INTERDISCIPLINARY APPROACH WITH S.M.A.R.T. MANAGEMENT ADVOCATING HIGHER-ORDER THINKING IN PRIMARY SCHOOL STUDENTS

The introduction of the Kurikulum Bersepadu Sekolah Rendah (KBSR) in 1983 marked a significant shift in Malaysia's primary education system, which later evolved into the Kurikulum Standard Sekolah Rendah (KSSR) to meet contemporary educational needs. Despite these advancements, concerns persist regarding the curriculum's effectiveness in developing higher-order thinking skills and adequately preparing students for global challenges. Although the curriculum emphasizes student-centred learning strategies, including problem-solving, project-based tasks, and continuous assessments, stakeholders continue to question its capacity to equip students for the complexities of the 21st century. This paper explores the potential of an interdisciplinary approach, integrated with S.M.A.R.T. (Synthesizing, Meta-knowledge, Advancement, Reflective Integration, and Trans-disciplinary) management, to enhance cognitive development by fostering connections across diverse knowledge areas. Interdisciplinary education, increasingly recognized for promoting comprehensive understanding and innovative problem-solving, encourages students to develop meta-knowledge by synthesizing various perspectives. When combined with S.M.A.R.T. management, this approach aims to provide educators and students with the necessary tools to achieve a deeper understanding and balanced judgment, ultimately addressing existing gaps in the current curriculum and better-preparing students for the modern world.