Research indicates that most conventional teacher education practicum programs tend to encourage uncritical acceptance of conventional instructional and management techniques. Advances seven basic principles for the design of field experiences that will develop teachers who share the norms of collegiality and experimentation. (97 references, 13…

Five special education student teachers and their cooperating teachers maintained weekly journals reflecting upon successive, prescribed themes. The journal entries of both students and teachers confirmed that a practicum situation provides an opportunity for critical reflection, enhancing the student teaching experience as a shared occasion for…

A training program for faculty supervising pharmacy clinical experience courses included four workshops in setting expectations, motivating learners, providing practice, and evaluating performance and giving feedback. Ten of 35 teaching behaviors changed significantly as a result. Likelihood of change in specific teacher behaviors was assessed.…

This study investigated the extent of computer integration in a field experience during preservice teacher education. Surveys indicated preservice teachers neither observed computer use nor used computers instructional tools during the field experience. They reported a willingness to use computers but received no support in the field experience.…

Describes a program at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, in which library school students in the introduction to reference course participate in a required practicum at the research library information desk. Although a survey of other accredited library schools shows no other similar practicum program, 49% of those surveyed expressed interest.…

This study evaluated the impact of social work field instructor training on student perceptions of the field experience. Students with seminar-trained field instructors (n=30) were more satisfied with faculty field liaison than students with other instructors, and trained instructors demonstrated expected supervisory behavior more often for most…

Reports survey responses of 45 teachers who participated in a cultural immersion practicum on the Navajo Reservation. Describes personal attitude and behavior changes and professional changes resulting from the experience. Provides details on this Indiana University summer practicum program, and tabulations of item responses. (SV)

Used focus groups and questionnaires to determine what influenced successful elementary teachers' development and what they considered important for current teacher education programs. Teachers attributed much of their success to personal characteristics developed throughout their lives. They considered the practicum component of their preservice…

Examined beginning teachers' role in reconceptualizing classroom instruction. After learning about teaching inquiry and completing a student-teaching practicum, student teachers completed surveys about teaching inquiry during the practicum. Few taught inquiry or saw their associate teach it during the practicum. This made them less enthusiastic…

Despite China's efforts in recent years to improve teacher education, it is still imbued with problems which must be addressed effectively and immediately before teacher education can meet with China's desire for modernization. The problems are based on the unattractive social and economic status of the teaching profession in China, so the…

To address the shortage of qualified early interventionists for young rural children with disabilities, the University of Alaska Fairbanks developed a Master's program that used distance education at remote practicum sites during fall and spring and on-campus instruction during the summer. The program has fostered university-rural community…

Study analyzed the writing assignments of two secondary preservice teachers involved in a university teacher education practicum designed to promote reflective thinking. Found that written assignments were more useful in making participants' cognitive processes explicit than in their actively constructing knowledge about teaching and learning.…

Summarizes findings about the pilot program resulting from an exit evaluation survey of teacher candidates in the restructured preservice program at Queen's University of Kingston. Also documents some insights relating to the evaluation of teacher-education programs that were developed by the researchers during the process of gathering and…

This paper explores four students' attempts at teaching science in the real world classroom during their initial student teaching practicum, including their struggles and successes. When pre-service teachers enter their initial practicum experience they are confronted with differing teaching philosophies of their own, their university professors,…

The first PhD specialty program in Geropsychology that launched in fall, 2004 at CU-Colorado Springs is described. Consistent with a scientist-practitioner model, the curriculum sequence builds systematically from basic to complex knowledge and skills across the domains of scientific psychology, research methodology, general clinical,…