Young Adolescent Voices: Students’ Perceptions of Interdisciplinary Teaming

Abstract

Interdisciplinary teaming in middle schools has increased dramatically over the past few decades (McEwin, Dickinsen & Jensen, 2003); nevertheless, students have rarely been consulted as important sources of insight into this practice (Dickinsen & Erb, 1997) of two or more teachers sharing the responsibility for instruction, curriculum, and assessment of a common group of students (NMSA, 1995). The purpose of this study was to describe and analyze young adolescents' perceptions of effective interdisciplinary teaming. Qualitative methods were employed to describe, analyze, and interpret the perceptions of 77 middle level students from three middle schools. A multi-genre approach was used to represent the findings, including analytic writing, student-produced photographs, narrative vignette, and poetic transcription. Findings indicated that students felt like trusted members of a community, viewing themselves as self-disciplined and self-directed learners. Students perceived themselves to be growing in confidence, independence, and tolerance, gaining leadership and collaborative skills, and belonging to a family. Data indicate that when schools are organized to support multi-year teams, and when students are invited to collaborate in team governance and learning, many students report positive personal growth. ________________________________

Enhancing Teachers' Beliefs and Practices Through Problem-Based Learning Focused on Pertinent Issues of Environmental Health Science

“…Our findings are consistent with the body of research that indicates positive effects from employing integrated curricula (Bailey, 2003;Boyer & Bishop, 2004;Lewis & Shaha, 2003;Lieberman & Hoody, 1998;Morrone, 2001;Vars, 2001;Warren & Payne, 1997). Partly because of this emerging research, a surge in the use of integrated curricula and interdisciplinary teaching practices occurred from the late 1970s through the late 1980s (Drake & Burns, 2004;Palmer, 1998).…”

“…The results of another study (Lewis & Shaha, 2003) indicated that an integrated curriculum was superior to other curricula in improving student achievement and attitudes about learning. Boyer and Bishop (2004) reported that interdisciplinary, multiyear teaming resulted in enhancing students' personal growth, including confidence, independence, tolerance, leadership, collaborative skills, and sense of belonging. Focusing on the effects on teachers, Warren and Payne (1997) found that an integrated teaming experience increased teacher efficacy and beliefs about the teaching environment.…”

Putting Theory into Practice: An Examination of Preservice Teachers’ Beliefs about Teaching Science

“…Reform-based practices include inquiry-based, hands-on, cooperative, and problembased teaching for depth of student understanding. Interdisciplinary team projects can also enhance students' personal growth, including confidence, independence, tolerance, leadership, collaborative skills, and sense of belonging [3].…”

Social consequences of academic teaming in middle school: The influence of shared course taking on peer victimization.

“…These benefits are well-documented in the literature. For example, past research demonstrates that students in interdisciplinary teams have higher scores on standardized achievement tests, are more academically engaged, and have greater feelings of school belonging (Boyer & Bishop, 2004; Flowers & Mertens, 2003; Flowers, Mertens, & Mulhall, 1999; Lee & Smith, 1993; Wallace, 2007). …”