Paired student teaching and program coherence

Abstract

This research provides a case study of two preservice social studies teachers participating in paired student teaching and how they implement into practice their university-based learning. Providing additional context for the case study is the inclusion of the paired teachers’ university supervisor and mentor teacher, and the paired student teachers’ participation in a student teaching seminar. Through the use of interviews, observations of school-based and university-based teaching and learning, and document analysis, this study explores how the collaborative relationship between paired teachers allows for a conceptual understanding of teacher education program goals and the pedagogical implementation of those goals in practice. The research was designed to examine the potential impact paired student teaching has on creating coherent learning and teaching experiences for preservice teachers within a teacher education program.