This collection contains 15 essays by teachers who participated in the First Annual Rural Alaska Instructional Improvement Academy in Fairbanks in May 1987. The essays were written as a follow-up to the academy, based on the teachers' reflections on their own experiences in rural schools as well as on the academy workshops they attended and on the…

Perceptions of one's competence and control in a task are related to one's confidence in doing a task and attitude towards it. In teaching, it is assumed to be very important that teachers view themselves as competent in and in control of their teaching tasks. To investigate trainees' perceptions of control and competence, a short questionnaire…

This paper proposes the use of international media events as instructional tools in the basic college communications course. The international media event examined, as one such application, is the spring, 1989 student protests in China. This type of instructional tool offers an excellent means of integrating world events into the curriculum. As…

A University of Minnesota model for low incidence preservice special education teacher training is focused on visual impairment education and requires completion of four graduate level components for licensure. This model attempts to be flexible and address the needs of the field in providing qualified personnel that will remain in local school…

The history of Arizona public schooling had a modest beginning in 1864 when the first Territorial Legislature allotted $1,500 to five existing mission schools. The third territorial governor, Anson P. K. Safford, launched a crusade to establish public schools, and by 1877 there were 28. The 1885 Legislature authorized the founding of a Territorial…

The effects of teaching on teachers was investigated. Interviews with female elementary school teachers were conducted on a bi-weekly basis during 2 years of data collection. An analysis was made of the relationship between teachers' work experiences over the course of their careers within specific institutional structures, and their perceptions…

A study was conducted to determine what distinguishes the practice of competent educators from that of untrained persons or colleagues who are less skilled. The population for the study was cooperative extension educators. Five individuals identified by district and state leaders as being exemplary in their practice were followed for three days…

It is widely accepted that laboratory experiences are both necessary and worthwhile for preservice teacher education. Research has shown little evidence of what exactly happens during student teaching, although studies have illuminated roles and objectives. Guidance in or supervision of field experiences for student teachers often falls primarily…

An effective junior-year student teaching program in elementary education was designed that combines application of theory learned in methods courses with practical school experience. The objective was to prepare education majors for student teaching and to give them an opportunity to evaluate themselves and the prospects of a teaching career.…

A study sought to determine to what degree educators are cognizant of principles of learning as applied to the students they teach. Examined were the relationships among: (1) the criterion variable of educators' perception of the degree that their students learn according to selected learning principles and (2) the predictor variables of work…

This paper provides a synthesis of research on aspects of student teaching as they relate to transfer of teaching skills to the classroom. The report highlights major dimensions of student teaching, such as specific training interventions (microteaching and simulation), the ecological context of student teaching (involving the cooperating teacher,…

Research was reviewed to identify the characteristics of effective university and college-based programs for educating prospective teachers. Programs were considered effective to the extent that they enhanced the capability of teachers to contribute to student learning. The research reviewed was almost exclusively concerned with the learning of…

A study was designed to develop a model that would describe the development of commitment to the administration profession in vocational-technical education and the degree to which it might be found among the individuals who possess it. Study participants were 197 administrators from 63 postsecondary vocational-technical institutions identified…

This study investigated the ideal and actual criteria for selecting school superintendents as perceived by senior high school teachers and students, parents, administrators, and school board members. Its purpose was to determine if the ideal and actual criteria for selecting urban school superintendents would differ significantly as perceived (1)…

This study was conducted through a mailed survey of randomly selected full- and part-time faculty at 15 California community colleges. Responses came from 1,302 full-time (49.3% reporting) and 1,544 part-time faculty (32.9% reporting). Respondents represented a wide range of teaching fields. Of full-time respondents, 69.3% reported seven or more…