Within contemporary political discourses that narrowly characterize learning in terms of high-stakes standardized examinations, the value of the "social foundations of education" for teachers is increasingly questioned and challenged by those within and outside programs of teacher education. Even more troubling, prospective teachers…

There is a growing recognition in teacher education that in order to work toward a more equitable and just society, programs of teacher education must explicitly engage with the political commitments of teachers and teacher educators (Cochran-Smith, 2005). They must prepare prospective teachers to address "societal structures that perpetuate…

Over a decade ago, Bredekamp asserted (1996) that the field of early childhood education lacked a research base to document the effectiveness of approaches to producing highly skilled and effective early educators. The National Center for Research in Early Childhood Education's (NCRECE) Course and MyTeachingPartner (MTP) Coaching were developed to…

In the current study characteristics of the teacher and classroom that influence teacher responsiveness to the course or consultancy are explored. If classroom quality or characteristics of teachers, such as anxiety levels or efficacy in teaching prior to intervention participation are predictive of responsiveness, then future programs will be…

Learning to systematically analyze the relationship between teaching and student learning is an important but difficult skill to engender in teachers. In this study, we examine how pre-service teachers who were introduced to a framework for analyzing teaching in a video-based teacher education course drew on this tool to analyze their own practice…

This study examined the impact of two approaches to use of student response systems (SRSs) on achievement in a study designed to better understand effective use of the devices. One condition was anonymous use of SRSs, in which graduate students selected a random clicker when entering the classroom. The second condition assigned devices to students…

This inquiry highlights K-12 teachers' commitment to turn their passion of providing equitable educational opportunities to all students into concrete actions. The inquiry uses a case study approach to investigate the process teachers undergo beginning in an MA course on multicultural education, and continuing through their MA program to define,…

The National Commission on Writing for America's Families, Schools, and Colleges (2006) specifies that writing-across-the-curriculum programs (including post-secondary coursework) should be well supported. The National Writing Project (NWP) is a group that understands this issue, believing that teachers must be comfortable and confident with…

Increasing numbers of English language learners enrolled in public schools has brought national attention to issues surrounding the education of linguistically diverse students. Teacher education programs have come under scrutiny for not doing an "adequate job of preparing teachers to teach diverse populations" (Hollins & Guzman,…

This inquiry highlights a research study with secondary teacher candidates (grades 9-12) in a teacher credentialing program in southern California that has been recognized for its effectiveness in preparing candidates to teach English learners. Within the frame of creating critical leaders, data collected in this inquiry show that teacher…

This large mixed methods study investigated the effects of the introductory second language acquisition (SLA) course on the beliefs of pre-service teachers (n = 381) enrolled over a three-year period at a state university in California. Pre- to post-course paired sample t-tests that were run on 23 beliefs statements from a widely used survey…

Educational institutions are value-added suppliers of academic capability. Community colleges, while focused on access and diversity, operate within this framework. Unlike other institutions, however, remediation is a much greater part of their mission. It is consequently important to show that remediation has value. This article examines the…

The John Tracy Clinic (JTC) has a long history in the development and implementation of distance education courses for parents. It began with the founder of JTC, Louise Tracy, who personally corresponded with parents of young children with hearing loss around the globe to provide them hope, guidance, and encouragement. Mrs. Tracy's correspondence…

San Jose State College in California has special features in its course for industrial arts teachers. Ralph C. Bohn, Chairman of the College's Department of Industrial Studies, describes the course and the reasons for its special character. (Editor)

The present study was undertaken to measure critical thinking dispositions in students as they enter the health education program at Illinois State University (ISU). Health education undergraduate students at ISU were found to have shortcomings in critical thinking dispositions during a study from 2000-2003. Dispositions (e.g. truthseeking,…