This study explored the dynamics of power relationships in secondary science methods courses taught at an urban university in Southern California for credential candidates. Data collection extended over 10 academic semesters. Employing frameworks of power, self-study, and critical pedagogy, the study analyzes the multifaceted and intricate roads…

Background: Current education reform in the U.S. requires teacher preparation programs to educate the "teachers-to-be" according to the certification standards set forth by the state. So far, there are few empirical studies that directly investigate whether students perceive themselves to be well prepared with respect to the standards, although…

In this study, we explore the instructional decision making of Charlotte, a graduate of an intensive social studies teacher education program. Charlotte articulated a sophisticated conception of historical thinking and appeared to possess exemplary pedagogical content knowledge. Her classroom practice did not incorporate the approaches to…

This article explores how dialogue journals and response journals can be used to encourage reflection among pre-service teachers. Thirty-one pre-service English teachers from two Hong Kong universities participated in the study. One group wrote dialogue journals and the other group wrote response journals throughout two semesters on two separate…

A key factor in successful teacher education is designing activities that promote attainment of instructional objectives. However, in online teacher education there is little evidence regarding the types of activities that can be used to achieve specific objectives and variation from class to class while providing effective instruction. This study…

An instructor of an undergraduate literacy methods course included a portfolio as a component of assessment. Based on a review of the literature and the elements of the portfolio assessment program used in the General College Program at the State University of New York College at Fredonia, the instructor adapted the portfolio process for her…

This document describes a pilot study to provide an opportunity for preservice teachers enrolled in elementary language arts methods courses at Indiana University South Bend (IUSB) and Southeast Missouri State University (SEMO) to communicate with one another over time and distance through electronic mail (e-mail). Students at both IUSB and SEMO…

This paper, based on an interactive session, offers the perspectives of three male professors, all of whom teach science methods classes consisting primarily of female prospective teachers. These three men have engaged the matter of gender-inclusive education in their classrooms and have struggled with the ramifications of that engagement. It is a…

Many American colleges and universities that train English majors for careers in secondary schools (Eastern Washington University, for example) expose students to two radically different modes of literature pedagogy. In the majority of courses, literature is approached as artifact and students are instructed in ways to analyze literary text, with…

This study compared the performance of two groups of preservice teachers at Kentucky's Morehead State University. One group had taken four of their methods courses (reading, language arts, social studies, and mathematics) in an integrated fashion from four faculty members. This group was termed the block group. The other group (the nonblock group)…

A study examined an initial effort to restructure the content, format, and instruction of a preservice literacy methods course and the effect it had on 13 preservice teachers relative to their movement toward reflective inquiry and practice in literacy teaching. Data were collected from the preservice teachers using questionnaires, journals,…

The purpose of this paper was to provide professors of research methodology and statistics with an annotated bibliography of articles that can be used to teach a particular statistical technique as well as to illustrate specific concepts in research methodology. By using these articles in intermediate and advanced statistics classes, instructors…

Recognizing the importance of creating quality reading teachers, this paper describes a 15-week reading methods course incorporating university instruction with well-supervised field experience. Optimum conditions of easy access to schools and children, an abundance of basal and supplementary materials, and five hours per week of student time are…

Reports on conference of public school and university personnel in which the improvement of preparation of prospective science teachers was the topic. Lists of suggestions are divided into the categories (1) secondary science methods courses, (2) student teaching, and (3) university-public school relationships. (CP)

Describes a course, taught in Jamaica, for prospective high school physics teachers that stresses concepts which are difficult to teach and easily misunderstood by students. Also stresses preparing high school students to take national exams and teaching physics in poorly equipped laboratories. (MLH)