Abstract
The incorporation of interdisciplinary connections is a key element of contemporary education and plays a crucial role in the development of secondary school students. The purpose of the study is to analyze the features of the introduction and influence of interdisciplinary education on the study of physics, chemistry, and biology in the secondary school. To achieve research goals, various works of authors were used, who studied the issues of interdisciplinary connections of natural sciences, as well as such methods: generalization, survey, and axiomatic. The results of the work determined that interdisciplinary education of schoolchildren in Kazakhstan plays an important role in the development of complex and critical thinking, as well as the ability to apply knowledge in various contexts. This approach to learning integrates physics, chemistry, and biology to help students see the connections between them and apply what they have learned to real situations. As a result of the analysis, it was found that the implementation of interdisciplinary connections had a positive effect on about 90% of schoolchildren who, within the framework of this educational paradigm, learned to develop integrative abilities, the ability to see the relationship between subjects, apply analytical and creative skills, and work in a team. Moreover, the study highlighted that interdisciplinary education fostered greater student motivation and enthusiasm for learning, as it provided a more comprehensive understanding of how their subjects could be applied in practice. However, the research also identified several challenges, with the most significant being the insufficient preparation and readiness of teachers to engage in collaborative and integrated teaching activities.
Keywords
Introduction
Interdisciplinary education is a topic of great interest, which is currently attracting the attention of both international organizations, governments, leaders of educational systems, and researchers and teachers, given its contribution to the formation of competent citizens acting reflexively in society. Interdisciplinarity, as its name implies, is a process in which two or more disciplines of scientific knowledge intervene in order to generate forms and ways of understanding and doing science, to systematically solve problems, the benefits of which lead to an effective learning process. Currently, strategies for interdisciplinary science education are emerging as a result of the development of new technologies brought into the classroom and, along with this, the integration of new content and forms of learning and teaching. In Kazakhstan, educational updates are being developed for teachers of chemistry, physics, and biology through the use of various kinds of tools that clearly reinforce and support educational content that was previously abstract. This approach emphasizes that teachers contribute to establishing the importance and integration between different disciplines so that the student can build relationships, blur disciplinary boundaries, and understand the educational reality in its multidimensional and complex nature. Yakavets et al. (2022) and Sarmurzin et al. (2021) study in their works the educational system of Kazakhstan for the reconstruction of pedagogical practice. However, the authors did not disclose aspects of interdisciplinary learning in the study and teaching of natural sciences.
Cross-subject collaboration enhances STEM education by deepening students’ understanding of concepts through the integration of multiple disciplines. It promotes better problem-solving skills, increases engagement by connecting learning to real-world applications, and helps develop transferable skills like teamwork and communication. Such collaboration supports diverse learning styles and enriches the curriculum by incorporating various perspectives and methods, leading to a more comprehensive STEM education. Researcher Ho (2024) explores the interdisciplinary challenges faced in the implementation of entrepreneurial STEM courses, in particular, analyzing the power dynamics and difficulties encountered in promoting such programs. The author draws attention to how different groups involved in the development and implementation of these courses face problems of cooperation and how these problems can affect the success of integrating interdisciplinary approaches into the educational process. The study by Borda et al. (2018) discusses the reform of education based on an interdisciplinary approach in secondary schools, where the authors identify three critical components that are necessary for the successful implementation of such a reform. The results show that effective implementation of reforms requires comprehensive support from the school, as well as clear coordination between different disciplines to achieve the goals of reforming the educational process.
Modern societies are characterized by being heavily mediated by science and technology, both for solving day-to-day problems and for accessing various types of information. Achieving scientific literacy at school is a challenge for modern education, involving the development of certain abilities in students, such as understanding scientific texts, formulating and testing hypotheses, and critically evaluating the results that can be achieved through interdisciplinary learning. The phenomenon of interdisciplinarity in secondary education in Kazakhstan allows students to approach scientific content from a broader point of view, giving it a much more complete meaning when correlating it with other fields of knowledge. A new paradigm of ideas about science in accordance with the reality of a globalized and interactive world argues and justifies the process of intersubjectivity of physics, chemistry, and biology with their increasing emphasis on multidimensionality and complexity, taking into account the constant evolution of knowledge and perspectives. Researchers Pulatova (2022) and Abylkassymova (2020) consider the elements of modernization of the system of general and secondary education in Kazakhstan, taking into account innovative tools. However, the authors did not raise the problems that the learning environment faces when implementing interdisciplinary connections.
