Research findings: Language development subcontexts within 20 Head Start classrooms were studied by observing teachers' child-directed talk during free play, mealtime, and book reading. In each context, observers coded all child-directed statements, directives, and questions, noted instances of pretend talk and decontextualized talk, and rated the…

The Developing E-learning for Teachers (DEfT) project, a collaborative venture between UK and Chinese universities, has produced e-learning modules for master's level programmes for in-service high school teachers in China. E-learning offers Chinese teachers new and innovative forms of professional development and provides for transformative…

This study explores three teachers' perceptions and developments as a result of experiencing learning and teaching in a knowledge-building community (KBC). To understand the teachers' views, in-depth interviews were conducted. The transcripts were coded using a grounded theory approach. The findings indicate that KBC is reportedly viewed by the…

This paper describes the development of an innovative interprofessional doctorate in health and social care, within an academic framework designed explicitly to ensure that candidates must demonstrate qualities of cognitive application commensurate with doctoral study, yet must also meet the practice-focused outcomes of a professional doctorate.…

This case study looked at the transition of preservice teachers from world language education methods courses at a major U.S. university to a 5-week field experience in secondary school classrooms. Data included lesson plans and self-critiques of two lessons implemented during the field experience, world language teaching philosophies the…

The introduction of a living-learning community offers a new direction for recruitment and retention of physical education majors. A living learning community of physical education majors presents a unique opportunity for students to not only attend classes together but also live in the same residence hall and develop a commitment to professional…

In this article, I portray the status of visual art education in United States public elementary schools between 1997 and 2004. I report on trends in state policies and interpret data from a national survey of elementary principals, visual art specialists, and classroom teachers. I also provide information on public opinion about arts education,…

A major provision of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Education Act of 2001 is the guarantee that all students in America's schools will be taught by teachers who are "highly qualified." At the same time, a large percentage of teachers of students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) are not fully licensed teachers, and this has…

This paper reports a test on the feasibility and educational value of probeware and associated instructional materials in middle school science education. We addressed feasibility through consideration of costs, teacher professional development, and instructional design. In order to test our approach, we developed 2 middle school science…

Past research has indicated that a number of problems in the teaching of science in elementary classrooms are rooted in the preparation of inservice teachers. One continuing concern is elementary teachers' lack of science content knowledge. As indicated by numerous research studies reporting positive results, one method of addressing these…

This study reports on a 5-year project to improve urban, middle-level student achievement through the implementation of two initiatives. First, teachers at a participating New York City middle school engaged in weekly curriculum-planning workshops to reformulate classroom curricula into interdisciplinary, discovery-oriented activities. Second,…

Primary science in Scotland has got the wind in its sails. The Scottish science education initiative, "Improving Science Education" (ISE) 5-14, has invested millions in professional development (CPD) materials and experiences for science teachers, harnessing and developing their enthusiasm for effective learning and teaching in science.…

The Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) professional development movement, community college students' emerging intentionality, and the role of two- and four-year higher education faculty intersect in a proactive model proposed by the author that advocates ECEC community college programs separate from the vocational tradition and establishes…

The Internet's interactive nature and relatively wide use are resulting in new opportunities for educators to find support, dialogue, development, and even mentoring whether or not it is readily available in one's school. Discussion forums are becoming communities of support in themselves, sometimes facilitating relationship building among…

Problem solving is seen to lie at the "heart" of mathematics (Cockcroft, 1982). Problem solving is also of great importance to industry that claims many young people leave school and take up jobs without the skills needed to sort out difficulties and problems (Smith Report, 2004). So is problem solving at the heart of mathematics teaching in…