Effective teaching strategies: Pre-service teachers’ experiences in team taught courses in an interdisciplinary Early Childhood teacher education program

Abstract

Teacher preparation programs support the development of effective early childhood (EC) teachers through multiple methods. Team teaching is one approach that may facilitate students’ learning and understanding. The current study collected data from 55 pre-service teachers to examine their perspectives on their experiences in team taught courses in an interdisciplinary EC program. A qualitative and quantitative approach was used to analyze survey items so that data from both close-ended and open-ended questions contribute to the findings about practices being modeled and benefits and challenges in team taught classes. Strategies to support this instructional approach in teacher preparation programs are discussed.