The lack of linkage and contextualization of school content has had an important impact on the current interest shown by students in the natural sciences. For schoolchildren, the study of science is not an intellectual challenge, but rather an exercise in memorizing tasks not related to everyday life, where the observational and critical thinking exercises necessary for their development are practically excluded from school activities. The perspective of interdisciplinarity as an educational approach in the teaching of science promotes a comprehensive approach to problems in order to provide answers and solutions to the phenomena studied. The implementation of interdisciplinary connections offers an excellent conceptual framework that goes beyond the theory of concepts and moves into contextualized practice, in dimensions, phases, and conditions that need to be controlled and oriented in order to achieve bidirectional personal and technical development. The use of new information and communication technologies in the early stages of secondary education will allow the student to become interested in subjects, based on new knowledge and their deepening. Kazhgaliyeva et al. (2019) and Amandykova et al. (2021) study in their works the methodology for the formation of interdisciplinary principles in various educational programs. Nevertheless, researchers have not disclosed the mechanisms of its implementation in such natural sciences as physics, chemistry, and biology. The purpose of the study is to consider the principles of introducing interdisciplinary connections between physics, chemistry, and biology into the curriculum of a secondary school, as well as their impact on students.
In this regard, the following main tasks of this research work can be distinguished:
Identify key concepts for the implementation of interdisciplinary teaching in chemistry, physics, and biology. Analyze and evaluate the impact of this integrated approach on the understanding and assimilation of the material by students. Identify the main problems faced by secondary school students in the interdisciplinary teaching of physics, chemistry, and biology.
Literature Review
The literature review on this topic included the work of Kanmaz (2022), whose research is devoted to interdisciplinary connections in education, taking into account digital literacy and its relevance to the learning environment. The author delved into the topic of preparing secondary school students and advocated building bridges between theory and practice in order to get closer to understanding reality and building interdisciplinary knowledge education. For this reason, he emphasizes the importance of developing exploratory skills in the education of schoolchildren that are in line with the critical and reflective individual. The researcher proposes from a global and interdisciplinary point of view to promote the development of competencies for experimentation, reflection, and innovation in the process of learning. With this approach, the relativity of knowledge is highlighted and, consequently, the requirement for flexibility in their daily construction. His work allowed to determine the effectiveness and benefits of using an integrated approach in teaching various subjects, in order to understand which principles and methods have proven to be productive.
Proceedings of Myrkhalykov et al. (2014) and also Ruf et al. (2019) reveal issues related to the integration of chemistry, physics, and biology in high school, determining the importance of teaching and research activities. Their research confirms the fragmentation of curricula, little connected with the school context, in which the natural sciences appear in completely different aspects, where problematic conflicts still prevail, requiring a response to the improvement of educational processes in the education of physics, chemistry, and biology. For this reason, the authors determined the selection of the necessary proposals aimed at improving the preparation of not only the student, but also the teacher, which should be based on reflective and contextual practice, involving an understanding of the relationship between the natural sciences. They present learning as an uncertain process, marked by complexity and requiring optimization of cognitive processes, where today's teacher needs to be aware that critical reflection and continuous improvement are required. In this regard, these works helped to establish certain certainties that enable the full functioning of interdisciplinary teaching of natural sciences within schoolchildren's curricula.
Ibrayeva et al. (2022) in article investigate the beliefs of Kazakhstani secondary school teachers about creativity and creative students. The authors find that there is a gap between theoretical understandings of creativity and practical aspects of its development in schools. They emphasize that most teachers do not have a clearly defined approach to supporting students’ creativity due to a limited understanding of the nature of creativity as part of the curriculum. This article emphasizes the challenges of integrating creative methods into traditional educational practices and points to the need to reform the curriculum to better meet the needs of creative learners. Mesny et al. (2021) analyze changes in teaching approaches in business schools, focusing on the adaptation of teachers to modern requirements. They find that changes in teaching methods are aimed at improving the effectiveness of education and ensuring its relevance to the labor market. This study highlights the challenges associated with updating educational programs in response to rapid changes in the business environment. It points out the importance of adapting educational strategies to ensure compliance with current needs and trends in business education, which is critical to the success of curriculum reform.
