As we developed the paper over the three years we deliberately sought out materials that would challenge students to think critically about the topics rather than provide them with ‘information’ to be consumed passively in class. This decision was in part based on our strong commitment to teaching and learning as a shared activity but also reflected our different teaching styles and backgrounds. For example, when teaching the gender lecture,
 
Vivienne became very aware of how her teaching was informed by her feminist beliefs and strong commitment to social justice issues. This awareness was overtly present in the resources selected and in her style of teaching.
Linda was always aware and mindful of the learning environment and ways in which student engagement was gained, maintained or lost. On reflection upon these observations, lessons were reviewed accordingly with new ways being tried in order to fulfil the needs of different learning styles.
In the process of writing and sharing journals we found a shared common vision for the paper. The joint expectation for sharing ideas and thrashing out problems was particularly valuable when journal entries exposed some difficult emotional responses. A strong sense of trust between us was established and it was important that vulnerabilities could be discussed without fear of ‘exposure’ in the wider context of the department. The shared vision for the paper created a space for both of us to challenge preconceived and taken-for-granted teaching strategies. We both felt safe to experiment in the knowledge that the experience was validated through a joint commitment to enhancing the scholarship of teaching and learning.
Other unintended outcomes of collaboration were the opportunities for us to model aspects of effective teaching practice by providing students with diverse perspectives on a topic and seeing that different perspectives can be illuminating rather than necessarily
‘critical’ or ‘argumentative’.
Literature
Much of the literature on teaching sociology in teacher education is seeking to find innovative and practical ways to introduce theory to students studying sociology as a minor subject rather than their main discipline. There is general acknowledgement that teaching sociological theory to education students is problematic and requires innovative teaching and learning practices, for example; student journals, online quizzes/blogs and role play (Pederson, 2010). One of the problems identified in the research is that students are often challenged in their thinking by some of the theory that seeks to unsettle taken-for-granted values and beliefs, for example, relating to poverty and class. Often this requires teacher educators to “help people learn new ways of seeing a familiar world” which is “no easy task” (Diem & Helfenbein, 2008, p. xii).
Albers (2008) clearly articulates the emotional impact of trialling teaching and learning strategies with students studying sociology. She describes the ‘unintended’ consequences of pedagogic innovations (p. 269) and how these can result in student resistance to what are perceived as challenges to the traditional student/teacher relationship. In fact the resistance can be so great that it is counterproductive to learning per se. Furthermore Pederson (2010) points out, theory can represent a significant stumbling block for many students, which can pose particular challenges for the teacher.
This was evident in our experience when introducing aspects of theory that were particularly challenging to the students’ taken-for-granted assumptions.