Long-term aspects of interdisciplinary learning: The case of electronic circuits

An innovative teaching approach that combines analog electronics and digital electronics was recently implemented in the introductory course "Electronic Circuits" offered at the Technion - Israel Institute of Technology. This interdisciplinary approach replaced the disciplinary way, prevalent in higher education, that addresses the two branches of electronics separately. The present study characterized long-term aspects related to interdisciplinary learning of electronic circuits. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine students who took advanced courses in electronic circuits (after completing the basic interdisciplinary course), four instructors of these courses and nine industry representatives. The participants were mainly asked about their positions on interdisciplinary learning of electronic circuits and its relevance. According to the findings, both students and instructors argue that interdisciplinary learning of electronic circuits promotes transfer of knowledge and skills. Moreover, the industry representatives claim that interdisciplinary learning is essential in engineering programs.