Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

To Team or Not to Team: an Exploration of Undergraduate Students’ Perspectives of Two Teachers Simultaneously in Class

  • Published:
Innovative Higher Education Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In this article we report on a study that explored undergraduate accounting students’ experience of team teaching. In particular, we assessed and analysed the students’ perspectives of the relative advantages and disadvantages of teaming, as a form of team teaching, in contrast to the more widely adopted equal status model of team teaching. The results suggest that the students assessed the teaming and equal status models of team teaching positively. They were, however, statistically significantly more positive about the advantages of the teaming model with a larger majority of the students indicating a stronger preference for the teaming model, as compared to the equal status model. Our results show that the teaming model provided students with classes that, from their perspective, were more interesting, aided their understanding, and provided them with faster and more individualized support than did the equal status model. In adopting the teaming model, teachers should, however, consider sources of possible confusion and intimidation.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Al-Saaideh, M. A. (2010). A rationale to adopt team teaching in prevocational education in Jordan. Journal of Instructional Psychology, 37, 269–285.

    Google Scholar 

  • Angelo, T. A., & Cross, K. P. (1993). Classroom assessment techniques. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Austin, V. L. (2001). Teachers’ beliefs about co-teaching. Remedial and Special Education, 22, 245–255.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baeten, M., & Simons, M. (2014). Student teachers’ team teaching: Models, effects, and conditions for implementation. Teaching and Teacher Education, 41, 92–110.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baeten, M., & Simons, M. (2016). Student teachers’ team teaching: How do learners in the classroom experience team-taught lessons by student teachers? Journal of Education for Teaching, 42, 93–105.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barahona, M. (2017). Exploring models of team teaching in initial foreign/second language teacher education: A study in situated collaboration. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 42(12), 144–161.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Benjamin, J. (2000). The scholarship of teaching in teams: What does it look like in practice? Higher Education Research & Development, 19, 191–204.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Birrell, J. R., & Bullough, R. V. (2005). Teaching with a peer: A follow-up study of the 1st year of teaching. Action in Teacher Education, 27, 72–81.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Buckley, F. J. (1999). Team teaching: What, why, and how? Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bullough, R.V., Young, J., Birrell, J.R., Clark, D.C., Egan, M.W., Erickson, L., … Welling, M. (2003). Teaching with a peer: A comparison of two models of student teaching. Teaching and Teacher Education, 19, 57–73.

  • Bullough, R.V., Young, J., Erickson, L., Birrell, J.R., Clark, D.C., Egan, M.W., … Smith, G. (2002). Rethinking field experience: Partnership teaching versus single-placement teaching. Journal of Teacher Education, 53, 68–80.

  • Burden, H., Heldal, R., & Adawi, T. (2012). Pair lecturing to enhance reflective practice and teacher development. In R. Anderson (Ed.), LTHs 7:e Pedagogiska Inspirationskonferens. Lund, Sweden.

  • Carpenter, D. M., Crawford, L., & Walden, R. (2007). Testing the efficacy of team teaching. Learning Environments Research, 10, 53–65.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Colburn, M., Sullivan, D., & Fox, D. E. (2012). An examination of the impact of team teaching on student learning outcomes and student satisfaction in undergraduate business capstone courses. American Journal of Business Education, 5, 149–157.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cole, M., John-Steiner, V., Scribner, V., & Souberman, S. E. (Eds.). (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cook, L., & Friend, M. (1995). Co-teaching: Guidelines for creating effective practices. Focus on Exceptional Children, 28(3), 1–16.

    Google Scholar 

  • Donnison, S., Edwards, D., Itter, D., Martin, D., & Yager, Z. (2009). Reflecting on improving our practice: Using collaboration as an approach to enhance first year transition in higher education. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 34(3), 18–29.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Field, A. (2013). Discovering statistics using IBM SPSS statistics (4th ed.). London, England: SAGE.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fuller, R. G., & Bail, J. (2011). Team teaching in the online graduate environment. International Journal of Information and Communication Technology Education, 7(4), 72–83.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gardiner, W. (2010). Mentoring two student teachers: Mentors’ perceptions of peer placements. Teaching Education, 21, 233–246.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gardiner, W., & Robinson, K. S. (2010). Partnered field placements: Collaboration in the “real world”. The Teacher Educator, 45, 202–215.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goodnough, K., Osmond, P., Dibbon, D., Glassman, M., & Stevens, K. (2009). Exploring a triad model of student teaching: Pre-service teacher and cooperating teacher perceptions. Teaching and Teacher Education, 25, 285–296.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guise, M., Habib, M., Thiessen, K., & Robbins, A. (2017). Continuum of co-teaching implementation: Moving from traditional student teaching to co-teaching. Teaching and Teacher Education, 66, 370–382.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hanusch, F., Obijiofor, L. M., & Volcic, Z. (2009). Theoretical and practical issues in team-teaching a large undergraduate class. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 21, 66–74.

