The methods course presently in operation at Pennyslvania State University is organized around the achievement of performance criteria following a mastery learning model. Although conditions for demonstrating competency are specified by the instructors, students select the means for developing the competencies and follow their own schedule by…

Described in this paper are the author's experiences with a technique for providing preservice social studies teachers with first hand experience with the discovery approach to teaching. This is defined as a structured learning activity in which the learner is encouraged to learn for himself that which is to be learned or discovered. The discovery…

This document is an English-language abstract (approximately 1,500 words) of a desclaration drawn up by the participants of the Fourth Mexican National Congress of Normal Education. The declaration points out the importance of teacher training in the educational system, the fundamental problems presently facing this level of studies and the…

Materials used in a mathematics methods course for pre-service elementary teachers are listed in this document. The course is comprised of nine modules covering the following areas: the learning of mathematics, sets and classification, counting and numbers, numeration systems, place value numeration systems, operations on whole numbers, operations…

This document describes the module cluster "Mathematics Methods and Materials" to be used in a performance-based elementary teacher education program. General objectives of the module cluster are specified, and prerequisites to the cluster are identified. Titles of 19 modules within the cluster are listed. The overall structure of each module…

Describes a reading methods course in which secondary teacher trainees in all content areas are helped to discover the need for teaching reading at the secondary level and to learn methods for teaching reading skills. (GW)

Describes how the use of methodology notebooks helped in an English-as-a-foreign-language teacher-training course which focused on language improvement at the expense of giving only brief attention to the teaching of methodology. (Author/CB)

Reports on a study of teacher education programs for science teachers in New England. Focuses on data regarding the amount and types of science content and secondary science methods courses, program emphasis in science content, science processes and methods, science teaching techniques, and effectiveness of science preparation. (TW)

Reports no significant differences between the attitudes toward science teaching of students in campus-based and field-based teacher preparation programs. However, field-based teachers (N=39) were significantly more custodial in their pupil control ideology than teachers (N=43) in the campus-based program. (JN)

One of the most common questions mathematics teachers hear from their students is a question of content value: "When am I ever going to use this?" This research paper looks at the question of content value for students enrolled in an elementary methods course designed to help them develop their abilities to teach mathematics At the end of each…

The desire to integrate technology within the PreK-12 educational environment is a noble endeavor and may lead to the enhancement of student achievement. Teacher candidates are constantly striving to understand the learning environment and to meet these expectations, but do not have models from which they may glean appropriate knowledge,…

To expose students to classic, contemporary, and other important literature in the field and to encourage wide reading, students were given the opportunity to self-select a text to read in addition to their usual required college text. Students were given lists of possibilities to choose from but they were free to select any text, as long as they…

This chapter reports on a study--referred to as the reflection study--took place within the department of foreign languages at the University of Toledo. The study sought to engage in a collaborative action research project with volunteer graduate teaching assistants. The students were to select an aspect of their teaching, determine goals in…

This study explored a preservice teacher educator's goals with technology in her teaching methods class at Southern Teachers University (Texas) regarding state and national teacher preparation technology mandates and possible motivational factors for including technology in current preservice education courses. Action research was selected as the…

This study examined the use of written reflection to investigate student teachers' active instructional knowledge during mathematics mentoring. Participants were 30 preservice teachers in a Science/Math Integration methods course. They participated in Community Mathematics project field experiences, which occurred prior to the full student…