The Impact of Co-Teaching on Pedagogical Approaches and Student Conceptual Understanding in a Graduate, Adolescent Literacy Course

This hypothesis-generating research study sought to provide further insight into the impact of co-teaching experiences on pedagogical approaches and student conceptual understanding in a graduate, adolescent literacy course. Two professors and 21 students participated in this qualitative study. Collected over the course of a semester, data included student reflections, instructor field notes, and lesson plan rubrics. Four categories emerged from the data analysis: (a) reliability, (b) perspectives, (c) teacher support, and (d) pedagogy. Results indicate co-teaching, coupled with situated learning, solidified student conceptual understanding. It is evidenced that co-teaching is a powerful motivator for acquiring new knowledge when grounded in the theory of situated learning.