Multimodal Approaches to Math and Physical Education within Cooperative Learning to Enhance Social Attitudes

Abstract

This study investigates cooperative learning educational approaches that support preservice teachers’ (PSTs) academic and social attitudes. The extent of positive interdependence between PSTs during multimodal cooperative physical and mathematical activities was measured using a validated questionnaire on attitudes (academic and social) toward cooperative learning attitudes. The multimodal activities triggered positive PSTs’ interdependence characterized by teaching dimensions such as encouraging learner-to-learner interactions, intersubjective skills, and sociocultural awareness. PSTs believed that the cooperative activities helped to form peer-to-peer relationships among team members, which in turn fostered professional judgments. While social and affective attitudes were rated higher than academic ones, the difference was not significant. Hence, this study emphasizes that the multimodal approaches (based on both mathematical and physical development) triggered deeper social rather than academic attitudes, thus underscoring the importance of promoting key competences and the role they play in sustainable education.