Mogren et al. (2019) propose a model of a comprehensive approach to education for sustainable development that integrates all aspects of the educational process. They demonstrate that successful implementation of sustainable development principles in the educational process can significantly improve the quality of education and management strategies in schools. This study emphasizes the importance of reforming educational programs to include aspects of sustainable development and environmentally oriented learning, which are key to achieving success in implementing such reforms. Nurmukhanova (2020) examines the role of school leaders in Kazakhstan, focusing on their prospects and challenges. The author notes that school leaders face numerous difficulties in implementing educational reforms, such as insufficient support from government agencies and insufficient resources. This article highlights the need for a change in management approaches and increased effectiveness of curriculum reform, focusing on supporting school leaders to successfully implement changes.
A review of studies by Schilhab (2021) and Abdieva and Shamsharkhan (2014), which focus on science school education, taking into account the use of innovations, made it possible to emphasize aspects of practical experience in the application of interdisciplinary connections, which made it possible to form an idea about how such lessons can be organized and what techniques can be effective. Their works are framed within the framework of the concept of social reconstruction, where disciplinary, pedagogical, and didactic knowledge is reconstructed in the course of educational practice as a fundamental space for their further application. The authors present teaching and research activities as a space for reflection, dialogue, and learning, while assuming the concretization of joint work between teachers in the framework of physics, chemistry, and biology. Therefore, the teacher of the twenty-first century must recognize teaching and learning as incomplete processes and, therefore, in constant development. Based on this, the learning processes of schoolchildren have different interfaces in a number of areas, while they must respond to the contextual needs where they carry out their learning activities. In this regard, these studies made it possible to establish patterns of learning and teaching within the framework of intersubjectivity, taking into account the difficulties of teacher training and the introduction of constructivism, which should seek to actively include the student in the learning process.
Materials and Methods
The choice of the Kazakh educational environment for this study is due to specific features that provide a unique context for studying interdisciplinary integration in science education. The specificity of the Kazakh educational environment, in particular, the teaching of such subjects as physics, chemistry, and biology in the context of modern social and globalization challenges, allows us to identify the peculiarities of integrating an interdisciplinary approach, as well as to assess its impact on students’ motivation and interest. In addition, Kazakh schools that actively use innovative teaching methods provide a real-world context for evaluating the effectiveness of interdisciplinary learning, which contributes to a deeper understanding of its capabilities and limitations in the specific conditions of national education.
To achieve the goals of the study, the following methods were applied: generalization, survey, and axiomatic. The method of generalization at the stage of consideration of concepts related to interdisciplinarity made it possible to identify the main mechanisms for its implementation, taking into account the educational platform, which is influenced by modern challenges of society, as well as the processes of globalization and socialization. He helped to establish the characteristics of the Kazakh educational environment, taking into account the specifics of schoolchildren's study of subjects such as physics, chemistry, and biology. Its elements made it possible to form the levels of influence of interdisciplinary connections that somehow function in the conditions of educational and research activities. This method made it possible to identify educational tools and processes that make it possible to effectively introduce interdisciplinary learning into secondary education, while increasing the interest and motivation of students in the knowledge of the natural sciences. It led to the selection of specific properties of the approach being studied, which characterize its main thoughts and concepts that lead students to a holistic and comprehensive understanding of phenomena, nature, and society.
The method of questioning at the stage of collecting information allowed forming the main statements regarding the impact of an interdisciplinary educational approach in physics, chemistry, and biology on students, taking into account the goals of the curricula. It helped analyze the positive effects that have been achieved with the use of interdisciplinary learning, making it important to integrate it into the educational paradigm. The survey was conducted in Almaty during April to May 2023. It was attended by 127 schoolchildren of Grades 7–9, who were representatives of such educational institutions that actively use this educational approach in the practical activities of teachers: Gymnasium No. 140, Lyceum No. 92, Elementary School No. 109, and Lyceum No. 39. This method was carried out in two stages, causing the collection of data, and then their analysis and interpretation, taking into account the tasks that confronted the research work. He helped to determine in percentage terms the level of interdisciplinary integration of students, as well as motivation and interest in studying physics, chemistry, and biology, given the obstacles they faced in the process of learning.
