Date of Award
Summer 2011
Degree Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education in Teacher Leadership (Ed.D)
Department
Teacher Leadership for Learning
First Advisor
Dr. Angela Blaver
Second Advisor
Dr. T. C. Chan
Third Advisor
Dr. Wendy Sanchez
Abstract
Current educational policies such as NCLB and IDEA have led to the adoption of inclusive classrooms in schools. This presents challenges to teachers because they are held accountable for the learning experiences of both general and special education students. The situation is especially challenging in high school mathematics inclusion classes where the special education co-teachers may not necessarily possess the content expertise to teach advanced levels of mathematics. Collaboration between co-teachers is necessary in order to successfully plan effective lessons that address the needs of all students. This study provides information about the teacher efficacy of high school mathematics co-teachers. It considers the influence of the amount of collaborative planning time on the efficacy of co-teachers. A quantitative research design was used, with follow-up interviews for further explanation of the findings. The Teacher Sense of Efficacy Survey (TSES) and Mathematics Teaching Efficacy Beliefs Instrument (MTEBI) were used to gather data from participating co-teachers within a large, urban school district. The findings indicate a significant difference in the mathematics teaching efficacy between the mathematics and special education co-teachers. This examination points to several benefits, such as teacher support structures and adaptive shifts in instructional practices. Implications for further study include the development of a valid instrument that measures the teacher efficacy of collaborating teachers within inclusion classes, further testing of the teacher efficacy of co-teachers using a range of demographics, and a consideration of the application of collective efficacy in co-teaching. Implications for school practice include the examination of the possible impact of content-specific professional development and encouraging distributed leadership, while considering the efficacy of co-teachers in inclusive contexts.