INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAM TEACHING ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN COSTA-RICA

We developed an interdisciplinary field course in Costa Rica focused o n sustainable development. Taught by three primary professors and augm ented by various on-site discussants, the semester-long curriculum int egrated sociology and political economy with agricultural ecology. Our guiding philosophy dictated that the curriculum be empirically based, involve working collaboratively, and utilize multidisciplinary invest igation. Faculty members and students worked together in a number of s ites throughout the country to investigate the human and environmental problems of sustainability. Students were open to interdisciplinary a pproaches and cooperated to produce scientific field reports. Although teaching an integrated field course abroad is challenging for faculty members and students alike, we conclude that this approach is an exce llent way to teach about sustainability. This report adds to the liter ature on teaching and learning abroad by also considering interdiscipl inary collaboration and the formation of a learning community.