The analysis of the data involved several stages to ensure that the findings accurately reflect the influence of interdisciplinary connections on students’ understanding of physics, chemistry, and biology. Coding process: The initial step in data analysis was coding, which involved categorizing the responses from the survey into meaningful groups. The data collected from the 127 students were coded based on key themes related to interdisciplinary learning. These themes included students’ ability to integrate knowledge across subjects, their motivation and interest in science, and the challenges faced in applying interdisciplinary approaches. Each response was assigned codes corresponding to these themes, allowing for systematic organization and comparison of data. Data analysis: After coding, the data were analyzed using both quantitative and qualitative methods. Quantitative analysis involved calculating the percentage of students who successfully integrated knowledge from different subjects and assessing their levels of motivation and interest in studying physics, chemistry, and biology. Statistical tools were used to identify patterns and correlations between students’ interdisciplinary learning experiences and their academic performance.
The axiomatic method at the stage of establishing final statements made it possible to form the main concepts and ideas of an interdisciplinary approach in teaching and learning the natural sciences, taking into account the difficulties of its implementation in the educational model of Kazakhstan. He helped to identify the basic skills and abilities that students develop during a multidisciplinary idea, which are the basis for building a qualified specialist in the future, ready to easily deal with the modern challenges of society. This method made it possible to emphasize the need to use various laboratory, experimental, and practical tools, as well as educational materials that productively complement the positive effect of the introduction of interdisciplinary connections in the educational process of secondary school. Its elements led to the identification of the most frequent problems and difficulties that prevent the full implementation of the integrated approach to education under study, taking into account the poor preparation of teachers for cooperation and mutual work between the teaching staff.
Results and Discussion
Analysis of the Influence of Interdisciplinary Connections on the Study of Physics, Chemistry, and Biology by Schoolchildren
Interdisciplinary education seeks to address the limitations of narrow and fragmented subject teaching by linking students’ knowledge to real-world applications and societal contexts. In Kazakhstan, curricula are shaped by the principles of social sciences and aim to integrate identity through three main aspects: firstly, the emphasis is on the humanities, highlighting the significance of promoting human well-being through ethics, intellectual property, and all forms of scientific activity. Secondly, the emphasis is on the growth and co-creation, the clarification of result orientation, instrumental resources, methodological guidance, and project practice issues, closely related to the continuous growth and changing interests of students in the study of physics, chemistry, and biology. Thirdly, reconstruction and integration are based on national content standards of existing educational tools, integrating real-life situations and interdisciplinary content to unify the acquisition and application of knowledge, skills, and abilities.
Analysis of the influence of interdisciplinary connections of chemistry, physics, and biology in teaching secondary school students is an important step to assess the effectiveness of this approach and identify its advantages and challenges. In this regard, a survey was conducted in Almaty of 127 schoolchildren in Grades 7–9 of such educational institutions in which this educational approach is practiced: Gymnasium No. 140, Lyceum No. 92, Elementary School No. 109, and Lyceum No. 39. The survey revealed that 78% of the students successfully integrated their knowledge across different subjects. This was evident in their ability to apply scientific concepts and principles from one field to another and to recognize the relationships and interactions between various scientific domains (Figure 1).
The level of interdisciplinary integration of students’ knowledge in the study of physics, chemistry, and biology in % according to the survey. Source: Compiled by the authors.
Accordingly, it can be emphasized that the students showed more active contact between the subjects of chemistry, biology, and physics. They were able to see the connections between concepts and principles from different subjects and apply them to problem-solving and analyzing real situations. This process was facilitated by the introduction of integrated lessons and projects, which became an effective method for implementing interdisciplinary connections. The students were involved in various activities that required the fusion of knowledge from the subjects considered. They were able to apply their communication skills in solving creative tasks, which contributed to the development of their complex thinking. During the study, it was observed that students who actively exchanged knowledge and ideas between subject areas were able to explain concepts and principles from one subject using terminology and concepts from other disciplines. In addition, according to the survey, 86% of the respondents indicated that their motivation and interest in the disciplines they studied increased (Figure 2).
The level of motivation and interest of students in the interdisciplinary study of physics, chemistry, and biology in % according to the survey. Source: Compiled by the authors.
