Suggests that one of the biggest flaws with current teacher education programs is that the prospective teachers do not interact with the students in the role of instructor until their last semester. Argues that preservice teachers need to be equipped with the proper tools--realistic assignments, opportunities for student/teacher interaction,…

Surveys of perceptions and attitudes of preservice elementary science teachers regarding their use of telecommunications indicated that they perceived networks as useful tools for enhancing teacher training programs and for supporting their work in the schools. (16 references) (Author/MKR)

Results of a study of the curricular content of the foreign language (FL) methods course are presented, based on 157 FL methods course syllabi from 144 colleges and universities. Course goals, instructional materials, content, requirements, and evaluation systems were examined. Areas in need of further development are identified. (50 references)…

The Integrated Methods Model incorporates the entire conceptual framework for an effective secondary preservice teacher program as suggested by research. The model results in a subtle but important shift in the focus of secondary preservice teachers. It is relatively easy to implement, economically feasible, and adaptable to various conditions.…

Surveys elementary reading educators to discover their preferred theoretical perspective and the instructional strategies used by them to teach reading methods courses. Finds that reading faculty who reported a whole-language preference also reported using more teaching strategies that increased learner involvement. (SR)

Examines preservice teachers' definitions of reading at the beginning and end of an introductory methods course in English language arts. Finds that, at the beginning of the course, 85% of the preservice teachers characterized the process of reading as a decoding task, while only 42% maintained that characterization by the end of the course. (RS)

Comments on Reba Page's methods of teaching about interpretive research methodologies. Points to four potential problems: (1) students have little knowledge of underlying epistemological debates; (2) students are unaware of broader "conversations" between texts; (3) students have read little qualitative research; and (4) students must learn to…

Describes how a team of college instructors framed a humanities methods course within the concept of classroom community-building to address issues relevant to preservice teachers in such areas as moral commitment, professionalism, caring, and concern, providing examples of how the community was built, discussing strengths and limitations of that…

Investigated preservice teachers' beliefs, definitions, and uses of student and professional portfolios. Surveys of preservice teachers conducted at two times during their training provided data on how their perspectives, methods-course experiences, and field experience contributed to their beliefs and practices surrounding portfolio development…

Reports the results of three similar case studies of preservice teachers enrolled in literacy methods courses. Describes preservice teacher beliefs about literacy through the use of multiple data sources before, during, and after the course. Supports a field-based model of teacher education for development of a complex view of the process of…

Describes the collaboration between a third-year high school teacher and a seasoned education professor, in which the two traded places, coteaching each other's classes for the entire school year. Discusses getting started, what they expected and what they learned, long-term individual effects of collaboration, ensuring success, and collaboration…

Generates a framework of categories to describe prospective teachers' change of attitude toward teaching science over the term of a science methods course. Sources of data for the three-year study include science journal entries. Contains 36 references. (DDR)

Reports on a collaborative project to explore the work of teacher educators as an effort to reconstruct a stance as teachers in relation to students. Shares the discovery of the ironic in desires for authoritative knowledge, effective methods, coherent organization, and harmonic relationships. (CMK)

Recounts a personal journey--an effort to achieve balance and congruence in a master's level language arts course. Wrestles with theoretical and practical issues as the author gradually turned over much control of the curriculum to his graduate students. Delves into some thorny issues: student assessment, maintaining rigor and accountability, and…

Preservice English-as-Second-Language (ESL) teachers respond to various forms of feedback that they received in their TESL methodology course, and offer insights into how these individual response will shape their own evolving feedback practices. Results show that these preservice ESL teachers were pleased with the wide variety of forms of…