In talk about teacher preparation and professional development, we often hear the word "practice" associated with what, how, or when the learning of teaching is supposed to happen. In this article, four different conceptions of practice are investigated, and their implications for how learning teaching might be organized are explored. Rather than…

This special issue, "Bold Ideas for a New Era in Teacher Education, Teacher Preparation, and Teacher Practice," seeks to examine the impact of bold ideas on our field. Authors were asked to propose particular bold ideas that they wanted to examine. I proposed to examine the concept of bold ideas itself. In this article, I challenge the notion that…

Currently the press to make policy and practice decisions on the basis of evidence is being coupled with recognition that real change requires shifts in organizational culture. Consequently, there are now many efforts to "re-culture" organizations by making evidence central to decision making. In this article, the authors problematize the notion…

Several major attempts at reform that have occurred over the past half century are described, and lessons from the past are emphasized. It is urged that all reports be examined to determine what next steps are warranted based on history and the current knowledge base. (Author/MT)

A long-range staff development project for teacher educators sponsored by the Maryland State Department of Education in cooperation with five higher education institutions is described. Issues pertaining to faculty development and the nature of teacher educators are discussed. (MT)

This article suggests additional possibilities for reconceptualist thought, which is characterized by an experimental bent and a disdain for orthodoxy, as well as new venues for action. Possible contributions by reconceptualists to issues of curricular reform, experimental schools, education courses and preservice teacher education are discussed.…

Presents results of a case study that examined the different perspectives of university faculty ("applied scientist" instructors) and reflective practitioners (experienced teachers employed as college clinical faculty). Applied scientist instructors demonstrated a view of prospective teachers' microteaching as autonomous school learning whereas…