Higher education methodologies and Interdisciplinarity: A Public University Case in Brazil

The teaching-learning process and its concepts and practices are in continuous transformation. Innovative practices, as the active methodologies and interdisciplinarity, are challenges for professors, students, and institutions. This study aimed to identify teaching methodologies, techniques, resources and interdisciplinarity adopted by professors in a public higher education institution in Paraná, Brazil. A sample of 231 valid questionnaires was obtained. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and comparisons with parametric and non-parametric tests. The results indicate that a large part of the teachers seeks to use active methodologies, but there is some restriction on pedagogical training. Therefore, a high proportion of traditional methods use is observed. Although 62,3% has at least a doctorate degree, these results suggest that pedagogical undertraining leads to a lack of innovation. The most of professors do not adopt interdisciplinary activities; its potential is underestimate; and major complaining barriers for its underuse were low dialogue and stimuli. This study results can contribute with institutions for understanding their own teaching-learning process, for amplifying discussion on innovative practices in higher education, and for helping professors to reflect about their pedagogical practices.