Teachers who have been trained to work with normal young children (early childhood certification) or with older disabled children (special education certification) are unprepared to assume the multiple responsibilities of the teacher of preschool disabled children. Prior to the 1979-1980 academic year, few (if any) formal on-going inservice (or…

This report on the TMT (Training Modules for Trainers) Project, part of the Special Discretionary Grant Program developed by the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) in response to the need for coordinated training activities, begins with a discussion of the emerging problem of upgrading teachers' computer literacy skills. A description of the…

A case is made for the use of computer assisted instruction (CAI) in Child Development Associate (CDA) training programs conducted on-campus in conjunction with an educational curriculum or conducted off-campus in conjunction with child care programs. The following points are made: (1) CAI can be used to supplement and amplify a teacher's…

The study of variance in observers assessing movement control in children with mild mental retardation found that observers who received informal training needed to observe twice as many trials to reach an acceptable standard of reliability compared to the observers who received competency-based training. (Author/DB)

This study was conducted as part of a project to increase the number of certified teachers who serve students with behavior disorders in the rural regions of West Virginia, improve the quality of training to participants at both the elementary and secondary levels, and retain certified teachers who teach students with behavior disorders. Improving…

This study investigated whether Child Development Associate (CDA) certificate holders in two San Francisco, California, Bay Area counties (Contra Costa and Alameda) felt that CDA certification had increased their professional self-esteem and career development within Head Start. It was hypothesized that the higher the teacher's level of formal…

Reports on a study of the effects of competency-based self- analysis of videotaped rehearsals by inservice music teachers. Examines the patterns of task presentation, student response, and immediate teacher feedback. Finds that research-based teaching techniques significantly increased teacher use of complete sequential patterns. (CFR)

This paper describes the development of standardized evaluation procedures for Pasco County's inservice teacher education. Since 1983, legislation requires teacher education centers in Florida to report attainment data based on measurable objectives. Using a classification system adapted from the "Rand Change Agent Study," directors and…

This paper examined some of the issues surrounding the Arizona Teacher Proficiency Examination (ATPE), including the rationale for teacher testing, the Arizona approach to testing, and selected student outcomes. Arizona moved from Legislative directive in April 1980, to the implementation of the Arizona Teacher Proficiency Examination in June…

The validation of Tennessee's Pre-Professional Skills Tests (PPST) is described. Panels of experts from teacher education institutions and local school districts performed the test item review, focusing on test validity and minimum requirements for admission to teacher education programs. Participants (136 teacher educators, 108 high school…

A questionnaire was distributed to 456 post-secondary institutions offering preservice teacher preparation programs in 27 rural states. Of the 208 institutions responding, 21 offered specialized programs for teachers planning to work in rural areas. Of the suggested 26 preservice curriculum components, 14 were offered in over half the institutions…

Alverno College (Wisconsin) defines a curriculum in which all students demonstrate certain major abilities within their disciplines or professional areas, and it assesses those abilities as its primary graduation requirements. The college-wide assessment center has enabled assessment of complex abilities not easily tested through a single course.…

The Functional Academic Skills Tests (FAST) was developed to measure the basic skills of mathematics, reading, and writing in teachers employed by the Houston, Texas, Independent School District. The three content domains were drawn from the Pre-Professional Skills Tests (PPST). These sets of skills, or proficiencies, were amplified by supporting…

This paper presents the three year process used in developing a teacher evaluation model for the Fort Worth (Texas) Independent School District. Based on Dr. Richard Manatt's School Improvement Model for Teacher Performance Evaluation, the purposes of the model were to improve teaching skills and to enable valid and reliable judgements concerning…

The Comprehensive Education Reform Act of 1984 (CERA) provides the mandate and framework for the Tennessee Career Ladder Program for teachers and administrators. The development and structure of the Tennessee Career Ladder Plan for teachers, a five level program which provides for teacher certification based upon performance, is discussed in this…