Benefits of Interdisciplinary Teaching at an Omani Public University

Abstract

During the last two decades, the pros and cons of applying interdisciplinary approaches in teaching have been debated endlessly. Many scholars have pointed to the favorable impact of interdisciplinary teaching on the quality of education; others have expressed reservations. In the context of an undergraduate Western literature classroom in Oman, teachers are challenged to make literary texts comprehensible and appealing to Omani English majors who have no familiarity with the Western literary tradition when they enroll in literature courses. This chapter explores the possibility of applying interdisciplinary teaching approaches in the undergraduate American literature classroom at Sultan Qaboos University (SQU). It discusses some innovative teaching methods which help create an effective teaching and learning environment. The study found, among other things, that the application of interdisciplinary methods can contribute to the development of higher order cognitive skills, broaden students' knowledge base, and heighten their sensitivity to global problems.