This confirms that this approach involves and motivates students in the educational process and also forms the value and relevance of the subjects studied in the context of interdisciplinary connections. The analysis also revealed the positive effects of the implementation of interdisciplinary connections on schoolchildren, which are associated with the effective development of complex and critical thinking, participation in active forms of learning, and the promotion of cooperation and communication abilities. This process may include the use of various laboratory experiments and other active learning methods, taking into account the importance of cooperation between teachers and how productively and comprehensively they exchange information, plan lessons, and coordinate their curricula. This state of affairs emphasizes that the effectiveness of interdisciplinary subject-based learning ultimately depends on the achievement of the expected goals of the students. The expected goal is that students know, understand, and practice the relevant content and be able to reflect it in their behavior, following the educational standards of the disciplines. It is also worth considering that during the survey, certain difficulties were identified that students encountered in the implementation of interdisciplinary connections (Figure 3).
Challenges faced by students in the implementation of interdisciplinary connections between physics, chemistry, and biology in % according to the survey. Source: Compiled by the authors.
Thus, the most common problem faced by schoolchildren is the incomplete interaction between teachers for full immersion in interdisciplinary learning. To do this, teachers need to provide professional development and support, which may include the organization of targeted seminars, trainings, round tables, and interaction with experts in the field of interdisciplinary integration. During these events, they can learn about best practices and research and innovative approaches to integrating disciplines, as well as share experiences and best practices with colleagues. Teachers need to be equipped not only with the knowledge and understanding of cross-subject relationships but also have access to quality textbooks, lab materials, online resources, and other learning tools to help them successfully integrate subjects into their lessons. However, for even greater impact and successful implementation of interdisciplinary connections between students, additional improvements may be required, such as improving the availability of educational materials and resources, creating more structured teaching and assessment methods.
The implementation of interdisciplinary connections broadens the horizons of teachers and raises the level of their thinking. Using theory to observe practice, they build a broad interdisciplinary knowledge system and logical framework of the system, look at source subjects from different perspectives, establish a holistic view of students, and carefully observe the personality, using more consciously different strategies, skills, and tools to support for such an approach. In addition, it must be taken into account that the current teaching and methodological process in the field of natural sciences requires the use of didactic strategies focused on web tools, which, although they should not be the only ones, help students understand specific theories and phenomena in a simpler way.
Thus, the survey revealed that schoolchildren often find it challenging to grasp how different disciplines are interconnected during the process of interdisciplinary learning. Therefore, learning knowledge that has no practical value in a short period of time will obviously reduce the interest of students, as well as make them more abstract and difficult to understand. Most of the respondents were satisfied with this educational approach, causing a high level of motivational and integration components in chemistry, physics, and biology. This state of affairs emphasizes that interdisciplinarity should be subject-based, but go beyond monodisciplinary research and focus on a comprehensive understanding and solution of complex problems or topics. The introduction of interdisciplinary courses in schools comes with many challenges in terms of teacher development, curriculum design, and student time management.
Basic Principles and Approaches to the Implementation of Interdisciplinary Communications
The main essence of the implementation of interdisciplinary connections in the study of physics, chemistry, and biology is to break the existing boundaries of disciplines, integrate and contextualize their content, and conduct cross-border learning, developing in students the ability to comprehensively apply information, critical thinking, and decision (Nurmukhanova, 2020). Such interdisciplinary thematic training is characterized by certain principles, without which it cannot be fully implemented (Table 1).
Basic principles for the implementation of interdisciplinary teaching of physics, chemistry, and biology.
Source: Compiled by the authors.
Such principles expand the theoretical horizon of fundamental disciplines and enrich research approaches, taking into account the diversity of the approach and its tools. In addition, the considered foundations for the effective implementation of interdisciplinary learning are also influenced by the phenomenon of integration with digital opportunities and the interpenetration of science, technology, and society, due to which chemistry, physics, and biology become an integrated public affair. Such interaction can go from a simple exchange of ideas to the mutual integration of fundamental categories and concepts, research methods, terminology, learning procedures, and other aspects arising from scientific development (Mesny et al., 2021). In this sense, interdisciplinarity is a practice, often critical and revolutionary, that contributes to changing the routine rules of educational communication and outdated forms of knowledge socialization. Given the use of certain tools in the learning environment, it is possible to distinguish the following approaches for the introduction of interdisciplinary links:
Integrative approach. The basic principle of interdisciplinary connections is the integration of knowledge and concepts from different subject areas. Students are encouraged to consider phenomena and processes from different points of view and analyze them in the context of physics, chemistry, and biology. Problem-oriented approach. Students are offered tasks and problems that require a comprehensive solution that combines knowledge from physics, chemistry, and biology. This may be the study of the influence of the environment on human health. Solving such tasks allows students to apply their knowledge and skills from different subject areas and develop integrative thinking. Contextual approach. The presentation of educational material takes place in the context of real and concrete situations, for example, the study of the role of photosynthesis in biological systems, which is associated with the physical principles of absorption and emission of light, as well as chemical reactions occurring in plant cells. Collaborative approach. Use of forms of collective and group training. Working in groups allows students to exchange knowledge and ideas from different subject areas, explore phenomena together, and develop projects that combine physical, chemical, and biological aspects.
