In this study, the staff development opportunities among early childhood educators in community-based, nonprofit child care centers were investigated. The trends for professional development and implications for future staff development were determined from data gathered from surveys completed by 12 lead teachers, 5 paraprofessionals, and 5…

Faculty certification increases the chances that online instruction in higher education will successfully meet the needs of students. This paper introduces a new approach to designing a program of faculty certification for online instruction. This curriculum includes preparation in core competencies as well as in enabling and sustaining…

Induction is a common term used to describe the process of introducing new teachers to a campus or district. The most used format includes a mentor assigned to a new teacher/protege. This paper will explore contemporary induction research and its implications to new teachers and their mentors.

What do great teachers do differently? This book argues that they make the most of their natural talents and do not strive to be well-rounded. In this book, readers will hear from great teachers, many of whom reveal their unorthodox--and sure-to-be-controversial--approaches. The reader will gain key insights gleaned from 40 years of research into…

This paper presents statistics which show that states in the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) area lead the nation in teachers with National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) certification. North Carolina, Florida, and South Carolina lead the nation in total number of NBPTS certified teachers. In the 2001-02 school year, 71…

The author offers thoughts on emerging pictures and consequences if the teacher is considered the primary agent of his or her own accountability. Noting the current wave of calls for educational accountability, Shulman suggests that typical mechanisms for ensuring quality often miss much of what actually goes on in classrooms, and that looking…

This research investigated the status of environmental education (EE) in private American and international middle and high schools throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. The study population consisted of all 50 dues-paying member schools in the Association of American Schools of Central America, Columbia-Caribbean, and Mexico (the…

Distinguishes between technical writing courses for students expecting to be technical communicators and general service courses. Argues that service course teachers can teach credibly without having worked in nonacademic workplaces if they (1) have command of research into nonacademic writing and rhetorical theory; (2) define technical writing…

Depicts the current state of teacher certification, asserting that state laws giving teacher education programs a monopoly are the core problem. Advocates a competitive certification model. (Contains 23 endnotes.) (SK)

New Mexico agriculture teacher education graduates currently teaching secondary agriculture (n=25) rated their at-graduation competencies as satisfactory. Their biggest improvement since graduation was in keeping students on task. Enthusiasm for all facets of the education program remained high. Work experience had the most influence on growth of…

Examined the educational testing and measurement literacy of elementary and secondary teachers. Surveys of 95 teachers indicated that, overall, they did not have extensive knowledge about testing and measurement, though they regularly used the knowledge they had when assessing student progress. There were few differences between elementary and…

Introduces seven models to analyze the multifaceted conception of teacher effectiveness, including goal and task, resource utilization, working process, school constituencies satisfaction, accountability, absence of problems, and continuous learning. Each model represents a perspective that describes certain factors which are closely related to…

Results of the Self-Efficacy toward Teaching Inventory completed by 346 new nursing faculty indicated that most had strong confidence in their teaching skills. Formal education and prior teaching experience influenced their self-efficacy. (SK)

To help teacher educators and others become better consumers of the teacher standards currently on the market, this article presents and analyzes some claims typically advanced for such standards. All proposals, whether research-based or representing professional consensus, must be respectfully received, reviewed, and discussed. (16 references)…

This position paper outlines what teachers in English language and literacy positions need to know and be able to do; what professional associations, providers of teacher development, and employers should do; and what action steps the Australian Literacy Federation will take. (SK)