Cross-Disciplinary Elective Courses in Initial Teacher Education: Developing Socio-Emotional and Pedagogical Competencies among Pre-Service Teachers
Cross-Disciplinary Elective Courses in Initial Teacher Education: Developing Socio-Emotional and Pedagogical Competencies among Pre-Service Teachers

Summary/Abstract: Nowadays, teachers’ socio-emotional competencies are recognized as fundamental for effective teaching and for creating a stimulating and supportive learning environment. The present studyexamines the impact of three cross-disciplinary elective courses —Effective communication andteamwork, Critical thinking and reflexivity, and Failure management and professional well-being—on the development of pre-service teachers’ socio-emotional and pedagogical competencies.Adopting a convergent parallel mixed-methods design, the research integrates quantitative andqualitative approaches to capture both measurable trends and the experiential dimensions of thetraining process. The sample comprised 31 female students enrolled in initial teacher educationprograms at the West University of Timișoara, with each participant engaged in one of the threetargeted disciplines. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire complemented byopen-ended items aimed to explore students’ subjective perceptions. Multiple linear regressionanalysis was employed as the primary analytical strategy to evaluate the collective predictivecapacity of these disciplines. The exploratory regression model captured a substantial proportion ofvariance (R² = 0.85) in students’ perceptions of their professional growth, though this high value isinterpreted cautiously given the context-specific sample size. Quantitative findings underscore theprominent role of reflective thinking in perceived professional development, while qualitativeevidence highlights the importance of collaborative learning tasks, applied exercises, and apsychologically safe learning environment. Overall, the study supports the deliberate integration ofsocio-emotional training into initial teacher education curricula, offering insights into pathwaysthat support the holistic development of future educators.

• Details
• Contents