| This participatory case study was conducted to describe the value of an interdisciplinary teaching approach for a high school mathematics and science topic from the perspective of the students and the teacher. The topic of logarithms was selected for this lesson because it is a concept that students learn in both their high school mathematics and science courses. The teacher researcher, a high school mathematics teacher, worked with twelve student participants from a 9th and 10th grade Geometry class, along with four science and two mathematics teachers. The data collected in this study serves as a reminder of the many complexities of interdisciplinary work. This specific interdisciplinary study, signified by three overall themes, unraveled some of these complexities of the interdisciplinary approach in general. In all, the study demonstrated the utility of developing a shared language, gaining understanding of the complexities of interdisciplinary work, and sharing positive student experiences of an interdisciplinary lesson. These three themes serve as a step forward in the overall research of interdisciplinary mathematics and science work. A significant amount of additional research is needed to compare the actual student learning outcomes for interdisciplinary work versus discipline specific work. The data from this study, however, shows that as teachers work to create an interdisciplinary approach, teachers from different disciplines produce such a thoughtful and positive dialogue that only enhances student learning. |
