Why do adolescents and young adults lack a full and coherent understanding of a religion? This is a phenomenon of wide-ranging proportions. Using a cultural, theological, and philosophical analysis, the author argues that one important reason behind the lack of religious content knowledge is the reluctance of teachers to move beyond the…

Across America, school districts face a problem of numbers: too many students, too few educators. In some areas, the shortage of classroom teachers is approaching crisis proportions. One solution designed to address the recruitment side of the problem is found in the creation of Non-University Certification Programs (NUCPs). The designs and…

A study sought to reveal the ideological structure shaping representations of communication theory in contemporary communication theory textbooks. The characteristics of five communication theory textbooks, including such areas as theory inclusion, theory constitution, and theory presentation, as well as disciplinary issues, the concept of theory…

Members of the National Center for Research in Mathematical Sciences Education Working Group on the Teaching/Learning of Quantities began research in 1991 to identify the teacher characteristics associated with individuals considered by their peers as leaders or early adopters--whose mathematics teaching already exemplifies the spirit of the…

Reality-based teaching methods involve the meaningful application of knowledge. The goal of this holistic method is to apply knowledge about specific geographical locations to the curriculum. First-hand knowledge of a location enables teachers to constantly address the student question "Why do I have to learn this?" As a result, students…

The role of teacher's pedagogical content knowledge in social studies is addressed through two case studies: a novice and a veteran teacher. The important difference between the novice and the expert is manifested in content knowledge, a form of teacher understanding that combines content, pedagogy, and learner characteristics. (Author/LMO)

This paper analyses five Mozambican secondary school teachers' professional knowledge about limits of functions. Building up on Even's analysis of SMK [subject-matter knowledge], a new framework has been put together for this analysis. Interviews have been held with the teachers to analyse their knowledge according to this framework. Data suggest…

We examined elementary school teachers' justifications to number- theoretical "for all" propositions and existence propositions, some of which are true while others are false. We also assessed whether teachers regarded their justifications as mathematical proofs. About half of the teachers produced formal algebraic proofs. A smaller number of…

We examined elementary school teachers' justifications to number- theoretical "for all" propositions and existence propositions, some of which are true while others are false. We also assessed whether teachers regarded their justifications as mathematical proofs. About half of the teachers produced formal algebraic proofs. A smaller number of…

This retrospective paper highlights pedagogical approaches that best engaged at risk middle school (sixth grade) males at a private school that opened in St. Petersburg, Florida, in 1997, the year after civil disturbances there made national news. Because of the "treachery" of students' neighborhoods and the isolationist policy of many…

This paper discusses the question, what kinds of learning and new knowledge about content and children's thinking can an innovative curriculum program motivate? Discussion is restricted to whole number operations and how changing knowledge, beliefs, and practice as both an individual and collective problem might be conceived. To the extent that…

This study investigated the development of PCK (pedagogical content knowledge) within a group of 12 preservice chemistry teachers (all M.Sc.) during the first semester of their 1-year post-graduate teacher education program. The study focused on PCK with respect to a central issue in science teaching; i.e., relating macroscopic phenomena to…

This paper focuses upon three recently revised preservice, content-specific methods courses: "Teaching of Middle School Mathematics,""Computing Technology in Secondary School Mathematics," and "Teaching of Secondary School Mathematics." Changes in these methods courses better address and build upon preservice teacher…

Discusses the need for providing graduate teaching assistants (TAs) with training in pedagogy with the focus on preparing the future professoriate. Describes a general TA program for new TAs and a program for biology TAs at Syracuse University. Contains 20 references. (JRH)

Discusses the definition of content knowledge for physical education, suggesting that teacher educators have largely given up the historic content knowledge of the field, thus eliminating the possibility of developing a serious body of pedagogical content knowledge for teaching. The paper examines the root problem in defining pre-professional…