Systems thinking plays a key role in producing the understanding of a big picture--a broader view of looking at the overall system needed to develop a learning community more effectively. Practical expectations to improve the functioning of Human systems, here teacher preparedness, on identifying possible interventions, relate at description and…

A random sample of 167 secondary special and general educators who taught math to students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) and learning disabilities (LD) responded to a mail survey. The survey examined teacher perceptions of (a) definition of math; (b) familiarity with course topics; (c) effectiveness of methods courses; (d)…

Although research supports the importance and impact of using reading strategies in content area classrooms to improve students' comprehension, many secondary teachers do not use this knowledge to improve the delivery of content. This article describes a themed literature circle curriculum developed as part of a reading course for content area…

Research regarding rubrics in K-12 classrooms and in higher education has focused on teachers' perceptions and use of them. Rubrics have been found to objectify subjective assignments, ensure accountability, and improve student understanding of teacher expectations (Andrade, 2000; Hall & Salmon, 2003; Walvoord & Anderson, 1998). This study focuses…

NCLB requires states to provide highly qualified educators for all students. Highly qualified educators should have content knowledge in the areas they teach and the pedagogical expertise to produce student educational gains. In this study, researchers examined the effects of an online mathematics methods class on preservice teachers' knowledge of…

This keynote address argues that in order for baccalaureate and masters degree students to apply research to make better judgments and decisions in their life-affecting practice and in response to the information revolution, the helping professions need to redesign (from the bottom up) not overhaul (make a few changes in) the way research methods…

The purpose of this study is to improve educators' feedback mechanisms in ways that will reduce student anxiety. The relationship between graduate student anxiety levels, instructor feedback, and the effects of the use of red or green ink as instruments of feedback is examined. The sample (N = 52) comprised first year full-time and part-time MSW…

In this experimental study, prospective elementary school teachers enrolled in a mathematics course were randomly assigned to (a) concurrently learn about children's mathematical thinking by watching children on video or working directly with children, (b) concurrently visit elementary school classrooms of conveniently located or specially…

The authors' purpose was to examine teacher candidates' perspectives of successful teaching through personalized video vignettes. Furthermore, the authors were interested in how participants' written reflections might change as a result of creating these vignettes. This research used mixed-methods within the context of an exploratory multi-case…

Team teaching provided a model for real-world collaborative research efforts in a doctoral level course in research methodology. The instructors--one bringing extensive experience in teaching statistical methods and program evaluation; the other specializing in conducting qualitative research--used a constructivist framework for the course,…

The purposes of this research were to: (1) gather information about attributes of methods course teaching that make it more or less effective, (2) compare the perspectives of instructors and students on attributes of effectiveness, and (3) understand more about how university teachers develop an understanding of the thinking of prospective…

Preservice teachers enrolled in a reading methods course at a large university in the southwestern United States engage in a multicultural project which requires collaborative research. Groups are formed at the beginning of the semester, and either choose or are assigned a specific culture to research. Students then investigate the history and…

Argues that how teachers feel about themselves professionally stems from the education profession itself--from the way it recognizes high achievement, the way it prepares teachers for their profession, what it expects from teachers in schools, and the role of teachers in educational research and development. (Author)

Describes a project in the United Kingdom designed to produce materials for methods courses. (BR)

Comparison of teaching methods and instructional approaches is a basic component of beginning methods courses in teacher education. While many textbooks include overviews of some methods, they rarely cover a wide range of methods and they rarely provide pro/con agruments for the proper selection of a method in a given context. This bibliography…