Session T-03 - Topics: Epistemic Interdisciplinary Co-design; Designing Games for Science; Orchestrating Active Learning

Reporting on a PAREA-funded study examining the epistemic challenges of interdisciplinary co design through a qualitative case analysis of a paired biology–psychology course, this presentation traces how two instructors negotiated disciplinary assumptions, refined shared activities, and aligned pedagogical goals across seven recorded design sessions. Grounded in socio cultural learning theory and boundary object theory, the analysis highlights co design as a socio material process of reflective refinement, offering practitioners actionable insights for creating integrated learning experiences across disciplinary boundaries.

Research on game-based learning in science education has focused primarily on digital or externally designed games, with limited attention to teacher-designed classroom games. This work examines how teachers from low‑resource schools collaborated to support each other in designing low‑cost analog science games. Through peer critique and iterative revision, teachers shifted game design from recall-based tasks toward scientific reasoning and problem-solving to support students’ engagement and academic achievement. They exercised individual and collective agency to creatively address institutional constraints.

Pedagogical content knowledge conceptualizes curriculum and student knowledge as interdependent components guiding instruction, yet less is known about how their integration constructs coherence in classroom discourse. Using discourse analysis of six CEGEP physics lessons, we examine how teachers mobilize understanding of students’ prior learning, anticipated difficulties, and curricular trajectories to sequence, frame, and connect tasks. Findings show integration operates across multiple coherence levels. This study offers a dynamic account of PCK enactment, clarifying teachers’ role in sustaining active learning coherence.