View in EDS

Making Sense of Transdisciplinarity in Education: Re-Visiting Its Conceptualisation, Configuration and Competencies

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Making Sense of Transdisciplinarity in Education: Re-Visiting Its Conceptualisation, Configuration and Competencies
Language: English
Authors: Hussein Zeidan (ORCID 0000-0003-4154-4090), Sarju Sing Rai (ORCID 0000-0001-5914-1471), Marjolein Zweekhorst (ORCID 0000-0001-7015-4951)
Source: Review of Education. 2026 14(1).
Availability: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 34
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Information Analyses
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Interdisciplinary Approach, Higher Education, College Curriculum, Course Objectives, Curriculum Design, Learning Activities, Evaluation Methods, Competence
DOI: 10.1002/rev3.70147
ISSN: 2049-6613
Abstract: Transdisciplinarity emerged as a response to academic compartmentalisation, providing a framework for tackling complex societal challenges. This has driven efforts to integrate transdisciplinarity into higher education curricula to equip students with the competencies needed to navigate these complexities. To better understand the operationalisation of transdisciplinarity in education, a comprehensive review of its evolution and implementation is long overdue. This study addresses that gap by conducting a scoping review and synthesising insights from 25 studies. Our analysis reveals that while the conceptual flexibility of transdisciplinary education fosters experimentation and innovative teaching methods, it also poses significant challenges in practice. Course objectives struggle to fully capture the essence of transdisciplinarity; learning activities tend to mirror research processes rather than extend beyond them, and competencies as learning outcomes frequently lack clear definitions and rigorous assessment methods. This poses a risk of opacity in aligning key elements of course design--objectives, learning activities and competency assessment--potentially reinforcing a 'black-boxing' effect. We propose aligning conceptualisation, course configuration and competency assessment (3Cs) to enhance the design of transdisciplinary education. This alignment will enhance curriculum coherence, support student expectations and improve assessment methods, ultimately fostering a more effective positioning of transdisciplinary education in students' learning journeys.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1504079
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
Header DbId: eric
DbLabel: ERIC
An: EJ1504079
AccessLevel: 3
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Making Sense of Transdisciplinarity in Education: Re-Visiting Its Conceptualisation, Configuration and Competencies
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Hussein+Zeidan%22">Hussein Zeidan</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4154-4090">0000-0003-4154-4090</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sarju+Sing+Rai%22">Sarju Sing Rai</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5914-1471">0000-0001-5914-1471</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Marjolein+Zweekhorst%22">Marjolein Zweekhorst</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7015-4951">0000-0001-7015-4951</externalLink>)
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Review+of+Education%22"><i>Review of Education</i></searchLink>. 2026 14(1).
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
  Group: Avail
  Data: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 34
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Journal Articles<br />Information Analyses
– Name: Audience
  Label: Education Level
  Group: Audnce
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Postsecondary+Education%22">Postsecondary Education</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Interdisciplinary+Approach%22">Interdisciplinary Approach</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22College+Curriculum%22">College Curriculum</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Course+Objectives%22">Course Objectives</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Curriculum+Design%22">Curriculum Design</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Learning+Activities%22">Learning Activities</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Evaluation+Methods%22">Evaluation Methods</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Competence%22">Competence</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.1002/rev3.70147
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 2049-6613
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Transdisciplinarity emerged as a response to academic compartmentalisation, providing a framework for tackling complex societal challenges. This has driven efforts to integrate transdisciplinarity into higher education curricula to equip students with the competencies needed to navigate these complexities. To better understand the operationalisation of transdisciplinarity in education, a comprehensive review of its evolution and implementation is long overdue. This study addresses that gap by conducting a scoping review and synthesising insights from 25 studies. Our analysis reveals that while the conceptual flexibility of transdisciplinary education fosters experimentation and innovative teaching methods, it also poses significant challenges in practice. Course objectives struggle to fully capture the essence of transdisciplinarity; learning activities tend to mirror research processes rather than extend beyond them, and competencies as learning outcomes frequently lack clear definitions and rigorous assessment methods. This poses a risk of opacity in aligning key elements of course design--objectives, learning activities and competency assessment--potentially reinforcing a 'black-boxing' effect. We propose aligning conceptualisation, course configuration and competency assessment (3Cs) to enhance the design of transdisciplinary education. This alignment will enhance curriculum coherence, support student expectations and improve assessment methods, ultimately fostering a more effective positioning of transdisciplinary education in students' learning journeys.
– Name: AbstractInfo
  Label: Abstractor
  Group: Ab
  Data: As Provided
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: EJ1504079
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1504079
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1002/rev3.70147
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 34
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Interdisciplinary Approach
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Higher Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: College Curriculum
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Course Objectives
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Curriculum Design
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Learning Activities
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Evaluation Methods
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Competence
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Making Sense of Transdisciplinarity in Education: Re-Visiting Its Conceptualisation, Configuration and Competencies
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Hussein Zeidan
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Sarju Sing Rai
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Marjolein Zweekhorst
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 04
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-electronic
              Value: 2049-6613
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 14
            – Type: issue
              Value: 1
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Review of Education
              Type: main
ResultId 1