Higher education has witnessed remarkable technological advancements; however, the rapid rise of generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI) presents substantial challenges for teaching and research. This growing reliance has expanded educators' roles, underscoring the need for ethical and selective AI integration while preparing students and…

One way to build a comprehensive, inclusive, and equitable music education is through the inclusion of popular music in curricula. However, it can be challenging for teachers to bring popular music into the classroom for many reasons. We suggest that since many teachers are educated in the Orff Schulwerk approach, this can be one way to teach…

Kappan's editor talks with Tracey Tokuhama-Espinosa, a leader in the international movement to translate findings from neuroscience into usable knowledge for educators. Topics include neuromyths (common, but erroneous, beliefs about how the brain works), the current scientific consensus about how people learn, and the contributions that the…

This commentary discusses the four papers that comprise the special issue on dialogic teaching and learning, while making general observations that apply across the field as a whole. Similarities and differences are identified over the concepts of "dialogue" and "dialogic pedagogy". The possibility is raised that some aspects…

Exciting developments for New Zealand education have provided opportunities recently for teachers and other educators to express their professional aspirations in assessment. The mantle of fostering teachers' professionalism through strong relationships across the education sector and relevant stakeholder groups, and the provision of timely…

What do K-12 schools need to do to prepare their students for adult success? This was the question that originally catalyzed the standards-and-accountability movement some 30 years ago, though it seems somehow to have gotten lost. Today the question merits revisiting, because addressing it makes a strong case for taking an integrated approach to…

Black, Wilson, and Yao have identified a very real tension felt by teachers today that has been created by No Child Left Behind (NCLB) in the United States and the National Curriculum Assessment in the United Kingdom. In many schools, formative assessment has either taken a backseat to summative assessment use, or many of the formative assessment…

Experiential learning is making meaning from direct experience. Experiential learning is used in workplace training (Silberman, 2007), and is the theoretical foundation for all practicum and co-op program learning. Supported by findings on expert/novice learning styles (Boshuizen, Bromme, and Gruber, H., 2004), this essay reflects on the practice…

In this article, the author wants to bury inservice and all of the outdated practices that go with it such as "delivery of professional development," "training," "staff development programs," "professional development activities," and "ippy dippys." She wants to bury them so deep that no educator will ever again use them to describe the learning…

Argues that language learning is a very useful metaphor for exploring new dimensions of teacher development. The notion is that, when the processes of language acquisition and the context in which it occurs are examined closely, important lessons can be learned for creating a more effective culture for the professional growth of teachers. (GLR)

Literature on adult life stages and career development is synthesized and placed within the perspective of a career cycle model for teachers as adult learners. The teacher career cycle is viewed as a progression affected by personal and environmental factors. The stages a teacher's career proceeds through (e.g., preservice, entry, growing, stable,…

Empirical studies of the connection between humor and learning indicate that humor can increase student attention and interest. Presentation of humorous material involves skills that can be learned through practice, and faculty development programs for teachers to acquire these skills should be made available. (MSE)

Educational professional development is a global concern. It is often characterised by event-delivery methods, though there are signs that other approaches are gaining favour. The authors stress the significance of non-formal learning, and the ways in which it can be promoted and enhanced within the activity systems within which teachers in higher…

If college faculty were encouraged by leadership to share their teaching experiences and insights, good teaching could flourish. Useful conversation topics include critical moments in teaching and learning; the human condition of teachers and learners; metaphors and images of the teaching process; and autobiographical reflection on great teachers.…

Two recent theoretical developments in adult education, self-directed learning and transformative learning, are applied to the college faculty development process. With this approach, faculty learn to direct their own learning process, become aware of their assumptions about teaching, and revise them using critical self-reflection. (MSE)