Fostering innovation in higher education: The interplay between collaborative teaching, interdisciplinarity, and English-medium instruction

Abstract

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This study examines the intersection of three innovation strategies in higher education: collaborative teaching, interdisciplinarity, and English-medium instruction (EMI). A descriptive study of group differences explored EMI students’ perceptions of the effectiveness of co-teaching, focusing on variables like English proficiency, degree programme and course type. Data from 222 undergraduates at a medium-sized Spanish university were collected via an ad-hoc questionnaire. Results suggest that EMI students value co-teaching positively, especially in its ability to provide personalised attention and promote effective assessment practices, and regardless of their level of English. However, differences were found in favour of Education students in all dimensions of the questionnaire and, among them, in favour of those in interdisciplinary co-taught classes. While further research with larger, diverse samples is needed, this study suggests that co-teaching and interdisciplinarity are innovative strategies that reinforce each other and enhance learning in culturally and linguistically diverse settings.