No abstract

Team teaching has long been thought to have positive benefits for learners and teachers in a variety of educational settings. Using an action research model the authors describe the outcomes of team teaching an online graduate level disaster research and statistics course. Separated geographically, two online instructors taught at a distance over the course of five semesters using an interactive team teaching model that allowed for greater interaction and instructor presence. Data was reviewed from instructor reflective logs and student responses to the team teaching model. Results of the study indicate that there was a positive benefit in developing synergy in content and pedagogies, continued instructor learning and continuous reflection on instructional design. Students also reported greater instructor presence and a greater understanding of the research and statistical process through immediacy of feedback and the added access and clarity that resulted from the team teaching process. The use of an interactive team teaching model provides greater clarity and interaction with students and should be considered as an online pedagogical opportunity.

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There is evidence that many students leave university without effective learning strategies and skills that would facilitate their learning in the future. For example, they can complete their university courses without developing information skills or a love of learning, with only a limited repertoire of learning strategies, and with no intention of engaging in further learning. While these findings indicate a need for universities to review the structure of courses and the way that they are taught and assessed, it is not necessary to wait for this to happen. Within existing course structures, universities can help prepare students for lifelong learning by teaching them learning strategies. This is best done if the strategies are taught by university teachers in the context of their regular coursework. We have confirmed in our research and professional development projects that this can be done. In an experimental study, we investigated the effects of explicidy teaching students learning strategies in the context of their regular coursework. This research indicated that students who were taught learning strategies in the context of their regular coursework used them effectively and achieved better results than students who were taught in the conventional way. In a professional development project, we taught university teachers from a variety of subject areas to teach learning strategies to students in their own courses. These teachers were successful in helping students develop a repertoire of effective learning strategies and display greater commitment to their learning.