The first part of this paper describes the rationale for and process of engaging student teachers in action research during the fourth and final year of their teacher education, which is also their first year as teachers (induction year). During this year the novice teachers are engaged in an action research project as a compulsory assignment in…

The extensive literature, situated mainly in "first world" contexts, on design and evaluation of distance learning materials, emphasises the importance of student feedback. This paper begins with an account of how two groups of students responded to questions on a text they had used in an inservice professional development programme for teachers…

Recent research emphasizes the context-specific nature of professional knowledge and expertise, implying that developing novel practices in authentic environments is a prerequisite for teachers' professional development. The aim of this study was to find out how teachers develop their practical knowledge and expertise through shared planning and…

This research delves into the reasons and expectations, indicated by three samples of MA students--16 attending a state university, 26 a private college, and 21 an extension of a foreign university, all located in Israel--for choosing an institution of higher education. It was assumed that high cost (tuition) motivates development of high…

This article describes and outlines the implications of a one-year case study of students' use of the computer conferencing facility of a postgraduate module for special educational needs coordinators (SENCOs) at a distance-learning institution. This facility incorporates a virtual space for a guest expert. The aim of the study was to inform…

Lapwai Elementary School, located on the Nez Perce Reservation in northern Idaho, serves a K-6 population of 302 students, 84 percent of whom are Native Americans. Seventy-nine percent of the students live at or below the poverty level. The remarkable success of this school in teaching minority children represents just one of dozens of schools…

Focus groups with teachers of students with learning disabilities (n=30) and teachers of students with emotional/behavior disorders (n=19) were conducted to examine the the teachers' perspectives about educational research and the extent to which they found research findings to be useful. The study further addressed the ways in which new practices…

A quasi-experimental, statewide intervention targeting preschool teachers' enhancement of children's language and early literacy was evaluated. Across 2 years and 20 Head Start sites, 750 teachers participated (500 target, 250 control), with 370 classrooms randomly selected to conduct pre- and posttest assessments (10 randomly selected children…

This chapter provides an overview of the challenges to and strategies for successful staffing in a small college student affairs division.

Six African countries participated in an intercontinental professional development workshop developed by the science and math staff at the University of Iowa and supported by the Africa-America Institute. The 11-day workshop was designed to produce changes in goal setting, assessment practices, instruction, and curriculum structures for high…

In this article, the authors discuss experiences and processes in their professional development as Latina academics. They frame their dialogue chronologically around the following themes: family background, graduate school, experiences with colleagues, participation in academia, interactions with students, and situations that inspire and…

As part of a major review of teachers' professional conditions of service in Scotland the "Chartered Teacher Programme" has been introduced offering experienced teachers the option of a substantial salary enhancement, not by promotion to a school management role, but by staying in the classroom and engaging in a programme of professional…

Motivational influences on the decision to pursue graduate studies in secondary music education were investigated. The population of secondary music education graduate students in one large Canadian university (N=13) completed a survey that included both open-ended and closed-ended response items. The greatest motivational influences to pursue…

Lesson study, a Japanese form of professional development that centers on collaborative study of live classroom lessons, has spread rapidly in the United States since 1999. Drawing on examples of Japanese and U.S. lesson study, we propose that three types of research are needed if lesson study is to avoid the fate of so many other once-promising…

This article describes the classroom management component of the Professional Development of Japanese Teachers of Texas (PDJT), a certification program for teachers of Japanese. In addition, it offers suggestions in classroom management for teachers of Japanese and other foreign languages as well as guidance for teacher trainers to help new…