The Pedagogical Value of Co-Teaching: Case Study – Chemical Engineering
Co-teaching, defined as the collaborative planning and delivery of teaching by two or more educators within the same learning space, is a people centric pedagogic approach than can promote student understanding, a sense of community and inclusion across cohorts as well as increae staff enjoyment of teaching.
In this series of Case Studies we talk to several academic staff who have been practicing Co-Teaching to understand how they approach this and what the benefits and challenges are.
Dr Chris Parlett and Professor Arthur Garforth – Chemical Engineering
Over the past two academic 2 academic years we conducted a pedagogical review of the content and delivery of CHEN44491/64491, after feedback led to a dramatic restructuring, pulling together and integrating material previously taught independently as the new revised unit content. This combination and mixing of previous content meant it seemed logical to co-lecture across the unit rather than split the unit and lecture separately. Co-lecturing appeared to us to be a novel approach and one that we were not aware of within Chemical Engineering or wider afield. A quick review of alternative teaching practices suggested it was interesting to trial from both a pedagogical and student experience point of view.
Can you explain about how you deliver your sessions, what is the dynamic between the teaching staff, do you adopt different roles?
We co-deliver each week’s lectures and workshops, splitting sessions depending on content and who is best placed to deliver based on expertise and background. Whilst delivering individually, one at the front of the class and the other sat in the audience, we do play off each other’s expertise and use each other to encourage student participation. Although the content is still split, having sat through each other’s lectures and been responsible for co-creating each week’s content, we are comfortable enough to cover for each other if needed.
What are the benefits/drawbacks to this approach for you as staff and also your students?
Weekly attendance is up from previous years, with the mid-semester (post-reading week) drop-off is less apparent (SEAtS may also be a factor). By playing off each other, we feel we have increased the class participation. Moreover, having a colleague in the room can provide on-the-spot insight into how the content is received, whether it was engaging or too dry, whether it was truly understood, and if not, whether the content needs reinforcing later in the same lecture or subsequent workshop. It has also allowed us to ensure that our content is complementary but not overlapping/repetitive. Furthermore, we have been able to implement changes for the following year, based on content, length, and arrangement of content, as the extra pair of hands helps to record tweaks/timing changes.
The only drawback is the increased time commitment, which may not be reflected accurately in the FCM. However, this is more than offset by allowing us to spend more time with the students, whilst simultaneously ensuring familiarity of the cohort with both lecturers from the first week of the unit, rather than meeting one halfway through when attendance previously was dropping.
What has been the impact of this approach on your non-teaching time – for example moving from 100% teaching of half a unit to 50% teaching of an entire unit?
By attending all lectures, workshops, and office hours, we have effectively lost four hours per week over half of one semester. The unit restructuring in 2023/24 involved a complete review and reorganisation of all content, including the recording of asynchronous content, which sought to bring the unit together around three main themes (global challenges in the Chemical sector). This was a significant undertaking across semester 2 and the summer break. Subsequent changes to content for 2025/26 were minor and focused on reinforcing learning through editing workshop problem sets, and fine-tuning our use of short Mentimeter tests within lectures. The collaboration meant that we could also ensure a smooth migration from Blackboard to Canvas.
Has there been any change in student outcomes since you adopted this approach or any student feedback that relates to team teaching?
The positive impact is reflected in the Unit Survey and student attendance; however, while the class is more engaged with the unit, the unit average grades for MEng and MSc cohorts for 2024-25 have remained in line with previous years.
After the Initial Pedagogical Review the ‘Overall Teaching was excellent/teaching helped my learning’ question in the unit Survey was 3.43/4.19 (CP/AG), the following year that rose to 4.46/4.56 and then again, the impact of co-delivery in 2025/26 we saw it rise again to a score of 4.88/4.88.
How do you approach the planning of the sessions? Both plan sessions, take it turns etc.
We plan the sessions together with a clear idea of content and who delivers what, when and for how long. We typically start with one and switch between 1/3 to 2/3 of the way through, i.e. the content for each week is not always split exactly 50:50 (although over the semester it is). However, one lecture does include two changes. This division is done to reflect the individual expertise and background; however, we also find the change in pace/personal keeps the student’s attention. Changes often coincide with a Mentimeter quiz. Workshops are likewise co-delivered with questions developed collaboratively to test knowledge across both lecturer contents and ensure consistency in level and detail. Working together on both activities ensures all ILOs are covered, whilst the co-creation of exam questions ensures these are assessed to the same academic level. The coursework has also been conceived and developed as a collaborative activity, and whilst the group activity was developed in 2020, the individual coursework arose during the pedagogical review. The latter was in part in response to student feedback, but also our desire to increase assessment rigour and robustness by replacing eTests.
Any issues with student queries? Do they favour one over the other? As you are sharing responsibility for the whole course how are you ensuring consistency of messaging to students?
It would not appear so, for this year the teaching scores were comparable, which had not been the case pre 2024/25. During lectures and workshops, there is no apparent favouritism for one of us over the other. Likewise, emails are addressed to both and dealt with on a first-come basis rather than leaving it to who the content of the query relates to based on who has lectured on what. This reinforces the co-teaching philosophy. On the odd occasion that we are not comfortable addressing a point, we discuss it with each other before responding. Finally, the content on Canvas was co-created to ensure consistency in content and uniformity in our message to the cohort.
Anything about this approach to teaching that you didn’t foresee?
The immediate increase in Unit Survey scores, the increase in student attendance, and the positive comments in the Unit Surveys, which show they appreciated the co-delivery of content. The latter was very apparent in the Unit Survey in 24/25. Minor changes, including some content restructuring and refining the co-teaching approach for 25/26, resulted in further increases in Unit Survey scores.
Advice for any staff wanting to adopt this approach?
Embrace it and ensure that the approach truly is collaborative and a shared approach, as all participants need to buy into the concept of co-delivering across the semester. Also, the time commitment for reorganisation of the unit could be significant.
Thanks for Chris and Arthur for sharing their experiences.
Read more about the benefits of co-teaching
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Professor Richard Winpenny and Professor Eric McInnes – Chemistry
Professor Uli Sattler and Professor Sean Bechhofer – Computer Science – coming soon
Dr Rachel Parker-Strak, Dr Rachel Studd and Dr Aurelie Le Normand – Fashion Business and Textiles – coming soon
