Team Teaching

This week, two faculty asked about the research on team teaching, so I thought I would share Team Teaching: A Summary by Halverson (2017), although not technically a SoTL article. The author shares Types of Team Teaching, such as Interactive team teaching; Rotational; Participant-observer; and Team coordination. He also cites research on the benefits of team teaching, which could include:

• Learn about teaching

• Improve their own teaching skills

• Step out of their comfort zone

• Have opportunities for creative assignments

• See teaching through the learners’ eyes

• Build collegial relationships and understanding across disciplines

Halverson also shares the research on the Challenges of Team Teaching:

• Lack of sufficient time for collaborative work exists

• Lack of training in group dynamics exists

• Problems with overlapping roles exist

• Territorial and status conflicts exist

• One discipline dominates the process

Also, he shares best practices for implementation:

• Plan together

• Identify sources of information on team teaching

• Talk to others with experience

• Become acquainted with each others’ styles

• Communicate (i.e., clearly define expectations)

• Plan alternating, interjecting strategies

• Attend each others’ classes

• Model debate

• Apply common grading standards

Recommended Readings

Creamer, Elizabeth G. and Lisa R. Lattuca, eds., 2005. Advancing Faculty Learning Through Interdisciplinary Collaboration. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Haynes, Carolyn, ed., 2002. Innovations in Interdisciplinary Teaching. Wesport, CT: American Council on Education/The Oryx Press.