Field experiences are an integral part of teacher education programs because they provide preservice teachers with an opportunity to put the theory, they are learning in their university classrooms into practice. The purpose of this research study was to explore the preservice teachers' virtual field experiences at two universities during the…

The majority of teachers in the United States are of a different race, ethnicity, class, gender, and linguistic dominance from that of their students. Teachers are specifically challenged by a variety of racial and ethnic issues as they enter their classrooms. This paper discusses the importance of educator preparation programs devoting attention…

This article describes how three universities approach middle level teacher preparation through partnerships and clinical experiences. The authors share the structures of their programs and the role of their partnerships in the clinical preparation of their candidates. They also discuss the challenges and opportunities presented by…

To meet the demands of living and working in the 21st century, it is critical that every P-12 student in every classroom have an effective teacher. Yet, each year, thousands of new teachers enter the field unprepared to meet the challenges of today's classroom. Recent federal policies such as No Child Left Behind and Race to the Top have made…

This essay presents a reflective account of a preservice teacher's experience in her fieldwork practice. The author, a professor in the preservice teacher's education institute, acted as a critical friend and joined in the reflection as an equal. Based on the voices of the preservice teacher and a group of primary teachers, this essay presents a…

The student teaching experience plays a significant role in teacher education programs by providing pre-service teachers with an opportunity to work directly with students in actual school settings. Recent reform movements in teacher education have emphasized mentoring and models of student teacher fieldwork such as partnerships and professional…

Elementary education faculty at this university embedded a Teacher Work Sample (TWS) performance-based assessment into the student teaching experience to assess candidates' ability to impact student learning as required by recent accreditation reforms. The authors conducted an internal evaluation of the TWS for the purposes of strengthening not…

Explores the epistemological shift embedded in one preservice program that puts extended teaching experience first in the process of learning to teach. Emphasizes the role and power of experience in learning to teach. It responds to Jones's paper on the 10 dichotomies in teacher education (SP 527 128), relating them to the notion of early teaching…

This monograph consists of five papers originating from a 1974 conference entitled, "Field-Based Teacher Education for the '80's." The first paper, "Public School-College Cooperation in the Field-Based Education of Teachers (FBTE)--A Historical Perspective," by James L. Slay, focuses on how the historical development of public school cooperation…

In response to the need for greater relevance in teacher education through field experience programs, education faculty members developed a program which combines theory and practice in preservice field experiences and campus activities for education majors. This program, at Indiana University-Purdue University at Fort Wayne, consists of six…

Draws on material produced as part of a Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) review of teaching and learning in geography. Reviews recent literature in an attempt to assess the implications of recent changes in higher education for field studies in geography. Includes three charts, lists, and graphs. (MJP)

University education departments and teacher educators are not presently providing the innovative reform-minded milieu necessary to develop vital, deeply committed social studies teachers. Education degree programs are remarkably similiar in course requirements and format, emphasizing traditional lecture oriented courses and student teaching.…

The Master of Arts in Education (M.A.E.) program was created when Truman State University (then Northeast Missouri State University) was designated the state's premier liberal arts and sciences university and most of the undergraduate and graduate programs in education were phased out. The rigorous program is heavily field-based with extensive…

Urban education problems require long-term conceptual analysis leading to reconstruction. Focused preparation is necessary; that is, prospective teachers, counselors, psychologists, and administrators must learn to understand each other's problems and functions, and the educational and other issues confronting them in the inner city, so they can…

States have created "alternate" routes to teacher certification. Comparison of alternate and college-based programs reveals clear trends in recruitment but a mixed picture regarding development of expertise. Alternate certification represents a radical departure from the current norm of teacher preparation. Several factors have led to…