Policy documents relating to teacher education in Ireland and Norway from 2008 to 2016, representing periods of change in teacher education in both jurisdictions, were analysed to explore the discursive construction of reflective practice. Employing a discourse analysis, the study found that, while reflective practice was seen as important in both…

The development of competencies known as 21st-century skills are garnering increasing attention as a means of improving teacher instructional quality. However, a key challenge in bringing about desired improvements lies in the lack of context-specific understanding of teaching practices and meaningful ways of supporting teacher professional…

Two well-known major frameworks to measure teacher performance and determine what a teacher should know and be able to do are undoubtedly the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and Charlotte Danielson's Framework for teaching. Charlotte Danielson has four major domains and National Board Certification (NBPTS) has five major core…

This paper focuses on the development and validation of survey tools that help teachers engage in a guided reflection process. The guided reflection process assists teachers at all levels, kindergarten through college, to reflect on (1) their own beliefs and practices; (2) how these practices are perceived by their students; and (3) the impact of…

The third research study in a series of qualitative studies examines the functions and practices of local professional development committees in Ohio. This descriptive study interviewed key informants from five Local Professional Development Committees (LPDCs) regarding their processes and practices. Resultant data indicated that several districts…

Teacher mentoring programs have increased dramatically since the early 1980s as a vehicle to support and retain novice teachers. However, researchers and facilitators of mentoring programs are recognizing that mentors also derive substantial benefits from the mentoring experience. This digest examines research on how mentoring contributes to the…

This paper addresses the importance of the preparation of qualified bilingual teachers and the need for certified, qualified, well-trained bilingual special education teachers. Specifically, it identifies and discusses competencies needed by bilingual special education teachers, discusses the need for reflective practice in the preparation of…

A public school teacher discusses how the process of attempting to earn National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification was an extremely enriching experience, despite the fact that he did not earn the certification. Two of the most significant lessons he learned from the process were making time to reflect on the work of teaching…

This paper examines how a developmental growth model of teacher preparation emphasizing self-assessment and reflection is being implemented in a liberal arts professional education sequence. It discusses how the effort offers opportunities for preservice teachers to self-monitor and reflect on their beliefs and practices regarding teaching and…

Interviewed British teacher educators regarding their intentions and attitudes toward their programs. Respondents' views on program goals differed significantly. Their views about outcomes were mapped onto available conceptual frameworks about what developing as a higher education teacher involved. Four instruments for identifying the outcomes of…

The major characteristics of expert physical education teachers include thorough planning, focus on individual student performance, heightened perceptual abilities, automaticity of behavior, creative feedback responses, command of subject matter, and use of reflective practices. Suggestions for developing teaching expertise in all of the areas are…

Examined the usefulness of formal teacher preparation for those with prior teaching experience, investigating the experiences of Stanford Teacher Education Program graduates. Five themes emerged as central to their learning (e.g., greater awareness of students in their classes who were struggling academically and how to help them, broader and more…

Describes a framework for integrating reflection and teacher competency development into teacher education programs, introducing a spiral model for reflection, standard reflection questions, and a method of structuring logbooks, all designed to develop a competency for self-directed professional growth in interpersonal classroom behavior. An…

This book suggests that portfolios can become a new kind of credential of competent and effective teachers. The book includes 5 parts with 16 chapters. Part 1, "Prologue," offers: (1) "Portfolio Possibilities: Validating a New Teacher Professionalism" (Nona Lyons) and (2) "Teacher Portfolios: A Theoretical Activity"…

This case study used an expanded method for helping student teacher interns examine their interpretation of what it is to be a teacher. Participants were two faculty members and four groups of preservice teachers working in a collegial environment at a small liberal arts college. Students participated in a professional development seminar that…