Good teachers of critical thinking ask hard questions of students; however, they must also ask hard questions of themselves to be the best possible teacher and provide the best learning environment. In this article, two veteran educators present reflective questions that teachers might ask themselves as they prepare and implement courses. These…

In this article, the author argues that using test scores as the sole indicator of students' and teachers' knowledge and skills is harming students and driving the best teachers from the profession. Research by the Abell Foundation indicates that clear links could be found between teachers' verbal and cognitive abilities and the achievement of…

The relationship between knowledge and pedagogy is an important one and needs further exploration. Does a degree in archaeology provide a basis for teaching contemporary history? Is the high-flying physicist able to teach adequately the biology of a general science course? Can a primary teacher successfully work across the whole of the primary…

The demand for evidence-based research (EBR) in education has evoked considerable debate regarding the nature of knowledge practitioners hold, how they come to know, and the sociopolitical contexts in which that knowledge is generated. Proponents of EBR such as Michael Feuer stress the need for research that validly identifies solutions to…

Meaningful faculty professional development has been recognized through decades of research as an important component in effective classroom instruction. Too often, however, faculty development activities are offered by well-meaning administrators with little or no attention to faculty assessments of their own levels of competence. This study of…

The Strategy Toolbox is a concrete model developed to increase the academic achievement of students through increased teacher knowledge and expertise in teaching strategies. It is intended for implementation by individual teachers who share their ideas, classroom applications, and reflections in a group setting as an overall strategy for school…

The paper reports on an initiative to develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed for a sustainable environment. The initiative involved the training of pre-service teachers to not only be aware of, or know about environmental problems and want to act for the environment, but also to be able to act for the environment. Small group community…

Argues that the question of knowledge must be reconceptualized in order for sociology to make its potential contribution to current debates about the curriculum. Reviews dominant assumptions underlying contemporary curriculum policy. Draws on recent research in the sociology of science to develop a social realist approach to knowledge. Provides…

This paper revisits the prevalent concept of pedagogical content knowledge and examines how (and when) each of its components works with/on/against the other in the production of meaning and experience in the educative process. Its purpose is not simply to suggest that content and pedagogy need to come together to provide for powerful…

In this paper, we explore Productive Pedagogy (PP) as a framework for enhancing teacher education. Reporting results from a study involving student teachers' application of the four principles of PP during an internship, we consider whether PP brings a firmer knowledge base to their work. Based on our analysis of the data, we argue for a more…

The author challenges the role of knowledge in teaching by pointing out the variety of issues and concerns teachers must simultaneously address. Teachers use two strategies to manage their multidimensional space: They develop integrated habits and rules of thumb for handling situations as they arise, and they plan their lessons by envisioning them…

In recent years much emphasis has been placed, both by researchers and by policy-makers, on the role that subject knowledge plays in the classroom practice of primary teachers. Within UK research on primary science education, this emphasis is often linked with constructivist ideas about effective teaching. In this article, I explore the…

This paper reports on the use of a profiling instrument to evaluate an in-service professional development program for teachers of middle school numeracy. Two aspects of the use of the profile are reported. One relates to the aims of the profile to reflect Lee Shulman?s seven types of teacher knowledge and to measure change in teachers with…

The scholarship of teaching involves an understanding and application of the latest discoveries in the field of instructional excellence. This article explores how lay volunteers in churches and synagogues can implement personal research within the scholarship of teaching to improve their teaching. Two sides of the scholarship of teaching are…

Contemporary culture has become increasingly dependent on the visual, especially for its capacity to communicate instantly and universally. Advances in technology fueled this shift. Students must learn to cope with and intelligently contribute to a culture rife with easy access to the visually rich Web, photo dependant social networks, video…