Date of Award
3-26-2024
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Educational Leadership, Ed.D.
First Advisor
Andrea Liston
Second Advisor
Bronwyn MacFarlane
Committee Members
HoYeol Yu
Call Number
LD 251 .A566d 2024 B94
Abstract
Co-teaching has developed as a successful instructional strategy to support various learning requirements and differentiation, especially as more students with disabilities are integrated into general education classrooms. To establish efficacious co-teaching partnerships, it is important to surmount some interpersonal barriers and apply relational skills. To better understand the dynamics of meaningful co-teaching relationships, this phenomenological study interviewed seven co-teaching pairs who had participated in the Arkansas Co-Teaching Project's year-long professional development program. Additionally, to understand how to foster equality and synergy, both individual and group interviews were conducted. Findings highlighted the need for more intensive training and support systems to foster collaborative dynamics and close the gaps between aspirational aims of parity and daily reality. Inadequate time for planning, limited space in the classroom, uneven workloads, subtle power dynamics, and a lack of administrative support all influenced the co-teaching relationship dynamics. Research findings suggested that co-teaching is most effective when both teachers and their working conditions are designed to encourage collaboration and mutual respect (Conderman et al., 2009). Effective co-teaching can be duplicated with well-designed training and consistent follow-up. As this study found, organized initiatives fostering equality and participation from all stakeholders are necessary for successful co-teaching partnerships.
Rights Management
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Byers, Debra L., "An Examination of the Relational Aspect of Cohesive Co-Teaching Relationships" (2024). Student Theses and Dissertations. 101.
https://arch.astate.edu/all-etd/101
