The purpose of this study was to investigate changes in preservice teachers' understanding of the nature of science (NOS) as a result of four activity-based interventions that represent three instructional approaches used in a middle grades science methods course. Ten participants' understanding of NOS and their perceptions about the…

The partnership between Best Elementary School and Texas Tech University's College of Education has been in place over 15 years. During this time field based methods classes have been taught at Best, graduate and undergraduate students have been involved in tutoring programs, and activities such as field trips have been conducted in partnership…

This study explores teacher education programs and preservice teacher dispositions. The study examined the dispositions of two sections of a reading methods course populated by preservice teachers. A dispositions checklist was used to collect data in three phases and from two audiences. The findings of the study strongly suggest that preservice…

In today's diverse elementary classrooms, teacher educators must model for preservice teachers how to implement exemplary literacy practices. It is sometimes necessary to dispel misconceptions regarding these instructional practices. Often, instructional strategies learned in the undergraduate classroom are disregarded by preservice teachers…

This piece shares preservice teachers and instructors reflections on their perceptions of a course on Spanish language arts methods in Puerto Rico. The course was redesigned to focus on interrelated curricular and pedagogical aspects such as literacies as situated social practice, funds of knowledge, popular culture and critical literacy. In…

This article explores how 12 classroom teachers, enrolled in one of the author's graduate social studies methods course, used service-learning as an instructional tool to help students practice active participation in their community and beyond, while also recognizing the relevance of academic coursework as they applied their knowledge and skills…

This study aims to provide some clarity about how learning to teach is understood by university teacher educators, mentors and students. Initial teacher education (ITE) in England is subject to central government legislation but without prescription for local implementation. Semi-structured interview data was collected from key partners in a local…

Social justice teacher education programs aim to prepare teachers who are able to provide high-quality, equitable opportunities to learn to all students, who are able to advocate for the transformation of not only individual classrooms but whole schools and districts, and who are able to consider their work as being connected to broader social…

The Mathematics Education Debate is an assignment designed for and implemented in an undergraduate mathematics methods course for prospective secondary school mathematics teachers. For the assignment, students read and analyze current research and policy reports related to mathematics education, prepare and present their positions, offer…

Today's preservice teachers must be well prepared to provide elementary social studies methods instruction to students. The United States and its democracy are constantly evolving and in continuous need of citizens who can adapt its enduring traditions and values to meet these changes. However, with the increased emphasis on raising test scores…

The specific objectives of this study were to identify the attitudes of U.S. agricultural education teacher educators toward using scientific inquiry as an instructional method and to determine their level of comfort and awareness with new information and teaching methodologies in science. A mailed survey was sent to all agricultural education…

Teacher educators are consistently challenged with the problem of how to construct more meaningful and relevant experiences within their science methods courses. The research presented in this paper addressed this problem on two levels. On a pedagogical level, the aim of the research was to capture the salient details about how one pre-service…

Two professors of reading redesigned, merged, and co-taught their respective methods courses (one elementary, one special education) to foster "literacy for all" through interdisciplinary content and collaboration. The characteristic needs of students with learning disabilities and the instructional strategies that promote their literacy…

This activity offers a way to use the informed consent procedure to help students better understand the responsibilities of research participants. During a class activity, students completed a brief study. The study included presentation of consent forms and questionnaires before a surprise quiz over material from the consent form and a discussion…

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among science content knowledge, understanding the Learning Cycle, and self-efficacy among preservice teachers. Preservice teachers enrolled in an elementary science-methods course were categorized as Fearful, Disinterested, Successful, or Enthusiastic science learners based on differing…