The shortage of qualified special educators in Louisiana is critical, particularly in rural areas. Factors contributing to this shortage include low teacher salaries, reduction of tuition exemption for teachers taking certification courses, and higher tuition costs. University training programs must assist teachers in developing necessary…

This document summarizes the history and results of a programmatic effort at Kent State University (Ohio) to develop and implement interdisciplinary Competency Based Personnel Preparation programs oriented to the education of practitioners and leadership personnel in the transition of youth and adults with special needs to the world of work. It…

This paper reports on the conceptualization and first year of implementation of a model of preservice teacher education and training established at the University of Notre Dame Australia to meet the specific needs of the Catholic education system. In setting up an appropriate model, the notion of the graduate teacher as one who is critically…

A portfolio assessment process was implemented in the Special Education Division of Central Washington University's teacher education program. The portfolio assessment was designed as an "end of major" assessment with three goals: provide a continuous assessment of the program of studies, determine the quality of program graduates, and…

This module, one in a series of performance-based teacher education learning packages, focuses on a specific skill that vocational educators need to integrate competency-based education (CBE) into the vocational education curriculum. The purpose of the module is to help the instructor understand the educational philosophy on which CBE is based and…

Noting recent state legislation (HB 1706) in Oklahoma that is focused on the improvement of teacher preparation programs at the university level, this paper details the implementation of such improvements at East Central University in Ada, Oklahoma. The first section of the paper considers requirements for improved classroom preparation in both…

Schools, colleges, and departments of education are becoming increasingly accountable for the training and evaluation of competent teachers, and are developing new ways to evaluate their graduates and their programs. The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) has identified three areas for evaluating teacher education…

This module, one in a series of performance-based teacher education learning packages, focuses on a specific skill that vocational educators need to be an effective teacher-coordinator in a cooperative vocational education program. The purpose of the module is to aid educators in gaining the skills needed to guide students in planning and…

This module, which is one in a series of 127 performance-based teacher education learning packages focusing upon specific professional competencies of vocational teachers, trains teachers in how to evaluate their instructional effectiveness. Addressed in the individual learning experiences included in the module are the following topics: sources…

This module, one in a series of performance-based teacher education learning packages, focuses on a specific skill that vocational educators need to create appropriate learning environments and to plan and manage instruction that is well-suited to the learning and psychological needs of today's adults. The purpose of the module is to help the…

This module is one of a series of more than 125 performance-based teacher education (PBTE) learning packages focusing upon specific professional competencies of vocational instructors. The competencies upon which these modules are based were identified and verified through research as being important to successful occupational teaching at all…

This report describes the improvement of the University of Michigan Elementary Teacher Education program evaluation system through analysis of computerized longitudinal data generated by student self reports from 1977 to 1980. Students enrolled in the elementary certification program received a list of 96 instructional competencies and were given…

One of five modules in the administrative series of the 16-module series designed to train vocational education curriculum specialists, this module is intended for use in classes or individual study arrangements at the preservice or inservice level by students with varying amounts of experience in vocational education. (These modules are revised…

This module, one in a series of performance-based teacher education learning packages, focuses on a specific skill that vocational educators need to be successful in the area of instructional management. The purpose of the module is to give educators skill in planning, designing, and organizing the physical facilities of the vocational education…

There are a number of issues involved in the validation of measures of teacher effectiveness, that is, a teacher's ability to promote student learning. Teachers' characeristics may be assessed at five different points: (1) pre-existing teacher characteristics--knowledge, skills, and attitudes which are necessary for success in the teacher…