Co-Teaching for Reimagined Practice in Irish Initial Teacher Education: A Self-Study

• In Event: Continued Potential and Possibilities for Self-Study of Teacher Education

Abstract

It is generally accepted that teacher educators have a significant part in strengthening the quality of education (Cochran-Smith, 2003; Goodwin & Kosnik, 2013). Our objective is to reexamine programmatic structures and supports for placements specifically for 1st year student teachers in order to add a meaningful coteaching element. A conceptual framework of self-study underpins this research (Bullough and Pinnegar, 2001; Hamilton, 1998; Dinkelman, 2003; Loughran, 2007). A self-study framework means that the focus is the selves of the research team and on our personal and professional development (Lassonde et al, 2009). Our analysis of the data led us to identify three challenges that we experienced across the program and that are also significant in the current literature on coteaching.

Authors

• Julie Uí Choistealbha, Marino Institute of Education

• Colleen Horn, Marino Institute of Education

• Mairéad D Minnock, Marino Institute of Education