Exploring Coteaching as a Trend in Higher Education

Abstract

This qualitative inquiry used the multiple case study and phenomenological designs to explore coteaching experiences of teachers in higher educational institutions. The research utilized the modal purposive and accidental sampling techniques to select five groups of coteachers from five Ghanaian universities. Data obtained via in-depth group interviews and classroom observations were analyzed using content and thematic approaches. The research revealed that the teachers were motivated to accept coteaching responsibility because of the belief that it was an effective practice that met students’ academic needs, and this notion influenced their engagement in coteaching practices described as team teaching and parallel teaching. A low level of commitment was, however, the main challenge confronting the coteachers. The research mainly recommended the use of the two coteaching models for global higher education but suggested that coteachers should have compatible teaching philosophies to perhaps make them more committed to working with one another.

Keywords:

• Collaborative teaching
• coteaching
• distributed leadership theory
• Ghana
• higher education
• instructional practice
• qualitative study