Courses: Beginning research methods and statistics courses, as well as advanced communication courses that require reading research articles and completing research projects involving statistics. Objective: Students will understand the difference between significant and nonsignificant statistical results based on p-value.

Purpose: Teaching and unit evaluations surveys are used to assess the quality of teaching and the quality of the unit of study. An analysis of teaching and unit evaluation survey practices in Australian universities suggests significant changes. One key change discussed in the paper is the shift from voluntary to mandatory use of surveys with the…

Beliefs about the validity and merit of self-, peer- and group-assessment practices are presented from 213 pre-service primary teachers and 30 staff who teach them. Both groups were surveyed using comparable items. A subset of seven staff participated in semi-structured interviews. Staff were far more supportive of peer- and self-assessment…

Initial teacher education (ITE) students participate in various workplaces within schools and in doing so, form understandings about the numerous, and at times competing, expectations of teachers' work. Through these experiences they form understandings about themselves as health and physical education (HPE) teachers. This paper examines the ways…

The effects of Physical Education Teacher Education program modifications upon selected characteristics identified with effective teaching were assessed utilizing the Teacher Work Sample (TWS). Data were collected from all student teacher candidates during the 2002 student teaching sessions. Based upon the 2002 data, interventions were made to a…

To assess the performance of student teachers, the authors describe two approaches to observation involving established observation inventories. Forty-nine competencies are identified, and results of student teacher performance are discussed and interpreted. (MT)

Describes an exercise for the last day of class that provides a sense of closure to the course. Explains that the instructor discusses major themes of the course, then evaluates his perfornamce along with the students'. Includes questions that students answer: what they will remember most about the class, and one thing they learned. (DK)

Reviews the purposes of student teacher assessment, professional association standards, and assessment problems. Describes a process used at Central Missouri State University, which includes observations by supervisors and cooperating teachers, assessment of portfolios, videotaped lessons, and four on-campus seminars. (SK)

Examination of methods of assessing teaching practica resulted in the following recommendations for other work-based learning programs: (1) identify whether the purpose is technical competence, professional artistry, or both; (2) determine the objectives for work placements; (3) identify the roles of academic and industry staff; and (4) determine…

Two behaviors essential to good teaching, teacher expectation and teacher flexibility, have been incorporated into the observation system used in the student teacher program at the University of New Mexico. The importance of these behaviors in teaching and in evaluating student teachers is discussed. (MT)

Reported in this paper are the observations and beliefs of educators in England, Scotland, and the Republic of Ireland pertaining to the performance of U.S. student teachers in the schools of these nations. Recommendations to student participants and U.S. teacher educators for the improvement of overseas teaching experiences are made. (Author/MT)

A review of research relating to the writing and use of letters of recommendation suggests that students, placement officials, employers, and authors of recommendation letters should work from facts rather than opinion. Categories such as lesson planning, lesson presentation, classroom management, discipline, and interpersonal relations can be…

A performance-based student teacher evaluation process was investigated to see if halo and leniency errors could be eliminated. Results are presented. (MT)

Public criticism of teachers has put pressure on teacher educators to prepare their students better. Any process to strengthen teacher education programs must include a careful study of student teaching since it is usually the final education course taken by students and the most influential field experience in a teacher education program. Many…

Rather than being neutral, teacher education is grounded in a set a values that are culturally defined and politically transmitted. These values, and their political significance in terms of power and control issues, go far toward defining the educational experience that students and teachers, both in the schools and in universities, have.…