In this conceptual field, it is clear how curriculum strategies represent a particular way of developing and transitioning to teaching and learning in secondary schools. To achieve common goals, it is necessary to combine the studied subjects, where relationships are established between the content, methods, and other didactic components (Hascher & Hadjar, 2018). Curriculum and teachers are central to this transition, with the educational paradigm gaining relevance due to its interdisciplinarity characteristics, among other things. Also, it is worth considering that practical exercises, laboratory work, and experiments can play an important role in the implementation of interdisciplinary connections that require students to be able to see the whole picture and analyze similar data between different aspects. Their misunderstanding can lead to distortions and neglect of disciplines, in which students fail to understand the articulation of the content, which can adversely affect the consistent achievement of educational goals.
An interdisciplinary approach to learning should cover all components of the educational and methodological process, that is, goals, content, methods, means, and assessment. Its implementation includes the stimulation of theoretical and practical relations in the construction of knowledge, the conscious connection between problems and ideas, through which the enrichment of disciplines is achieved, and the process that is built between the personal components of the educational process (Mogren et al., 2019). This requires a characterization and continuous diagnosis of the process, as well as the level of development achieved by students and teachers around the problem under study. The connection of the interdisciplinary in the field of physics, chemistry, and biology involves the search for a systemic, global, and complex worldview about specific types of knowledge, which integrates school specifics in the learning environment, facilitating communication for new scientific and theoretical creations (Dumanskyi, 2023; Friedlander et al., 2019). After all, the main function of such training within the framework of a secondary school is to link cognitive attitudes with practices and habits, the results of which should be transformed into the production and discovery of new knowledge necessary to build useful and operational skills in solving basic modern problems (Van Hecke et al., 2002). Teachers need to use methods that will allow students to assimilate knowledge systems and methods of intellectual and practical activities, promoting cognitive interest in them.
The analysis involved a detailed content review of the curriculum for physics, chemistry, and biology, assessing how well these subjects are integrated and contextualized. We examined the curriculum to determine the extent to which interdisciplinary connections were implemented, evaluating whether it fostered comprehensive application of knowledge and critical thinking among students. The evaluation specifically looked at how the principles of complexity, practicality, exploratory mastery, openness, and efficiency were incorporated into the curriculum. This included reviewing the integration of interdisciplinary content, the balance between in-school and out-of-school learning experiences, and the inclusion of practical, real-world tasks. The analysis also considered how well the curriculum supported exploratory learning, the application of interdisciplinary knowledge beyond specific subjects, and the adaptability of educational tasks to contemporary societal challenges.
Thus, it was determined that the interdisciplinary education of physics, chemistry, and biology cannot neglect scientific development. On the contrary, it should be able to include research and practical activities in the educational process. Preparing teachers with an interdisciplinary vision is the key to success in achieving critical thinking in students. Interdisciplinary requires a new content from the secondary school, which implies integrated learning and cognition based on the real problems of society. Theoretical consideration of the approaches made it possible to determine that the studied connection of physics, chemistry, and biology is viable due to the common object of study, as well as the generality of the laws that related sciences encounter when teaching and learning scientific disciplines in high school. The effectiveness of the implementation of the studied integrated approach was expressed in the knowledge, skills, and abilities of students developed as a result of the implementation of interdisciplinary connections, taking into account their level of interest and motivation in the study of natural sciences. However, for the productive implementation of such an educational paradigm, it is important to take into account all the principles and concepts that interdisciplinarity hides in itself, so that schoolchildren fully understand the curriculum in the context of a comprehensive and holistic view of the study of phenomena and processes covering physics, chemistry, and biology.
