The lecturer-as-learner; a critical analysis of a team teaching pilot programme

Abstract

In an attempt to displace traditional lecturing hierarchies with a co-learning dynamic, the lecturer-as-learner paradigm was explored in GMIT Letterfrack. An action research study was carried out in the context of a final year level 8 degree Professional Studies module (2012-2013) which had a cohort of nineteen students. Two lecturers piloted a team teaching model of delivery in order to explore the effectiveness of parallel teaching, alternate teaching, and co-teaching formats. A co-learning model was adopted, where lecturers participated in the dual roles of lecturer and learner, in structured dialogue with students. This study had two strands; the first, a participating lecturer, conducted an in-depth critical reflection on his team teaching experience, the second a participating student, conducted a final year thesis on the effectiveness of the team teaching delivery.