Evaluating an Interdisciplinary and Multi-Pedagogical Approach to Equipping Students to Create Social Change

Modern social problems are complex, multifaceted, and challenging to solve. Scholars are increasingly applying the concept of social innovation as a path to addressing social issues. Social innovation is an interdisciplinary framework for producing social change that requires creativity, problem-solving skills, and collaboration across systems. Higher education is progressively understanding the need to provide interdisciplinary educational opportunities for students; however, little is known about the effectiveness and impact of providing interdisciplinary learning experiences grounded in a social innovation framework. This article describes and analyzes an interdisciplinary summer fellowship program focused on social innovation for graduate students in social work, business, and the humanities and social sciences. The program employed multiple pedagogical approaches, including classroom-based instruction, field learning, and interdisciplinary teamwork. We used qualitative and quantitative pre- and post-evaluation student feedback to examine students’ learning and overall experiences. We found that the fellowship was a dynamic learning experience, through which students strengthened their communication skills and translated academic concepts into practical ideas. The experience also impacted the students’ career trajectories, influencing students to pursue careers that involved working toward social progress in a variety of ways.