Multidisciplinarity team-teaching in Oulu University of Applied Sciences
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Koivisto Kaisa, TtT, yliopettaja, Oulun ammattikorkeakoulu, hoitoalat Paaso Leena, lehtori, Oulun ammattikorkeakoulu |
Background
The basis for Master degrees at UAS is work- and practice-based development. This article is part of the national network project Creating Strong R&D profile for Master's degrees. Research focused on teachers' experiences of team-teaching in multidisciplinary teams.
Research aim was to describe teachers' experiences of team-teaching. The purpose was to get knowledge how the teachers plan and carry out multidisciplinary education and courses. The knowledge produced was planned to use while developing multidisciplinary team teaching.
Method
The method was qualitative. The courses had been carried out on autumn 2014 and the data was gathered by interviewing individually Master teachers (8) on spring 2015. Teachers and one student fulfilled the interviews which were tape recorded. The interviews lasted from 40 minutes to one hour. The teachers were from business and administration (1), technics (3) and social- and health care (4). The data (100 pages) was analyzed by content analysis method.
Findings
The results formed of following main categories:
- Team-teaching,
- planning and carrying out multidisciplinary team-teaching,
- students' evaluation, multidisciplinary and connection with working life and
- assessment of team-teaching.
Conclusions
Multidisciplinary team-teaching was considered appropriate to carry out teaching but the focus and content should be defined more strictly. This meant that every teacher should define their own field and how the field is creating something new with a connection of other multidisciplinary fields. Master thesis planning and carrying out by multidisciplinary team could make possible the integration of education. According to Mårten Mickos (2016) in a successful team every member puts the success of the enterprise above and the team members see success of the whole team as the best form of success. Team members have shared values and divergent opinions. They discuss as a team about vision, strategy and goals for having the ability to develop the value proposition. Everyone and everything is action oriented. The team members support each other. The team practices open and authentic communication. The team arrives at key decisions through discussion, debate, and synthesis. The team has fun. There is just one way to lead a team to success: by believing in the positive energy of each individual. http://schoolofherring.com/ (Read 2.2.2016)