McCullagh, J. (2020) Developing understanding of science skills in Northern Ireland through co-teaching between pre- and in-service teachers

Abstract

The Teacher Assessment in Primary Science for Northern Ireland (TAPS-NI) project (2017-19) worked collaboratively with pre- and in-service teachers to consider progression and assessment of science skills within the context of the World Around Us strand of the National Curriculum.

Co-teaching, where two teachers work together on phases of co-planning, co-practice and coevaluation, was employed to find out if such an approach could be fruitful in terms of both practice and curriculum development. Project data included participant questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. All participants reported increased understanding of science skills and their progression, and all contributed to the development of activity plans that contained a focused skill within the context of a whole investigation. The outcomes of the project indicate that co-teaching can be an effective form of pedagogy at both pre- and in-service phases of teacher education, supporting reflection and agency.