Sharing the Stage With a Coteaching Sage: A Qualitative Study of Preservice Teachers’ Perceptions of Effective Coteaching in Higher Education

• In Event: Poster Session 3
  In Poster Session: Exploring Content and Contexts in Preservice Coursework

Abstract

Collaborative teaching has developed into a frequently utilized service delivery option for inclusive K-12 classrooms in the United States but little research has been done on co-teaching partnerships in teacher education. This paper explores how preservice teachers perceive effective co-teaching collaborations. Data are drawn from a three-year study of co-teaching at an Eastern United States University. Results are analyzed through a shared or distributed leadership framework and indicate that preservice teachers perceive effective communication skills and the development of mutual respect as among the most important characteristics of effective co-teaching partnerships. These results have implications for policies and practices in making co-teaching assignments, modeling effective co-teaching for preservice teachers, and facilitating effective collaboration and relationship building amongst co-teaching faculty.

Authors

• Kelli Jo Kerry-Moran, Indiana University of Pennsylvania

• Mary Ann Morocco-Perry, Indiana University of Pennsylvania