A Multicourse Collaborative Project Within a Global Context

Abstract

This study examined how student learning can be enhanced through a multidisciplinary collaborative project in the apparel merchandising and interior design curriculum. It investigated the relationships among students' perceptions (the importance of collaboration in the industry, course connections across disciplines, and cultural understanding), learning outcomes (social, cognitive, and emotional), attitude toward the collaborative project, and intent to register for future collaborative courses in pre- (N=56) and post-tests (N=52). The data was collected from students who enrolled in Global Retailing, Visual Merchandising, or Interior Design. In both tests, perceived importance of collaboration significantly influenced social/cognitive and emotional learning outcomes and attitude. Learning outcomes significantly affected attitude. Compared to social/cognitive learning outcomes, emotional learning outcomes was a stronger predictor of attitude in both tests, showing a pivotal role of emotional learning in creating positive attitudes toward the collaborative project. Attitude significantly increased intent to register for future collaborative courses in both tests.