The Certificate IV in Training and Assessment (TAA40104) has become the standard teaching qualification in the vocational education and training (VET) sector. Therefore the extent to which it provides competency in training and assessment, arguably the key element of being an effective teacher, is a fundamental issue. The author investigates the…

To understand how teacher education might build the knowledge it needs, the editors of this issue investigate how organizations outside of education create and maintain "self-improving" systems that enable them to learn how to get better at what they do. To learn about knowledge building in teacher education, the research reported here also looks…

In an effort to combine pre-service teachers' self-reflection with their field experiences to enhance their cultural competency, this study adopted Schmidt's ABC's (Autobiography, Biography, and Cross-cultural Comparison) Model in two courses in a pre-service teacher education program. Through group comparisons, this study measured the impact that…

The turn of the century brought a profound change in the accreditation of teacher preparation programs. This shift--from curriculum-based reviews to standards-based reviews--took place in the context of the accountability movement of the late 20th century. The 21st century ushered in what many refer to as "a culture of evidence." From…

Since 1998, the Flanders' educational government in Belgium has been urging teacher education institutions by decree to implement competences in teacher training programs. Since then, years have gone by, and institutions have acted in order to achieve the competence-based goals. However, have they succeeded in implementing them? This is the…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to present information about a team-teaching course on sustainable development (SD) for educators in an institution of higher education, Monterrey Campus of ITESM in Mexico. Design/methodology/approach - Four faculty members were invited to work together with the Sustainable Campus Programme coordinator in the…

Never before in the history of education has there been more scrutiny of our public schools. With the increased accountability due to the passage of No Child Left Behind legislation and the pressure to perform adequately in international testing, it is imperative that high quality teachers fill the classrooms of America's schools. It is paramount…

A major challenge to improving science education lies in the shortage of qualified science teachers. A potential solution to this challenge consists of directing the energy and talent of graduate students and postdoctoral scientists to reinvigorate science education in schools. This requires creating new, more accessible pathways for science…

Israeli junior high-school science teachers usually have a background in biology, and their knowledge of physics is limited. We show that by improving teachers' "qualitative understanding" it is possible to increase their confidence and willingness to teach physics. We conducted three-day workshops for teachers (n = 92), which were…

The preparedness of grade-level classroom teachers to mutually accommodate the differential needs of culturally and linguistically diverse students is becoming increasingly essential. Levels of this preparedness are captured by the accommodation readiness spiral, a framework for understanding teacher education and professional development for…

Background: Seventeen pre-service teachers from The Hong Kong Institute of Education involved in a service education project during the summer vacation in 2008. They spent seven weeks in an orphanage and a commune in Vietnam to provide various services for disabled children and to help constructing a house for the poor villagers respectively. They…

This article examines the Kentucky Initiative for Social Skill and Emotional Development which provides annual training and technical assistance to build early childhood programs' capacity to deliver practices known to promote social and emotional competency. The initiative is based on the 3-tiered Positive Behavior Support model that teaches…

Both professional development programs for teachers currently in the classroom and programs for preparing future teachers should provide technology-rich experiences throughout all aspects of the training. Standards and resources within the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)'s project "Information and…

Two current directions: (1) field-responsive teacher education, and (2) outcome-referenced training competency are discussed. (DAG)

The introduction of the new teacher education model that includes competences and educator roles has marked a major change in teacher preparation programmes. The purpose of this study was to ascertain how novice educators perceive the new teacher education programme, that is, to find out whether novice educators perceive the teacher education…