Crossing Borders, Connecting Disciplines: TEK Faculty Fellows Examine the Power of Education Abroad

How can experiences beyond the classroom help students develop the skills needed to navigate an increasingly complex world? A new scholarly article co-authored by two TEK Faculty Fellows, Christy Brady and Liz Combs, along with Shawna Felkins, Senior Faculty Instructional Consultant with the Center for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching (CELT), explores that question through the lens of education abroad.

Published in College Teaching, “Traversing Borders and Disciplines: Education Abroad as a High-Impact Practice for Transdisciplinary Learning” examines how education abroad can foster transdisciplinary learning by encouraging students to engage across disciplinary boundaries, collaborate with others and approach complex questions from multiple perspectives.

The article’s focus closely aligns with the mission of Transdisciplinary Educational approaches to advance Kentucky (TEK) at the University of Kentucky. TEK emphasizes learning experiences that help students move beyond traditional disciplinary boundaries while developing the ten essential skills that prepare them for success in their careers, communities and lives. Experiences such as education abroad provide students with opportunities to apply these skills in unfamiliar settings, work collaboratively and adapt their knowledge to new situations.

By examining education abroad as a high-impact practice for transdisciplinary learning, Brady, Combs and Felkins highlight the value of educational experiences that challenge students to cross boundaries—geographic, disciplinary and cultural. Their research reinforces TEK’s commitment to creating learning opportunities where students can connect knowledge across fields, engage with diverse perspectives and develop the essential skills needed to address complex problems.

The article represents the ongoing scholarly contributions of TEK Faculty Fellows and CELT colleagues who are advancing innovative approaches to teaching and learning at the University of Kentucky.

Read the full article: “Traversing Borders and Disciplines: Education Abroad as a High-Impact Practice for Transdisciplinary Learning”