Teacher education is essential for improving Liberia's education system, particularly in rural areas where qualified teachers are scarce. Liberia's Rural Teacher Training Institutes (RTTIs) play a crucial role in addressing this shortage, yet several challenges undermine their effectiveness. This study identified key barriers to effective teacher…

Background: There is considerable agreement that learning to teach is optimised when coursework learning is combined with quality practice learning experiences in schools. Aim: The main aim of this study was to explore the views of a group of student teachers on their practice learning experiences in a 'teaching school' (TS) and in the other…

This article aims to address the impacts of the Brazilian policy entitled Institutional Scholarship Program of Initiation to Teaching/PIBID, in the training of teachers of geography in that country. It results from a doctoral thesis on the initial training of teachers of geography in Ceará, Brazil and Portugal, which had the Pibid as one of the…

The purpose of this study was to determine if peer observation (PO) in an ELT practicum for graduate students led to reflective teaching. The 15 students in the practicum taught EFL at two universities in rural Thailand in eight-week intensive courses. Five questions were investigated: (1) Did PO help the students engage in reflective teaching?…

This paper presents a four-year longitudinal study of student teachers' beliefs about language learning and teaching over the course of an English teacher education (ELT) program. The study attempts to track possible changes in the beliefs and to analyze the impact of an ELT pre-service program by taking the program itself as a dynamic variable.…

This paper presents an evaluation study of an innovative and theory-based initial teacher education course entitled Learning Study, the aim of which is to develop the instructional design and teaching competency of pre-service teachers in Hong Kong. The Learning Study course is offered to all second year students as part of the Bachelor of…

Interculturalism is a major theme that needs to inform the teaching and learning of all subjects in teacher education courses. Moreover, the practicum is an area where there needs to be more attention given to developing the attributes of an intercultural teacher. In 2008 I took a group of thirteen teacher education students on a three-week…

The "Learning Together" longitudinal study focuses on four counties' efforts to expand bachelor's degree opportunities in early care and education (ECE) for adults currently working in the field. The "student cohort model"--in which small groups of ECE students with similar interests and characteristics pursue a bachelor's…

A practicum course for prospective teachers of the gifted was designed, implemented, and evaluated. The 209 teachers found the practicum teaching, observations of their teaching, and papers they wrote to be effective learning experiences. Observers' ratings of the teachers indicated that a majority performed well in the practicum. (Author/JDD)

Reviews basic issues confronting current training programs and offers an analysis of their strengths, weaknesses, and limitations. (JM)

The overall system of cooperative education and teacher practicum programs at the University of Bath is described, advantages and disadvantages are discussed, and the responses of former program participants to a mail survey are presented. Several major advantages to the program type that emerged from the survey are noted. (MSE)

A Canadian survey concerning the effectiveness of student teaching experience suggests that while the programs may not appeal to the students, the preparation they afford students is well received. (MSE)

This paper reports the opinions of Australian second- and third-year early childhood education students concerning the benefits of a collegial support program designed to assist professional development by improving the quality of practicum supervision. It was expected that as a result of improved supervision, students would experience increased…

Objectives and program descriptions are presented for the Scottsdale Adult Learning Center (Arizona) which in 1979-80 conducted a number of practicums for adult educators on individualized techniques, Adult Basic Education (ABE), High School Equivalency (GED), and English as a Second Language (ESL). First described is a paid internship program for…

A number of issues relating to theory and practice in teacher education are discussed, based upon a previous article by Taylor and Miller (EJ 320 545). The issues include the relationship between theory and practice, the effectiveness of practice teaching as a learning experience, and the role of methods courses. (GDC)