The Lived Experiences of Instructors Co-teaching in Higher Education

• Main Authors: Jennifer Lock, Tracey Clancy, Rita Lisella, Pat Rosenau, Carla Ferreira, Jacqueline Rainsbury
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Brock University 2017-07-01
• Series: Brock Education: a Journal of Educational Research and Practice
• Subjects: co-teaching; team teaching; higher education
• Online Access: https://brock.scholarsportal.info/journals/brocked/home/article/view/482

The strength of co-teaching informs educators’ understanding of their own teaching practice and fosters a rediscovery of their passion for teaching.  Instructors bring their skills and competencies to the co-teaching relationship in ways that create an instructional dynamic greater than can be achieved individually.  From a mixed methods research design, instructors’ focus group interview data were examined with regard to identifying elements that influence successful co-teaching experiences, factors that impact the development and sustainability of the co-teaching relationship, and challenges that need to be addressed to avoid a breakdown in the co-teaching relationship. Drawing on the literature and the data, four recommendations for co-teaching practice are shared.  Further, implications for educational development and administrative support are discussed in relation to co-teaching practice in higher education.