Multidisciplinary Education for a Reconstructive Education System: Theory, Policy and Practice
Keywords:
Multidisciplinary education, reconstructive education, NEP 2020, UNESCO Education 2030, OECD Learning Compass, curriculum reform, critical pedagogyAbstract
Contemporary societies face complex, interlocking problems — socio-economic inequality, environmental degradation, technological disruption, and democratic fragility — that demand educational responses capable of preparing learners for systemic thinking, civic agency, and adaptive action. This paper argues that multidisciplinary education (MDE) is a necessary condition for a reconstructive education system (RES) that aims to rebuild social institutions, cultivate civic capacities, and reorient learning toward public purposes. Drawing on educational philosophy (Dewey, Freire), cognitive theory (Gardner), international policy instruments (NEP 2020; UNESCO Education 2030; OECD Learning Compass 2030), and empirical literature on interdisciplinary pedagogy and learning outcomes, the paper develops a conceptual model linking epistemic integration, pedagogy, assessment, and institutional design to reconstructive aims. It identifies key implementation challenges — teacher capacity, curriculum fragmentation, resource constraints, and assessment misalignment — and offers policy and practice recommendations: credit-banked flexible curricula; project-based, community-embedded modules; teacher professional learning communities; and assessment systems privileging portfolios, rubrics, and authentic tasks. The study is theoretical-analytical but grounds recommendations in current policy frameworks to support translational feasibility.
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