Discussion of the Features of the Implementation of an Interdisciplinary Concept in the Educational Process
The concept of interdisciplinarity is defined as the collaboration of different disciplines that contribute to the achievement of a common goal and the generation of new knowledge and common points of view, breaking subject boundaries in search of circulation of concepts. It is understood as a level of cooperation between disciplines, involving reciprocity and mutual enrichment, up to the development of broader conceptual frameworks that modify the objects in contact and make them dependent on each other. According to Ciferri and Soldi (2021), an interdisciplinary vision gives rise to an integrative dimension that the disciplines did not have separately, which provides an organization of knowledge that is more connected to reality. Meanwhile, when this dimension is overcome and progress toward convergence and complementarity is made, the student is in the intermediate zone called interdisciplinarity. Finally, when convergence disappears and a unifying point and a holistic perspective are established, one can speak of transdisciplinarity. As an organizer, its principles are structured according to the paradigm of complexity, where all reality is a system as it is related to the subject context. That is, real problems are multiple processes within education, the interconnections of which form a structure that functions as an organized whole, called a complex system. One of the characteristics of the latter is its interdependence and interdependence of the functions that these elements perform within the whole system by combining research from different areas involved (Shabunina et al., 2023). Thus, the results of the researchers coincide with the conclusions obtained in this work, emphasizing the importance of developing an interdisciplinary approach in secondary education, given its complexity and structure when introduced into the curriculum.
Xu et al. (2022) believe that in the field of education, problems of an interdisciplinary nature represent an opportunity to educate children and young people in an unfragmented view of the world with social responsibility. Most of today's problems must necessarily be solved through interdisciplinary research, and in this context, interdisciplinary pedagogy seeks to deepen the processes of learning and teaching so that students can acquire a holistic understanding of the complex phenomena of both nature and society as a whole. In this scenario, a more modern approach to science education aims to promote a new vision of science education that allows students to better understand the world they live in and make their own decisions. However, this way of teaching the sciences contrasts with the current aspect of the school curriculum, which provides disparate content in different fields of study. A student who observes his environment does not divide it into disciplines (Abdullah, 2022). Similarly, a teacher who seeks to attract and encourage students’ love of science must provide learning experiences that are close to their interests and appropriate to the situations they face in their daily lives. The fragmentation of knowledge prevents the student from learning to think and analyze problems from the point of view of a global vision, depriving him of objectivity and the ability to look at problems holistically. Disciplines are part of a whole, and the necessary interaction between them requires teaching strategies that guarantee interdisciplinarity, since the stated goal transcends and expands the possibilities of subjects. When analyzing the data, it is noted that educational activities in the development of interdisciplinary connections should take into account the context and content of the studied areas for their holistic knowledge by schoolchildren.
From the point of view of Imants and Van der Wal (2020), in the context of science education, interdisciplinarity is a didactic principle that must be taken into account when developing curricula, which implies learning as a methodological invariant of cognition. The selection of an interdisciplinary approach is motivated by the aim to provide students with an education that reflects the complexities of the modern world. This approach equips students with skills that enable them to address challenges both within the school setting and in their personal lives, drawing on the attitudes and values they have learned (Poluboiaryna, 2023). Students’ understanding of the world presupposes the development of critical thinking skills, and in this sense, interdisciplinarity in education, and especially in the teaching of science, provides a global perception of problems and stimulates the ability to detect interactions between different areas. As an approach to the organization of the curriculum in secondary education, interdisciplinary learning is based on the analysis of the content of various disciplines in order to identify complex problems that incorporate common elements in various subjects in order to adapt them to the school environment. Interdisciplinary teaching of the sciences is an extremely challenging task. However, regardless of the nature of the curriculum, specialists with a high level of qualification and knowledge of the content of related fields are required. This process is reflected in pedagogical work with activities that enable the student to develop research skills, learn to work in a team, encourage autonomy, individual and collective responsibility, acquire security to discuss ideas, and advance scientific knowledge. Research evidence highlights that developing teacher professional skills through interdisciplinary learning opens up new opportunities for improving educational methodologies and processes.
