This paper describes how five medium sized state institutions from various parts of the country have progressed in meeting the needs of under-represented, diverse populations over the past four years. The five institutions are: Central Washington University, Jacksonville State University (Alabama), State University of New York at Plattsburgh,…

This practicum report describes the development of a systematic method whereby students would be able to select internship sites that demonstrate developmentally appropriate practices in early childhood education. Students in a child development internship program were provided guidelines for selecting an appropriate field placement; students were…

Case studies have emerged as a viable tool for exposing novice teachers to mundane and unique situations that might be encountered in the classroom. This paper discusses the utilization of video taped case studies as a valid method for assessing the reactions and perceptions of preservice teachers to an introductory field observation course.…

This project used Internet technology to build community and reduce isolation during student teaching, improve communication and enhance supervision of student teachers, and encourage reflection. The project supported student teachers by establishing Internet communication between them and their supervisors. This involved providing Internet…

Believing in the importance of learning from field experience and valuing the development of reflective practitioners has led the College of Education, University of Missouri-Columbia to reform its undergraduate teacher education program. Concurrent with the curriculum redesign was an effort to use technology in the service of the new program…

The adaptation and use of local area network (LAN) computer technology as an educational enhancement and as a social process in a university teacher education program were studied. The LAN technology, electronic bulletin board, and facsimile machines were used to enhance university supervised clinical settings for novice teachers in the public…

Support is growing for the expansion of field-based experiences in the preparation of teachers. Such expansion raises the question of the potential impact of large numbers of teachers-in-training on the monetary and human resources of teacher education programs and K-12 schools. Research was conducted to begin to answer this question in Minnesota.…

Clinical experiences remain an integral component of teacher preparation programs. One type of clinical experience is the Comprehensive Scope and Sequence Model, which calls for five hierarchical levels of clinical experiences: (1) college classroom practice activities; (2) campus laboratory practice activities; (3) block practicum field…

The Department of Teaching and Learning of Peabody College of Vanderbilt University developed a project to strengthen field experiences for elementary/early childhood teacher education students. The project was designed to use current research to revise the laboratory and practica programs, incorporating technology and simulated classroom…

Two major recommendations are offered to teacher education reform efforts: (1) increased collaboration for both leadership and program planning in teacher education; and (2) changes in the roles of public schools and universities in the preparation of teachers. The recommendations emerged intially from a study that focused on discrepancies between…

This paper presents a model for use by college students and their advisors as they consider an off-campus internship within business or industry as part of a degree program. The following six components of the systems model as applied to internships are explained: (1) identifying student career goals; (2) investigating potential host environments;…

A descriptive study examined in detail the student teaching experience in terms of the characteristics and behaviors of cooperating teachers, student teachers, and university supervisors. The interactions, personal and professional, between and among these participants were analyzed, as well as the contexts of the schools and universities in which…

Although challenged by some, the student teaching experience continues to be the most extensive, and in the eyes of most educators, the most important experience in the preparation of teachers. Given the importance of the student teaching experience, it behooves teacher educators to carefully examine student teaching to determine ways to improve…

The Teacher Apprenticeship Program of the North York (Ontario) schools was evaluated. The program provided practical classroom experiences for applicants to the Faculty of Education of the University of Toronto who were academically acceptable, but lacked sufficient experience with children to qualify for admittance in 1988-89. Apprentices worked…

The retention rate for rural teachers has historically been low, often with loss of two or more teachers per school year in some areas. Recently, a surplus of teachers has relieved this problem, but a predicted shortage will aggravate the situation. A survey of rural teachers was conducted in 1980 in British Columbia to try to find a reason for…