Thinking like a scientist in a multidisciplinary arena: The case of Renoir's painting

Entrenched compartmentalisation of subjects in secondary school means that students lack opportunities for learning how disciplines relate to each other and how knowledge can be applied in real-world contexts. This article examines what it means to ‘think like a scientist in a multidisciplinary arena’ and why this is (and should be) an integral part of secondary school science education. To this end, the article outlines a workshop, ‘Renoir’s painting’, for key stages 3 and 4 (ages 11–16), which aims to develop students’ understanding of the power and limitations of science and how science relates to other disciplines.