This narrative qualitative study aimed to explore the perceptions of using Twitter as an effective professional learning tool for public school secondary-level teachers in Missouri. In addition, the researcher sought to find the perceptions of teachers who used Twitter for professional use, what they found to be valuable in developing a…

Despite years of implementing standards-based accountability systems, many teachers today lack the necessary preparation to develop standards-based instructional strategies and to inform decisions utilizing student assessments. The eMINTS ("Enhancing Missouri's Instructional Networked Teaching Strategies") National Center at the…

This paper explores teacher beliefs that influence the ways Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) are used in learning contexts. Much has been written about the impact of teachers' beliefs and attitudes to ICT as "barriers" to ICT integration (Ertmer, Ottenbreit-Leftwich, & York, 2007; Higgins & Moseley, 2001;…

This study compared two versions of professional development (PD) designed for teachers using formative assessment (FA) in mathematics classrooms that were networked with Texas Instruments Navigator (NAV) technology. Thirty-two middle school mathematics teachers were randomly assigned to one of the two groups: FA-then-NAV group and FA-and-NAV…

Calls to advance students' ability to engage in mathematical reasoning practices including conjecturing, generalising and justifying (CGJ) place significant new demands on teachers. This case study examines how Mathematics Studio provided opportunities for a team of U.S. middle school teachers to learn about these practices and ways to promote…

While much is known about K-12 teachers' participation in professional development (PD) on inquiry-based science instruction, how professors facilitate such PD is not as well documented. This reflective, descriptive study documents the pedagogical practices of three professors during a two-week summer PD program on inquiry-based science…

Researchers have recently used traditional item response theory (IRT) models to measure mathematical knowledge for teaching (MKT). Some studies (e.g., Hill, 2007; Izsak, Orrill, Cohen, & Brown, 2010), however, have reported subgroups when measuring middle-grades teachers' MKT, and such groups violate a key assumption of IRT models. This study…

The March issue of "Mathematics Teaching" included an article by Alice Onion about Bowland Maths, focussing on the nature and use of the Professional Development modules that the Bowland Trust has developed--there are now seven such CPD modules on the Bowland website. The article also mentioned that the Bowland Trust had recently…

This article focused on a deeper analysis of pre-service teachers' observations of video lessons based on the authentic classrooms across three stages in eight sessions in order to reveal their changes in the abilities to understand pedagogical content knowledge and the effects of specific observation frameworks introduced in the observation…

No student has been retained at West Carter Middle School in Olive Hill, Kentucky, in the last five years. Staff members proudly point to that fact as evidence that their decision to not permit zeros is working. That's a bit misleading, because coupled with the no-zero policy were a number of programmatic initiatives and supports that allowed all…

In eastern Pennsylvania, middle schoolers are teaching the teachers how to use technology effectively in the classroom. This article describes the Technology Wizards program which was developed by the Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit's Department of Instructional Innovation. It is a radical departure from traditional educational professional…

The Louisiana Striving Readers evaluation assessed the implementation and effectiveness of the Voyager "Passport Reading Journeys" (PRJ), a widely used supplemental literacy intervention for struggling adolescent readers that reflects the research-based practices recommended by the National Reading Panel (2000) and other more recent…

Mathematical discussions support and promote student learning as an integral part of the contexts in which students learn mathematics. Yet, American school practices often focus on teachers disseminating knowledge to students and students acquiring that knowledge through rote rehearsal rather than higher order thinking. One barrier to change in…

The Detroit Public Schools (DPS) have been battered by substantial outside forces over the last decade. The school system was taken over by the state; its elected school board was dissolved and replaced by an appointed body; its many operating systems were privatized; its citizenry were encouraged to flee to charter schools; and its resources have…

This report is based on the discussions of the February 2008 "Teaching by Choice: Beyond 2 + 2" conference, convened by the American Association of Community Colleges to focus on the growing role of community colleges as providers of teacher education and source of professional development for elementary, middle and secondary teachers of science,…