Search

Interdisciplinary education offers a collaborative approach to multifaceted topics, such as environmental sustainability. In this article, we present the conceptual framework and lessons learned from a team-taught course, entitled Sustainability, Energy, and the Green Economy (SEGE). Faculty from the departments of Physics, Chemistry, and Biology offered the course during the 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 academic years at Bronx Community College (BCC). The described interdisciplinary approach was intended to engage students through research-driven, project-based learning using life cycle analysis (LCA) of a simple consumer product. By teaching solution-oriented approaches, SEGE translates complex real-world problems into classroom learning for nonSTEM majors. As compared to student performance and engagement data from three 100-level STEM courses at BCC, analyses of C or above grade performance, passing rate, and withdrawal rate indicate that SEGE effectively engaged and retained students. Additionally, student surveys are presented, and were used to guide instructional strategy for effective team teaching and assessment.