This paper explores how a group of pre-service elementary science student teachers came to understand the development of their Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) over the course of a semester's study in a science methods course. At the start of the semester, PCK was introduced to them as an academic construct and as a conceptual tool that they…

This study reports on research into the use of Slowmation in a general science methods program in teacher education as a productive way of teaching student teachers how to recognize and respond to students' alternative conceptions in science. The preservice teachers first experienced Slowmation themselves as modelled by their lecturers in their…

Research has identified the value of learners using technology to construct their own representations of science concepts. In this study, we investigate how learners, such as preservice elementary teachers, design and make a narrated animation to represent their science knowledge. The type of animation exemplified is called a "Slowmation"…

The background to this paper is based on the ongoing need to place more attention on the importance of teaching. The aim in so doing is to lead to a better valuing of teaching which, in the case of this paper, is through an exploration of the notion of teaching as a discipline. There are differing views about that which constitutes a discipline…

While the development of pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) is considered to be a goal of teacher education, teaching about the concept itself is an unusual practice. In this case study, we explore the outcomes when a teacher educator explicitly introduces student-teachers to ideas about PCK through the use of a CoRes and PaP-eRs…

This paper explains one university's approach to explicit modeling of practice. It briefly outlines the university's conception of episteme and phronesis, then explores the university's views of explicit modeling, which is seen as operating concurrently at two levels. At one level, it is about teacher educators "doing" in their practice…

This paper examines how to seriously question the ways that teachers are prepared to cope with the realities and demands of teaching and are equipped with a theoretical background to translate into their teaching. It looks at the approach to teacher preparation in the Faculty of Education at Australia's Monash University. The paper discusses…

Explores the relationship between a teacher educator's explicit modeling of reflection on practice and (n=9) student teachers' developing use of reflection on practice. (Author/MKR)

Reports on the issues which impact the pedagogical development of 14 science teachers at the end of their second year of teaching. Teachers recognized how time, confidence, and support influenced their teaching. When combined with the experiences of preservice education programs, these factors became a dilemma as teachers tried to bridge the gap…

The specialist knowledge and skills of science teachers is far too easily overlooked and undervalued, due, in part, to the tacit nature of the knowledge that underpins expert science teachers' practice. For science teachers to better recognize, describe, and share their professional knowledge there is a need to develop new and meaningful ways…

Presents the stories of English teachers who described the complexities of the first teaching year. Their English methods lecturer had invited them to meet as part of a project investigating challenges facing beginning teachers. Their discussion highlights how they use narrative to give meaning to their experiences and to explore the possibilities…

This paper examines some of the social aspects of teaching about teaching that are important in shaping the nature of communication among teacher educators and their student teachers when sharing in the process of learning about teaching. The focus of this study is a third year, double degree subject, "Developing Pedagogy," that is team…

Discusses Australian student teachers' perspectives on the value of teaching portfolios, examining how their understanding of portfolios evolved over time. Surveys indicated that it was not until students linked the notion of presenting their views on their learning to a prospective employer that they gained more understanding of the task. (SM)

Reflection is a commonly used term in teacher education. Its meaning and use, however, varies from person to person and from program to program. Despite these variations, there is agreement that the goal of preparing reflective practitioners is a worthwhile endeavor in teacher education. The purpose of reflecting is to untangle a problem, or to…

The preservice teacher education program at Monash University (Australia) focuses on the nature of learning. A central antecedent to this is to have student teachers reconsider their concept of quality learning. The purpose of this paper is twofold--first, to highlight how student teachers' understanding of quality learning develops, and how this…