Recommends that a few behavioral objectives be included for skill development in many teacher education courses, but that behavioral objectives and competency-based teacher education be generally de-emphasized in favor of developing competent teachers. A framework for accomplishing educational improvement is presented. (Author/DB)

A description and defense of a field centered approach to inservice teacher education. (DD)

Competence refers to a state of being well qualified to perform an activity, task, or job function. According to the International Board of Standards for Training, Performance and Instruction (IBSTPI), a competency involves a related set of knowledge, skills, and attitudes that enables a person to effectively perform the activities of a given…

Confirms the view that the more alternatives avilable to students in preservice education and student teaching, the better their education will be meeting individual and future needs. (Author/RB)

Well educated professionals in the classroom will do more for our educational dilemmas than performance based teacher education. (Author/JN)

A look at one method of analyzing the percentage of time spent in various activities and functions as one example of how teachers and other educational personnel might examine the processes and experiences of the classroom to get some indication of what learning outcomes are being fostered. (Author)

Because of declining enrollments and funding cutbacks, business teacher education programs are facing a serious challenge. Business teachers must develop a high level of efficiency and effectively articulate the needs and accomplishments of their programs. (JOW)

This article describes a procedure for developing and validating a criterion-referenced assessment instrument that will facilitate formative or diagnostic assessment of the concomitant theory and principles (cognitions) that underlie appropriate performance in a performance-based teacher education program. (Author)

Perceptions of 72 elementary teachers supervising in a competency-based teacher-education program were compared with the perceptions of 54 elementary teachers supervising in a field-based program. Significant differences were found between the two groups on cooperative program planning and interns' influence on classroom teachers' instructional…

Describes a competency assessment system developed for use with preservice and inservice teachers and reports the reliability and validity of the instrument. Presents data from a tryout of the assessment system with a group of preservice science teachers. (CS)

Five articles highlight issues concerning special needs students in vocational agriculture education. The authors discuss the decision to place exceptional students in vocational agriculture classes; helping the handicapped student adjust in vocational agriculture; teacher education for special needs students at Penn State; and innovations in…

Results showed no significant differences among educator groups in judged importance of competencies. Competencies dealing with needs of 10- to 13-year-olds and individualized learning experiences were judged more important for middle school and home economics teachers than for all teachers. (Author/BEF)

This article details the attitudes, skills, and characteristics of an effective teacher. A list of 23 generic competencies in the areas of communication skills, basic knowledge, technical skills, interpersonal skills, and administrative skills is given. (JN)

A competency-based teacher education program, combined with a data-based classroom observation system, appeared to control, to an extent, the selected behaviors of student teachers and their classes. (CJ)

A study to determine the professional competencies needed by beginning teachers of vocational agriculture in Delaware revealed that teachers and supervisors felt that at least average competence was necessary for 246 of the 250 competencies included in the study. (LRA)