Co-teaching Models for Islamic School Teachers: A Paradigm Shift in Three Developing Countries Kyrgyzstan, Tanzania and Indonesia

Abstract

Research into the effectiveness of Co-teaching is limited, particularly at Islamic schools. Studies on Co-teaching tend to focus on teachers’ perceptions about the effectiveness and emotional impact of Co-teaching. This study explores the viability of introducing Co-teaching models to teachers at Kyrgyz, Tanzanian and Indonesian Islamic schools. A quantitative approach was used to survey participants. The instrument used for the study was the NAMA Theory of Change (ToC) framework with a focus on teachers’ willingness to collaborate with others inside and outside the classroom. The sample included 252 teacher-educators from selected Islamic secondary schools in Indonesia, Kyrgyzstan, and Tanzania. The results show the readiness of Islamic school teachers in all three developing countries to benefit from the implementation of a Co-teaching programme at their schools, with benefits such as: improvement of pedagogical and social skills (school development programme goals) and to create a positive learning environment where teacher-educators have a strong sense of empathy, self-efficacy, ethics and spiritual values. Recommendations for further research include the improvement of the instrumentation for evaluating teachers’ readiness to engage in Co-teaching. To this end, it is hoped that teachers’ skills and experiences will be enhanced and students’ performance and learning experiences at Islamic schools in these developing countries could be improved.