Fostering Preservice Teachers’ Motivation for Interdisciplinary Education in an Educational Psychology Course

• In Event: Self-Knowledge, Metacognition, and Motivation in Preservice Teacher Education

Abstract

Interdisciplinary education can promote meaningful learning in secondary schools by helping students make connections between different subjects. Using the framework of Expectancy-Value Theory, this paper reflects on the authors’ attempt to foster pre-service secondary teachers’ motivation for interdisciplinary team teaching in an educational psychology course. The session focused on designing projects requiring students’ synthesis of knowledge in mathematics and social studies. Pre-service teachers’ evaluation of the session indicates their appreciation of the value of team teaching and recognition of their ability to collaborate with teachers across disciplines. The paper also highlights the potential for educational psychology courses to introduce interdisciplinary education as a means to address important issues in the field such as motivation, instruction and learning.

Authors

• Gina Park, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

• Kara A. Makara, University of Michigan