Interdisciplinary Team Teaching versus Departmentalization in Middle Schools

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of interdisciplinary teaming versus departmentalization on student achievement in middle schools. Small enrollment middle schools using interdisciplinary team teaching were compared with a like group of middle schools which were departmentalized. A third group of schools with a K-8 grade organization (self-contained elementary) served as a control. No overall statistically significant differences were found for reading, mathematics, science and social studies achievement in grades 6 through 8 for these three groups of schools. Previous research has documented an achievement loss during the transition to middle schools at grade six. Analysis of these groups indicated that this achievement loss did not occur in the middle schools using team teaching. This implies that team teaching merits further investigation as a potential strategy for mediating the student achievement loss associated with the transition to middle school.