According to Campbell (2019), the professional training of teachers, taking into account an interdisciplinary perspective, should be subversive and contradictory. For the author, this is the only way to avoid misinterpretations and the hegemony of pedagogical dogma, which in the case of secondary school teachers continues to be based on the classical and Cartesian vision of science. Interdisciplinarity also entails a change in the role of the teacher and requires him not only to have new knowledge but also to be able to adapt his way of teaching and encourage students to ask questions, and not just answer memorized questions. Here, there is a need to rethink the learning process, where it is necessary to focus on instilling in students a vital desire to learn and participate in decision-making as subjects with a voice in the global human community. Accordingly, to include an interdisciplinary perspective in education, a simple didactic transfer to school science is not enough. It is required that all participants in the process overcome the imposed epistemological barriers, especially in relation to intersubjectivity. The process of moving away from disciplinary and individualistic perspectives through dialogue can bring about positive changes in the school environment once dialogue and teamwork are promoted among teachers as well (Isak et al., 2023). This dialogue with teachers can positively influence pupils’ perception of the school and stimulate their interest in knowledge. The considered hypotheses of the researchers echo the results obtained, emphasizing the great benefits of developing interdisciplinary education in order to develop skills and competencies that are especially relevant in the modern and globalized world.
Thus, when analyzing research hypotheses, it was found that the achievement of adequate relationships between the various subjects that make up the curriculum affects the subsequent increase in the effectiveness of training, both quantitatively and qualitatively, requiring proper training of the teaching staff. Also, it can be summarized that the education of secondary school students in the twenty-first century is ineffective without interdisciplinarity, which contributes to a more complete vision of the unity and diversity of the natural and social world, as well as its diverse implications in society to achieve the main goal of education. The study showed how students perceive and value the implementation of interdisciplinary connections in chemistry, physics, and biology, including their opinion, motivation, and interest in subjects, as well as perceptions of learning effectiveness. Their high ability to apply scientific concepts and principles from one field of science to another and to see the relationships and interactions between different aspects leads to the conclusion that an interdisciplinary approach is a productive way of teaching and learning in high school.
Conclusions
As a result of the study, it was possible to find out that the transformations taking place today in the national education system of the country, and especially in secondary school, require the introduction into various pedagogical activities of those aspects that today set standards in social development. Among them, a special place is occupied by the use of an interdisciplinary approach in the teaching-learning process of natural sciences, such as chemistry, physics, and biology, which makes it possible to establish the interaction of related subjects on the basis of cooperation between teachers. The didactic principle in introducing interdisciplinary connections contributes to the development of schoolchildren's creative abilities, values, and ways of action, which can prepare them to face and solve problems in the future, taking into account various modern processes in society. An integrated approach promotes the development of a wide range of universal skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, and collaboration. Students engaged in cross-disciplinary projects or assignments develop the skills to analyze, synthesize, and apply knowledge in different contexts. The integration of physics, chemistry, and biology makes the learning process more interesting, informative, and practical. Secondary school students see the application of knowledge from different areas and can better understand the relevance of these subjects in everyday life and the real challenges that await them in the future. Such a productive process is necessarily facilitated by the introduction of various kinds of cognitive tools and materials into the curricula, such as laboratory, research, experimental, practical projects, and work, while raising the motivational threshold of students.
The survey also revealed that nearly 80% of the respondents demonstrated an increased level of interdisciplinary integration, effectively applying concepts, laws, and principles across the fields of physics, chemistry, and biology. In turn, it is worth noting that 86% of students noticed a significant increase in their level of motivation and interest, given all the difficulties they face in the learning process. The most common problems are lack of time, difficulties in understanding concepts, and limited teaching resources, as well as insufficient teacher training, which entails low levels of cooperation and interrelationships between teaching staff in an educational institution. Thus, the analysis of the implementation of interdisciplinary connections of chemistry, physics, and biology in teaching secondary school students in Kazakhstan helped to identify the advantages and challenges of this approach, as well as to identify effective strategies and methods that contribute to the successful implementation of interdisciplinary learning and the development of integrated thinking and skills of students. Accordingly, it can be concluded that the purpose of the study was achieved. However, the complexity of all these aspects, already identified in relation to science, curriculum, teaching paradigms, the processes of globalization and social life with certainty and uncertainty, requires further development of research not only with explanatory approaches, but also with mechanisms aimed at interpreting and understanding modern realities, which allows evaluating educational phenomena from different positions of the pedagogical concept.
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.
