Stone soup: using co-teaching and Photovoice to support inclusive education

Abstract

The purpose of this action research project was to increase the local educational system’s capacity to teach to greater student diversity across all grades through the use of Photovoice and co-teaching. Teacher education programs in the United States have reflected a historical legacy of separation according to student achievement and were organized in discrete and independent fashions. Barriers to collaboration now appear in even greater relief due to recent changes in US educational laws. Faculty and doctoral students from multiple programs in the School of Education, along with field supervisors, student-teachers and cooperating teachers, participated in an action research project to develop innovative strategies for integrating teacher preparation programs. Using Photovoice and co-teaching, investigators identified themes discovered in the data. Results indicated that collaboration benefits our student-teachers and the pupils they will teach. Recommendations for change are discussed.

Keywords:

• educational action research
• integrated teacher education
• Photovoice
• co-teaching
• higher education
• transformation