PREPARING TEACHERS FOR MULTIDISCIPLINARY CLASSROOMS: PROPOSED INTERVENTIONS IN PRE-SERVICE TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAMS

Abstract

The shift toward multidisciplinary education, as envisioned by the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, necessitates a transformative approach in pre-service teacher education to prepare future educators for diverse, integrated classrooms. It emphasizes the importance of developing competencies such as critical thinking, collaboration, inclusive classroom management, and the integration of arts, sciences, and vocational education along with digital technologies and blended learning in supporting multidisciplinary teaching. As education shifts toward holistic, interconnected learning experiences reflecting real-world complexity, teacher education programs must adapt to equip future educators with the skills, mindsets, competencies and tools required to navigate and foster multidisciplinary learning. This paper explores the conceptual foundations, pedagogical strategies, and curricular frameworks essential for preparing pre-service teachers for multidisciplinary classrooms. Through document analysis and a review of national and global literature, it examines current approaches to teacher education. The aim is to contribute to reimagining 21st-century teacher education to develop competent educators for diverse learning environments.