A number of studies concerning the mentoring of beginning teachers and their induction process are found in recent educational publications. A review of this literature guides professional educators as they formulate and implement the work of educating a scientifically literate populace. This literature synopsis addresses critical issues…

This paper raises the question of what K-12 teachers need to know in order to teach mathematics and science well. It begins by examining reform proposals for K-12 science and mathematics teaching with an eye toward defining what "good" teaching practice consists of. It then examines a wide range of literature to delineate the varieties of…

This paper reports on the perceptions of preservice teacher candidates (students) regarding their personal content- and context-specific pedagogies toward a strategy that promotes the development of these important teaching abilities; the elementary science teaching rationale. Perceptions about a science teaching rationale were surveyed at the end…

Casa en Casa, a popular education project of an Oakland, California, community health clinic, has two key weaknesses: volunteers received little orientation to the role of health promoter, and promoters were given content knowledge without development of the skills needed to use it. (SK)

Reports on a study that investigated prospective elementary teachers' knowledge and convictions regarding content, pedagogy, and pupil needs as well as their rationales for mathematics teaching. Discusses results by way of confronting the school as a locus for serious learning, and perceiving the school as a playhouse. Contains 44 references.…

Alternative certification programs in Texas, Georgia, and Florida are less rigorous and do not emphasize teaching knowledge and experience. Such programs purport to solve teacher shortages and address quality concerns but may exacerbate the latter. (SK)

A variety of models of the scholarship of university teaching have been advocated since Boyer first proposed that the scholarship of teaching be considered as one of four forms of scholarship associated with university practices. These models have evolved from theoretical and empirically based analyses, and have as their core value concepts as…

This paper explores the use of study groups in a preservice primary mathematics education subject where discipline knowledge (mathematics) is integrated with pedagogical knowledge (mathematics education). In order to address the well-recognized fear and competency levels of preservice teachers in the study of mathematics, study groups were…

In this interview, Andy Hargreaves posits that teachers need a high level of creativity and flexibility to be effective in their work, and they must understand their larger social mission. Yet standardization is working against those very qualities. Real professional learning communities, more than just teams of teachers solving problems, can help…

The first year college experience is anxiety producing, and for college students who represent traditionally underserved populations, particularly ethnic and linguistic minorities, the anxiety can be even more pronounced. Add to the mix a requirement for students to complete at least one course in mathematics during the first semester and the…

In this paper, the researcher will examine various points of view of the different epistemological schools of thoughts in the first section of the paper. This will be followed by the analysis of the knowledge base and pedagogical reasoning in the second section. The third section of the paper will be devoted to examine the modern pedagogical…

How developed countries train, recruit and retain their schoolteachers is an area of considerable interest in education today. In this paper we consider how the US is addressing the issue of teacher quality by holding schools and school districts accountable for ensuring that all teachers of core subjects are "highly qualified" by the…

This study infused computer modeling and simulation tools in a 1-semester undergraduate elementary science methods course to advance preservice teachers' understandings of computer software use in science teaching and to help them learn important aspects of pedagogy and epistemology. Preservice teachers used computer modeling and simulation tools…

Enhancing student learning is a complex process in itself and is related to a variety of factors. This study deals with the three of these factors (i.e., parents, schools, and teachers) based on teachers' perceptions. A short survey composed of three open-ended questions was administered to 148 teachers. The teachers were asked to write their…

The use of a dispositional framework in the preparation of teachers, especially one that attends to issues of social justice, has generated considerable debate of late. In this article, the author argues that assessing teacher candidates' dispositions related to social justice is both reasonable and defensible. She explains why social justice…