Socio-Historical Factors Mediating Collaborative Teaching and Learning: A Design-Based Investigation and Intervention

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Washington, 2016-06

Collaborative (Co-) teaching is a complex instructional delivery model used to improve teaching practice in inclusive settings. The model involves multiple certified teachers – representing both special and general education – sharing the same space and presenting material to classrooms with a wide variance in learning needs. Co-teaching has become an increasingly popular form of instructional delivery in school districts attempting to improve Inclusive Education outcomes. It also creates a unique educational space that is often challenging for teachers to navigate and for several reasons, its affordances unfulfilled. This multiyear investigation and intervention uses a Design-Based Research (DBR) approach to understand the environment of a local co-teaching team, co-design supportive tools, and implement those tools to improve practice. This investigation addresses a lack of research attending to the implementation of – and learning involved in – co-teaching practice. Multiple co-teachers participated in this collaborative project over two years. Two novel co-teaching tools were co-constructed: (1) Co-teaching Lesson Guiding and Reflecting Form, and (2) Collaborative Teaching and Learning Map. Local implementation of the tools as well as implications to research and practice are discussed.