Crossing the Boundaries:
Models for Interdisciplinary Co-Teaching in Undergraduate Courses
Linda Bucci, Justice Studies, Lasell College
Michael Daley, Environmental Studies, Lasell College
Lori Rosenthal, Social Sciences, Lasell College
Catherine Zeek, Teaching and Learning Center, Lasell College
Linda Bruenjes, Teaching and Instructional Technology, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Science
Sidney Trantham, Psychology, Lesley University
Abstract: Interdisciplinary co-teaching in higher education enhances the learning experience for both
students and faculty. Students explore content from diverse disciplinary perspectives, while faculty expand
their knowledge and pedagogical skills by engaging collaboratively in inquiry, teaching, and learning. Thus
students build their critical thinking skills beyond traditional pedagogical approaches and observe faculty
continuing their professional growth through challenging, thoughtful activity. At the same time, students
and faculty examine current issues through multiple lenses, perhaps deriving deeper understandings. The
presenters will describe their experience developing and teaching interdisciplinary undergraduate courses at
a small college, as well as present research and practice-based suggestions for others considering the
journey.
Literature review
Co-teaching, or team-teaching, has long been incorporated in classrooms from pre-school through college education.
In higher education, the practice can be challenging in the context of faculty course load calculations, finding time
and space for nonstandard class sizes or schedules, and a typical focus on discipline-specific knowledge and skills.
In an environment that features increasingly complex issues, demands creative approaches to problem-solving, and
prepares graduates to enter professional fields that cross traditional boundaries, college faculty have recently
reported co-teaching in a variety of areas including medicine (Orlander, Gupta, Fincke, & Manning, 2000),
sustainable development (Hoare et al., 2009), physics (Henderson, Beach, & Famiano, 2007), and health and social
care (Crow & Smith, 2005). While acknowledging the challenges (Kohler-Evans, 2006), researcher/practitioners
report benefits for both students and faculty. Students are encouraged to deal with difficult and complex topics
creatively (Eissen, Hall, Tong, & Zupko, 2009; Kerridge, Kyle, & Marks-Maran, 2009); and engage in thoughtful,
professional conversation (Woods, C., 2007). Faculty find that co-teaching promotes the “feel” of innovation
(Henderson, Beach, & Famiano, 2007), benefits their own professional development (Crow & Smith, 2005;
Orlander, et al, 2000), and may promote deeper learning in students (Lattuca, Voight, & Fath, 2004).
Goals and objectives
Upon completion of the session, participants will be able to:
 Compare varied models for interdisciplinary co-teaching;
 Understand and anticipate benefits and challenges to co-teaching;
 Identify opportunities for interdisciplinary co-taught courses in their institutions;
 Plan and develop their own co-taught interdisciplinary course.
Description of Practice
This presentation will describe three interdisciplinary co-taught courses at a small private college. The culture at this
college encourages pedagogical innovation and interaction among faculty across traditional disciplines and
departments. A revision of the core curriculum, currently in progress, introduces a new sophomore course co-taught
by faculty from two different disciplines. With this shift already beginning, we continue to explore strategies to
develop and deliver interdisciplinary courses that engage both students and faculty in challenging topics and creative
problem solving.
The presenters will focus on three sets of courses they have designed and co-taught. These courses share important
features while following slightly different models. Shared features include faculty from two different disciplines,
course topics and themes that transcend a specific discipline, and student populations drawn from multiple major
programs at the college. Variations include the number of credit hours students receive, goals of the courses, and
students’ class standing. Our experience with co-teaching includes:
 Learning to Teach, Teaching to Learn: Three-credit first year seminar for students entering education
programs taught by faculty from education and computer science; introduces first-semester students to
seminar and major content, academic expectations, and campus life; faculty share an interest in
instructional technology as a tool for teaching and learning.
 Children and Violence: Three-credit upper-level elective course co-taught by faculty in justice studies and
psychology and cross-listed in those departments; engages with complex issues contributing to children
becoming victims of or perpetrators of violence; these disciplines naturally interface to address child
maltreatment and youth violence.
 Persuading People, Preserving Planet: Four-credit sophomore-level course co-taught by faculty in
psychology and environmental studies; initial offering of a new core curriculum course; confronts students
with issues and challenges related to sustainability and changing human behavior.
In a panel format, we will provide a brief overview of each course, the model of co-teaching we followed, a central
assignment or project, our reflections on the course’s strengths, and suggestions for next time around. We will
conclude our panel with suggestions for best practices for interdisciplinary co-teaching, reserving the final 10-15
minutes for audience discussion.
Discussion
Co-teaching may involve faculty through strategies as basic as sharing class time equally or as complex as sharing
specifics of planning, teaching class sessions collaboratively, and co-assessing student work. As we talk with the
audience about the possibilities for co-teaching, we will identify this range of complexity and suggest ways in which
they can consider how co-teaching can benefit their students and their colleagues.
References
Crow, J., & Smith, L. (2005). Co-teaching in higher education: Reflective conversations on shared experience as
continued professional development for lecturers and health and social care students. Reflective Practice,
6(4), 491-506.
Eissen, A., Hall, Tong, S.L., & Zupko, J. (2009). Teaching water: Connecting across disciplines and into daily life to
address complex social issues. College Teaching, 57(2), 99-104.
Henderson, C., Beach, A., & Famiano, M. (2007). Diffusion of educational innovations via co-teaching. American
Institute of Physics, 83(1), 117-120.
Hoare, A., Cornell, S., Bertram, C., Gallagher, K., Heslop, S., Lieven, N., MacLeod, C., Morgan, J., Pickering, A.,
Wells, S., & Willmore, C. (2009). Teaching against the grain: Multidisciplinary teamwork effectively
delivers a successful undergraduate unit in sustainable development. Environmental Educational Research,
14(4), 469-481.
Kerridge, J., Kyle, G., & Marks-Maran, D. (2009). Evaluation of the use of team teaching for delivering sensitive
content: A pilot study. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 33(3), 93-103.
Kohler-Evans, P.A. (2006). Co-teaching: How to make this marriage work in front of the kids. Education, 127(2),
260-264.
Lattuca, L.R., Voight, L.J., & Fath, K.Q. (2004). Does interdisciplinarity promote learning? Theoretical support and
rsearchable questions. The Review of Higher Education, 28(1), 23-48.
Orlander, J.D., Gupta, M., Fincke, B.G., & Manning, M.E. (2000). Co-teaching: A faculty development strategy.
Medical Education, 34(4), 257-265.
Woods, C., (2007). Researching and developing interdisciplinary teaching: Towards a conceptual framework for
classroom communication. Higher Education, 54, 853-866.