There has been considerable interest in the socialisation of (student) physical education (PE) teachers, the beliefs and values developed as a result of this socialisation and the impact of these on teachers' learning, behaviours and practices and the curriculum. Many studies looking at the beliefs and values of PE teachers have used the values…

The Educational Technology Certificate (ETC.) courses at Michigan State University are a set of three courses that can be taken as a standalone qualification or as the first three courses in the Master's of Educational Technology degree. Together, the courses emphasize the development of technology skills and advanced mindsets for technology…

The paper presents a radical critique of the competence-driven initial teacher education (ITE) paradigm, focusing on the official standards for qualified teacher status in England and Wales, the legal basis for teacher education courses, and specifically the Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). Broadly, the developing perspective here is…

This paper is a teaching reflection. It gives an account of the delivery of two courses dealing with inclusive education. Both were delivered via external mode at the postgraduate level (i.e. distance education including web-based presentations and alternative resource delivery). While university education lecturers often talk about, and promote,…

Understanding how to prepare transformative learning sessions and courses and design an environment for prospective online learners is a critical, as it facilitates the transfer of information, knowledge and learning from theoretical forms to real life experiences. This book provides an understanding and comprehension of aesthetics and its…

The purpose of this study was to examine teacher dispositions within an undergraduate and graduate education course aimed at helping students gain a better appreciation for lifelong multicultural education. Education majors (N = 202) from a Midwestern metropolitan university were asked to rate the viability of 13 dispositions as a training and…

This mixed methodology action research study examined the impact of a curricular innovation designed to provide an authentic science inquiry learning experience for 15 secondary science teacher candidates enrolled in a master's level initial certification program. The class investigated the question "How can peak autumn color in New England…

This investigation is an exploratory study of the use of a metacognitive software tool in a social supportive learning environment. The tool combined metacognitive knowledge and regulation functionality embedded within the content of an eight week online graduate education course. Twenty-three learners, who were practicing teachers, used the tool.…

The increased popularity of lesson study in the United States--an approach to professional development initiated in Japan more than a century ago--is due in large part to findings from the 1995 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) video study and the subsequent book, "The Teaching Gap" (Stigler and Hiebert 1999). "Lesson…

Service learning is an effective instructional strategy in preservice teacher education programs for engaging students more actively in the learning process. In spite of the extensive studies on service learning in teacher education programs and courses, few studies are devoted to investigating the implementation of service learning in special…

Two perspectives are used to reflect on the learning design of a postgraduate online course--that of the designer/facilitator and that of the learner. While the course focus is on online pedagogical approaches, the main aim is to connect learners with each other and with the facilitator so that together they may investigate, trial, challenge and…

A purpose-built blend of teaching and learning activities was used with trainee teachers on a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) course, and subsequently evaluated in a cyclical action research study, over a period of two years. The purpose of the blend was to engender the formation of a learning community, by giving them access to each…

This paper reports the findings of a study that investigated the effectiveness of online instruction. A web-based, graduate special education course, "Teaching Exceptional Learners" was offered at a state university. At the end of the course, the students responded to a Likert type questionnaire that collected the needed data. Findings indicate…

An educator describes his graduate course in educational history and theory. Texts are used as didactic materials to: set the agenda, educe students' present knowledge, and supply critical feedback. Students improve their knowledge by uncovering and eliminating inaccuracies in a supportive environment designed to counteract student fear and dismay…

Online or web-based peer assessment is a valuable and effective way to help the learner to examine his or her learning progress, and teachers need to be familiar with the practice before they use it in their classrooms. Therefore, the purpose of our study was to design an online peer assessment activity for 37 inservice science and mathematics…