writing instruction during class time, which is often unavailable in content-heavy introductory courses. College-wide supplemental support programs can provide additional time and resources to successfully implement meaningful and interdisciplinary projects. Institutional support and funding for supplemental support programs are therefore critical to foster these high-impact teaching practices. Although further investigation is needed, our findings offer promise that these efforts can enhance student learning and retention.

Conclusion

The Kalief Browder Project offers a model for incorporating meaningful project-based learning into curricula. The project is an example of how to effectively merge interdisciplinary and meaningful pedagogy into Introduction to Psychology courses; it could also be adapted for other college courses and student populations. We recommend that faculty use this project as a model for developing new pedagogical tools that make meaning in the classroom. Students’ positive evaluations of their experiences completing the project as well as their improved academic progress further reiterate this recommendation. Such projects serve to maximize student engagement as well as advance success in college.

Footnotes

Declaration of Conflicting Interests

The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Funding

The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

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