A teacher educator with an over-sized class describes an experiment with peer teaching. The class of fifteen students was divided into groups of three, defined as "mutual support groups," with each member contributing to and responsible for the performance of others. The first task assigned these "trios" was to identify desirable competencies,…

A basic media utilization course at the University of Utah was developed on a self-instructional basis and was designed to teach skills related to the effective utilization of media in instruction. The course was organized around a set of 12 self-instructional packages with each package covering one topical area of the course. Six components…

The typical approach to the teaching of an elementary school science methods course for undergraduate students was compared with an experimental approach based upon activities appearing in the Conceptually Oriented Program in Elementary Science (COPES) teacher's guides. The typical approach was characterized by a coverage of many topics and a…

Described in this paper are the author's experiences with a technique for providing preservice social studies teachers with first hand experience with the discovery approach to teaching. This is defined as a structured learning activity in which the learner is encouraged to learn for himself that which is to be learned or discovered. The discovery…

This document is an English-language abstract (approximately 1,500 words) of a desclaration drawn up by the participants of the Fourth Mexican National Congress of Normal Education. The declaration points out the importance of teacher training in the educational system, the fundamental problems presently facing this level of studies and the…

Describes a reading methods course in which secondary teacher trainees in all content areas are helped to discover the need for teaching reading at the secondary level and to learn methods for teaching reading skills. (GW)

Describes how the use of methodology notebooks helped in an English-as-a-foreign-language teacher-training course which focused on language improvement at the expense of giving only brief attention to the teaching of methodology. (Author/CB)

The desire to integrate technology within the PreK-12 educational environment is a noble endeavor and may lead to the enhancement of student achievement. Teacher candidates are constantly striving to understand the learning environment and to meet these expectations, but do not have models from which they may glean appropriate knowledge,…

This study explored a preservice teacher educator's goals with technology in her teaching methods class at Southern Teachers University (Texas) regarding state and national teacher preparation technology mandates and possible motivational factors for including technology in current preservice education courses. Action research was selected as the…

A case study approach was taken to determine the degree to which teachers, enrolled in a graduate methods class in language arts and reading, comprehended new theories and applied them in their classrooms. Results indicated that there were broad differences in teacher behavior. Approaches to be taken in changing teacher behavior are discussed. (JN)

Describes a team approach to secondary methods developed and implemented at the University of Oklahoma. The course coordinates expertise from education and language arts, mathematics, natural sciences, and social sciences in the training of secondary teachers. Student evaluation of the course is highly supportive. (Author/JAC)

A survey study of groupwork educators which indicates that group process and groupwork methods courses continue to attract large numbers of students is reported. Problems facing groupwork educators include lack of methodological specificity in groupwork, knowledge explosion in group methods, and poorly developed groupwork courses. (Author/MLW)

Compares changes in attitudes toward science and open-mindedness in treatment and nontreatment groups of preservice elementary teachers enrolled in an inquiry-oriented methods course and an expository freshman physics course, respectively. Concludes that course design effects a difference in attitude and open-mindedness. (CS)

Describes the use of problem-posing, an approach to teaching developed by Paulo Freire in the context of adult literacy programs, in an teaching English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) methods course and in ESL student teaching. The five steps of the problem-posing process are outlined and described. (14 references) (CK)

Describes the activities associated with lesson plan development in an elementary social studies methods class. Recommends developing lessons about "international day" as designated by the United Nations. Includes a listing of International Days and Weeks. (CFR)