Implications of Science Education as Interdisciplinary Education through the Cases of Scientists and Artists in the Modern Era: Focus on the Relationship Between Science and the Arts

Abstract

The convergence and consilience in education (hereafter, interdisciplinary education) is receiving great attention from societies. This study aims to investigate the works of scientists and artists who have intended to combine science with the arts in the modern era, to take into account the socio-philosophical setbacks during the period, and to suggest pedagogical implications of science education as interdisciplinary education. The concept of interdisciplinary education stems from Plato's thought, idea, as a comprehensive and invariant truth. The renaissance, full of enrichment about scientific achievement, was based on Neo-Platonism pursuing holistic-synthetic approach. During the time, scientists presented in this study tried to find comprehensive principles and borrow useful method from the arts. In such a context, scientists not only made use of the arts for expression of scientific knowledge, but also drew conclusion by analogical reasoning between science and the arts. Artists, as well, relied upon anatomy and optics especially, to elaborate linear perspective and even developed their own scientific knowledge through personal experience. Hence, contemporary science education should encourage students to hold a holistic viewpoint about science and the arts, articulate explicit goals and outcomes as interdisciplinary education, implement meta-disciplinary instruction about science and the arts, and develop assessment framework for collaborative learning. There may be good examples for inter-disciplinary education as listed: illustrating scientific ideas through the arts and vice versa, organizing collaborative works and evaluations criteria for them, and stressing problem solving on a daily basis.