This paper discusses the role of educational psychology in meeting the Kentucky Education Professional Standards Board (KEPSB) requirements and mandates for the Kentucky Educational Reform Act (KERA) for new and experienced teachers. There are two areas at the university program level where educational psychologists, individually and collectively,…

Describes the University of Kentucky's Masters with Initial Certification program, which helps preservice secondary teachers integrate theory and practice during 1 field-based, professional year, integrating diverse components of teacher education. The program developed as a response to the 1990 Kentucky Education Reform Act and a result of a…

This paper discusses Kentucky School Reform and its impact on higher education; how Alice Lloyd College engages with teaching practitioners to address their needs through service learning and service leadership development; and potential applications of the program in other institutions. The paper recommends that future service learning ventures:…

Describes efforts to reform K-4 mathematics instruction in Kentucky. Discusses the establishment of collaborative groups within Kentucky's mathematics education community, the Kentucky Education Reform Act of 1990, and reform efforts in the areas of assessment, curriculum, professional development for teachers, preservice teacher education, and…

The Prichard Committee, a citizens volunteer organization in Kentucky, has studied the current state of teacher education in Kentucky and presents its final recommendations. Teacher education reform has been slow in Kentucky due to its low priority on campus, the lack of a champion to push the reform, and the difficulties of instigating the…

This study investigated beginning teachers' perceptions of, preparation for, agreement with, and implementation of Primary School Programs (PSP), one segment of the Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA). In 1993, surveys were mailed to 630 first year primary teachers in Kentucky. The surveys asked about 15 critical attributes of PSP identified by…

Traditional assessments in university courses led students to seek goals that current research reports as unacceptable since success had been based on knowledge acquisition rather than performance or ability to use this information in authentic situations. Assessment must require the performance of exemplary tasks. The purpose of this project was…

Changing views about learning and schooling affect teacher preparation programs. The paper examines how Kentucky's standards for new teachers relate to addressing learner diversity, explaining how the Kentucky Education Reform Act is a model for affecting statewide change, particularly regarding methods of assessment and examination of learner…

One hundred forty-three Eastern Kentucky University college students majoring in education and enrolled in an introductory education course were surveyed to determine their understanding of and knowledge about multicultural education and to discern the extent to which these students appreciated and valued multicultural education. The study also…

Describes a course created for preservice elementary teachers entitled "Discovering Chemistry with Lab" which covers basic principles of chemistry and their applications in daily life. The course promotes reasoning and problem-solving skills by utilizing computer-based technologies and hands-on, discovery/guided-inquiry and…

This investigation was conducted to identify the level of attainment, the degree of sophistication, and the extent to which preservice teachers at Eastern Kentucky University are aware of, understand, appreciate, respect, and value multicultural education. Kentucky recognizes the significance of diversity and includes it in its valued learners…

This report documents best practices in teacher education at five universities (George Washington University, Western Oregon University, the University of Louisville, Colorado State University, and the University of New Mexico). The universities were part of a project to identify and document how contextual teaching and learning can improve…

The Kentucky Long-Term Policy Research Center is engaged in a continuing effort to understand implications of an array of trends and policies affecting the state. This report examines the status of Kentucky's teacher workforce and offers recommendations on ways to enhance it. The five chapters are: (1) "Introduction"; (2) "Teacher…