Interdisciplinary higher education with a focus on academic motivation and teamwork diversity

Abstract

Despite the growing literature on interdisciplinary teaching experiences in higher education, setting an interdisciplinary course remains an intuitive process of problematic transmission among teachers. We defined an interdisciplinary course structure grounded in constructivism, academic motivation, and social and managing psychology. The teaching strategy included teamwork, problem-based learning (PBL), and activities to fostering academic motivation and working with diverse perspectives. Six interdisciplinary teaching teams developed courses for undergraduate students from multiple university areas. The student course experience questionnaire and student reflective writing pieces were used as instruments for data collection, and a mixed-methods approach was used for data analysis. From the student perspective, participating in an interdisciplinary course influenced the development of four top skills and attitudes: to work as a team member, to explore ideas confidently with other people, to develop as a person, and to develop relevant, ethical, social, and professional perspectives. Impact was also found in developing enthusiasm for learning, tackling unfamiliar problems, and becoming an active enquiring learner. Results indicated course characteristics linked to five academic motivation areas, pointing to 'success' and 'caring' experiences as the most influential. Also, teamwork was a central aspect of the experience, positively influenced by group diversity and the development of a learning community. In summary, this work offers insights into interdisciplinary course development and evaluation, guiding teachers to focus on aspects rarely attended in traditional higher education courses.