This bulletin contains the current specifications from which the questions on the professional education subtest of the Florida Teacher Certification Examination were developed. Information is provided on: (1) competencies and subskills tested by the subtest; (2) generic competencies evaluation strategies; (3) the content base for the professional…

Two methods of teacher evaluation, summative evaluation and formative evaluation, are examined. The summative theory calls for an assessment of teaching competence on the basis of which judgments may be made on matters pertaining to promotion, tenure, merit salary increments, or dismissal. Summative evaluation is strongly supported because it…

This study was designed to determine whether children's attitudes and interests with regard to computers and computer science vary by sex, residence status (whether students lived in town or in the country), grade level, and computer usage levels. Subjects were 277 students in grades 4, 9, and 11 in the Watertown, South Dakota, public schools. An…

To explore the relationships between teachers' knowledge of basic reading content, beliefs about reading, and decisions about the importance of specified reading learning outcomes, two existing instruments (Knowledge Test of Reading for Elementary Teachers and Propositions About Reading Instruction Inventory) and one researcher-developed…

A new teacher observation scale is described and teacher ratings are related to measures of self concept and attitude toward school. Different results are obtained when analysis employs change measures of these variables in comparison with status measures. The teaching dimensions of "cognitive demand" and "warmth" seem to be important variables…

This study examines the importance and use of affective teacher characteristics perceived by parents and teachers. A 22-item questionnaire, based on a 110-item survey, asked parents and teachers to rate the importance of affective teacher characteristics. The question of whether parents and teachers feel affective teacher behaviors are an…

The goal of this study was to assess the relationship between amount of instructional time and student achievement. Two questions were addressed: (a) Do students who have more time allocated to a particular subject area also learn more in that area? and (b) Do students who spend more "engaged time" in a particular subject area learn more in that…

Strategy analysis systems (SAS) used to describe classroom instruction are characterized by three components: (1) observing classroom behavior; (2) coding behavior into categories; and (3) data reduction with translation into meaningful feedback. Unique learning environments (laboratories and inquiry teaching) have necessitated developing SAS…

To determine which types and qualities of science teaching strategies stimulate students to become involved in learning, middle and high school students (N=147) were observed for time-on-task (time actively spent by the student in learning) and off-task during periods while being taught by five student teachers. The "Teaching Strategies…

Objectives in five preschool program areas are listed in a format suitable for self-evaluation of program activities. With these resource materials, center staff and involved parents can document and assess their program with regard to (1) the quality of adult attention to children, (2) staff relationships, (3) parent participation, (4) staff…

Ethnographic methods were used to study interactions between a college instructor and his class. The data collection methods included classroom observations, videotape recordings, interviews, and questionnaires. The focus of the study was on co-occurring behavior patterns in student-teacher interactions during a "subject matter loop" (when the…

The University of Arizona College of Education and the Tucson (Arizona) Unified School District have cooperatively developed a staff development program that addresses the needs of teachers who are implementing bilingual and multicultural curricula. The Tucson Model for Effective Staff Development is based on the belief that successful integration…

A study examined the personality characteristics and self-concepts of 110 teachers-in-training to see how these variables related to the subjects' humanistic versus authoritarian orientations toward pupil control. It was found that the humanistically oriented educators tended to be emotionally stable, realistic, expedient, happy-go-lucky,…

This booklet presents articles that deal with identifying signs of stress and methods of reducing work-related stressors. An introductory article gives a summary of the causes, consequences, and cures of teacher stress and burnout. In articles on recognizing signs of stress, "Type A" and "Type B" personalities are examined, with implications for…

Issues pertaining to the validity of student ratings of teaching effectiveness are considered, and research results are evaluated. The following extraneous variables that affect student ratings but are not under the control or influence of the teacher are examined: class size, initial student motivation, academic field, teacher characteristics,…