    Google Scholar 

  • Helms, M. M., Alvis, J. M., & Willis, M. (2005). Planning and implementing shared teaching: An MBA team-teaching case study. Journal of Education for Business, 81, 29–34.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Henderson, C., Beach, A., & Famiano, M. (2009). Promoting instructional change via co-teaching. American Journal of Physics, 77, 274–283.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Higgins, L. M., & Litzenberg, K. K. (2015). Transferring experience through team teaching: The chance of a lifetime. College Teaching, 63, 105–111.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • John-Steiner, V., & Mahn, H. (1996). Sociocultural approaches to learning and development: A Vygotskian framework. Educational Psychologist, 31, 191–206.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kamens, M. W. (2007). Learning about co-teaching: A collaborative student teaching experience for preservice teachers. Teacher Education and Special Education, 30, 155–166.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kerin, M., & Murphy, C. (2015). Exploring the impact of coteaching on pre-service music teachers. Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, 43, 309–323.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • King, S. (2006). Promoting paired placements in initial teacher education. International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education, 15, 370–386.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Knights, S., & Sampson, J. (1995). Reflection in the context of team teaching. Studies in Continuing Education, 17, 57–69.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lave, J., & Wenger, E. (1991). Situated learning: Legitimate peripheral participation. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Lee, S. H. S. (2013). An evaluation on a team teaching by university students and lecturers in Australia. Journal of Language Teaching & Research, 4, 914–923.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liebel, G., Burden, H., & Heldal, R. (2017). For free: Continuity and change by team teaching. Teaching in Higher Education, 22, 62–77.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McDaniel, E. A., & Colarulli, G. C. (1997). Collaborative teaching in the face of productivity concerns: The dispersed team model. Innovative Higher Education, 22, 19–36.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Money, A., & Coughlan, J. (2016). Team-taught versus individually taught undergraduate education: A qualitative study of student experiences and preferences. Higher Education, 72, 797–811.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Murawski, W. W. (2005). Addressing diverse needs through co-teaching: Take baby steps! Kappa Delta Pi Record, 41, 77–82.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Murphy, C., & Scantlebury, K. (Eds.). (2010). Co-teaching in international contexts. London, England: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nevin, A. I., Thousand, J. S., & Villa, R. A. (2009). Collaborative teaching for teacher educators—What does the research say? Teaching and Teacher Education, 25, 569–574.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nokes, J. D., Bullough, R. V., Egan, W. M., Birrell, J. R., & Hansen, J. M. (2008). The paired-placement of student teachers: An alternative to traditional placements in secondary schools. Teaching and Teacher Education, 24, 2168–2177.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Plank, K. M. (Ed.). (2011). Team teaching: Across the disciplines, across the academy. Sterling, VA: Stylus.

    Google Scholar 

  • Robb, M., & Gerwick, M. (2013). Team teaching: A resource guide for nurse educators. Teaching and Learning in Nursing, 8, 78–82.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roth, W. M., & Tobin, K. (2002). At the elbow of one another: Learning to teach by co-teaching. New York, NY: Peter Lang.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shibley, I. A. (2006). Interdisciplinary team teaching: Negotiating pedagogical differences. College Teaching, 54, 271–274.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Silverman, D. (2005). Doing qualitative research. London, England: SAGE.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, J. D. (2004). Developing paired teaching placements. Educational Action Research, 12, 99–126.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sorensen, P. (2004). Learning to teach collaboratively: The use of subject pairs in the school practicum. Canadian Journal of Educational Administration and Policy, 32, 1–24.

    Google Scholar 

  • Subban, P. (2006). Differentiated instruction: A research basis. International Education Journal, 7, 935–947.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thousand, J. S., Villa, R. A., & Nevin, A. I. (2006). The many faces of collaborative planning and teaching. Theory Into Practice, 45, 239–248.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tobin, K., Roth, W. M., & Zimmermann, A. (2001). Learning to teach science in urban schools. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 38, 941–964.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Topping, K. J. (2005). Trends in peer learning. Educational Psychology, 25, 631–645.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walsh, K., & Elmslie, L. (2005). Practicum pairs: An alternative for first field experience in early childhood teacher education. Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, 33, 5–21.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wenger, E. (1998). Communities of practice: Learning, meaning, and identity. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

  • Wenger, M. S., & Hornyak, M. J. (1999). Team teaching for higher level learning: A framework of professional collaboration. Journal of Management Education, 23, 311–327.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Accounting, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa

    Astrid Schmulian & Stephen A. Coetzee

Authors
  1. Astrid Schmulian
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Stephen A. Coetzee
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Stephen A. Coetzee.

Additional information

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Our purpose for this study was to explore the students’ perspectives of the relative advantages and disadvantages of teaming, as a form of team teaching, in contrast to the more widely adopted equal status model of team teaching, in an undergraduate accounting course.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Schmulian, A., Coetzee, S.A. To Team or Not to Team: an Exploration of Undergraduate Students’ Perspectives of Two Teachers Simultaneously in Class. Innov High Educ 44, 317–328 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10755-019-9466-2

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10755-019-9466-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation