Interdisciplinary Approaches in High School Humanities Curriculum

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Pramod Pandey

Independent Researcher

Uttar Pradesh, India

Abstract

Interdisciplinary approaches in high school humanities attempt to dissolve the artificial boundaries that have historically separated literature, history, philosophy, sociology, political science, anthropology, and the arts. This manuscript argues that authentic problems—climate justice, migration, gender equity, digital surveillance, democratic participation—cannot be understood or addressed through a single disciplinary lens. Drawing on constructivist, sociocultural, and transformational learning theories, it proposes a coherent design for integrating disciplines around essential questions, inquiry cycles, and project-based tasks. Using a mixed-methods methodology encompassing curriculum mapping, a quasi-experimental design in three Indian high schools, and thematic analysis of student artifacts (N = 180) and teacher interviews (N = 18), the study explores the impact of interdisciplinarity on critical thinking, empathy, historical consciousness, and transfer of learning. Quantitative findings indicate statistically significant gains in critical thinking (p < .01) and perspective-taking (p < .05) for the treatment group compared to controls. Qualitative results highlight students’ enhanced ability to synthesize multiple sources, challenge dominant narratives, and situate personal experiences within broader socio-historical contexts. The manuscript concludes with a framework for implementation that includes backward design, co-teaching models, assessment rubrics calibrated to interdisciplinary outcomes, and professional learning communities. Educational significance lies in aligning humanities education with twenty-first century competencies, national curriculum frameworks, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The paper also surfaces tensions—coverage versus depth, teacher workload, assessment constraints—and offers pragmatic strategies to navigate them. Ultimately, it argues that interdisciplinary humanities are not an optional enrichment but a necessary architecture for cultivating ethically grounded, critically literate citizens in an interconnected world.

Keywords

Interdisciplinary curriculum; humanities education; high school; critical thinking; project-based learning; constructivism; mixed methods; assessment; empathy; transformative learning.

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