Across many education systems in developing countries, including Nigeria, classroom instruction remains heavily structured around isolated subjects. While this approach builds foundational knowledge, it often limits students’ ability to connect ideas, evaluate complex problems, and apply knowledge across contexts. Multidisciplinary curricula offer an alternative by deliberately linking concepts from different disciplines—such as science, social studies, language, and technology—within the same learning activities. This approach reflects how real-world problems are encountered and solved, where issues rarely fall neatly into a single subject category.
In recent years, policymakers and education researchers have increasingly emphasized the importance of equipping students with higher-order thinking skills rather than memorization alone. Employers now seek graduates who can analyze information, collaborate, and solve unfamiliar problems. Schools are therefore under pressure to adopt instructional strategies that foster these competencies. Within this context, the work of Chukwuka Judith Nkolika provides empirical evidence from Nigerian secondary schools showing that multidisciplinary teaching can play a central role in developing these skills.
How the Study Was Conducted
The research was carried out in public secondary schools in Anambra and Enugu States, two neighboring states in southeastern Nigeria with similar national curriculum guidelines but different local implementation practices. The study involved 500 respondents, consisting of 294 teachers and 206 senior secondary school students.
Data were collected using structured questionnaires that asked respondents about:
- The extent to which multidisciplinary teaching strategies are used in classrooms
- School-level conditions that support or hinder multidisciplinary instruction
- Students’ observable critical thinking behaviors during learning activities
Responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics, group comparisons, and relationship analysis to identify patterns and differences between the two states, as well as the overall impact of multidisciplinary approaches on students’ critical thinking.
Key Findings
The results show that multidisciplinary instructional practices are present in both states but vary in intensity and form.
Use of multidisciplinary strategies
- Schools in Enugu State reported higher levels of subject-content integration, project-based learning, and assessment tasks that require students to combine ideas from different subjects.
- Schools in Anambra State reported slightly higher use of real-life problem examples in lessons.
- Teacher collaboration across subject areas was high in both states, indicating that educators increasingly recognize the value of working together.
Contextual factors shaping implementation
- Teacher training, leadership support, availability of instructional materials, and supportive education policies all influence how well multidisciplinary curricula are implemented.
- Enugu State recorded stronger school leadership support and slightly higher levels of teacher training related to multidisciplinary teaching.
- Time allocation within school timetables was rated as adequate in both states.
Impact on students’ critical thinking
Students exposed to multidisciplinary learning environments demonstrated stronger critical thinking skills in several areas:
- Analyzing issues critically
- Evaluating multiple viewpoints
- Thinking independently
- Demonstrating reasoning skills during class discussions
Statistical analysis showed that multidisciplinary teaching approaches explain about 38.5 percent of the variation in students’ critical thinking scores. In practical terms, this means that more than one-third of the improvement in critical thinking ability is associated with the degree to which multidisciplinary instruction is used in classrooms.
The relationship between multidisciplinary teaching and critical thinking was strong and positive. For every increase in the level of multidisciplinary instruction, students’ critical thinking scores increased substantially.
Why Multidisciplinary Learning Works
Multidisciplinary learning exposes students to different ways of understanding the same problem. Instead of seeing knowledge as fragmented into separate subjects, students learn to recognize connections and patterns. This process encourages comparison, evaluation, and synthesis—core elements of critical thinking.
According to Chukwuka Judith Nkolika of Nwafor Orizu College of Education Nsugbe, multidisciplinary approaches create learning environments that naturally stimulate higher-order thinking. She explains that when students are asked to draw on knowledge from more than one discipline, they are more likely to question assumptions, explore alternatives, and justify their conclusions.
In ethical paraphrase, Nkolika emphasizes that multidisciplinary curricula “provide students with opportunities to analyze problems from different perspectives, which strengthens their reasoning, independent thinking, and ability to draw logical conclusions.” This insight reflects her broader conclusion that integrated teaching approaches are not only instructional innovations but essential tools for cognitive development.
Implications for Education Policy and Practice
The findings have important implications for education systems seeking to improve learning quality and student outcomes.
For policymakers:
- Curriculum guidelines should explicitly encourage cross-subject integration.
- Funding should prioritize teacher professional development in multidisciplinary teaching methods.
For school administrators:
- School leaders should actively support collaborative planning among teachers.
- Timetables should allow space for project-based and integrated lessons.
For teachers:
- Lessons can be designed around real-world problems that naturally involve multiple subjects.
- Assessment tasks should require students to apply ideas from different disciplines.
For students and society:
- Stronger critical thinking skills prepare young people for higher education, employment, and informed participation in civic life.
- Graduates with these skills are better positioned to contribute to national development and innovation.
The study also suggests that differences between states are not inevitable. With targeted investment in training and leadership support, schools with lower levels of multidisciplinary implementation can improve.
A Growing Evidence Base
The findings from Anambra and Enugu States align with international research showing that integrated and interdisciplinary teaching enhances engagement, reasoning, and problem-solving. What distinguishes this study is its focus on the Nigerian secondary school context, where empirical evidence has been limited.
By providing large-sample data from public schools, the research strengthens the case for scaling up multidisciplinary curricula across southeastern Nigeria and potentially nationwide.
Author Profile
Chukwuka Judith Nkolika, M.Ed., is a lecturer at Nwafor Orizu College of Education Nsugbe, Anambra State, Nigeria. Her academic expertise is in curriculum studies, instructional methods, and educational psychology, with a particular focus on strategies that promote critical thinking and problem-solving skills among secondary school students.
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