Truscott, Fiona; Smith, Lelanie; (2025) The Bigger the Team, the Bigger the Dream: Navigating the Madness of Leading Large-Scale Interdisciplinary Projects. In: Proceedings from the International Research Symposium on Problem-Based Learning (IRSPBL). (pp. pp. 1-13). IRSPBL

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Abstract

As engineering education responds to increasingly complex global challenges, the demand for interdisciplinary competencies continues to grow. Interdisciplinary team projects have become a key pedagogical strategy for developing these skills, but scaling such projects to accommodate cohorts of 900+ students presents significant challenges. This paper investigates the practical realities of running extremely large-scale interdisciplinary modules through a comparative narrative inquiry. Building on earlier studies that examined theoretical and pedagogical dimensions of large-scale teaching, this third paper in the series shifts focus to the day-to-day implementation strategies that make such teaching possible. Drawing on the experiences of two practitioners working in research-intensive institutions in the global north and south, the study explores how intentional activity design and assessment practices are adapted at scale. The findings highlight the importance of calculated decision-making, inventive resource use, and structured communication in managing complexity. Rather than offering a definitive model, the paper surfaces practical strategies and tensions that others may encounter when scaling interdisciplinary education. In doing so, it contributes to a growing body of work aimed at supporting educators and institutions navigating the realities of mega-class interdisciplinary project delivery.

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