Interdisciplinary problem-based learning in gerontology: A plan of action

Abstract

Issues of older adults are often ill-structured and complex, requiring the application of insights from different disciplines to be adequately addressed. Gerontology has often used a multidisciplinary rather than an integrated interdisciplinary approach. Interdisciplinary and problem-based learning (PBL) provide pedagogical tools which teach gerontology students skills for understanding and resolving gerontological issues. The paper presents the concepts of interdisciplinarity and problem-based learning, the types of interdisciplinarity (interdisciplinarity at micro and macro levels of analysis, interdisciplinarity with different attributes of the same unit of analysis), learning outcomes of interdisciplinarity and problem-based learning, the incorporation of interdisciplinary problem-based learning in academic programs, steps of interdisciplinary problem-based study of a gerontological issue, and directions for the future study of this approach.