Collaborative teaching and self-study: Engaging student teachers in sociological theory in teacher education

This article presents some of the findings of a three-year project researching the impact of changes made to teaching and learning in a first-year sociology paper for primary and early childhood education (ece) student teachers. The context of the research is an undergraduate Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programme situated in the School of Education in a New Zealand University. Through self-study, teacher educators sought to gain a deeper understanding of how changes made to the paper influenced their teaching and student learning. A collaborative teaching relationship was particularly important for the teacher educators to share concerns and present ideas for innovative practice in a safe space. The relationship, built over a period of three years, encouraged a mutual desire to create a teaching and learning environment that valued the student voice and was engaging for teacher educators and student teachers.