In an effort to redesign an undergraduate teacher preparation program at the University of Maine (Orono), field research was conducted gathering attitudes and opinions from educators, students, and special interest groups (e.g., State Board of Education, State Teacher's Association). Data were gathered from questionnaires, group sessions, and…

The purpose of this document, which presents suggestions for needed changes in teacher education, is to provide guidance in the development of improved teacher education programs. Elements outlined in the document include: (1) the major functions of teaching (facilitating learning, classroom management, professional decision making); (2) learning,…

Using the data from the High School and Beyond Transcript Survey for 1980 sophomores who graduated from high school by fall 1982, the course grade distributions are compared for the following major instruction program categories: English, mathematics, social sciences, physical sciences, life sciences, and foreign languages (academic courses);…

The history of the gradual redesigning of teacher education in Ohio from the first certification law for teachers in 1825 to the present is outlined. Descriptions of the rationale and processes of changes are presented in the following sequence: (1) reforms of the past; (2) two critical decades in redesigning teacher education; (3) funding for…

Perspectives on college preparation and the transition from secondary to postsecondary education are addressed in a 1982 public hearing. Two main goals are articulated: to improve the quality of secondary school curricula, and to ensure access to or equality of educational opportunities for college for minority and majority students. An overview…

An eight-step organizational approach to the problem of identifying, remediating, and, if necessary, dismissing incompetent teachers is described. Addressed to school superintendents, the eight steps are as follows: (1) establish "excellence in teaching" as a high priority for the district, (2) adopt and publish reasonable criteria for evaluating…

Reasons to de-emphasize testing as a means of assessing teacher quality are offered in this paper. The following questions pertinent to teacher testing are asked: (1) Granted that teacher education is now attracting low caliber students, can the testing movement reverse the trend? (2) Is it justifiable to determine, and even predict, the quality…

Ten recommendations on outcomes assessment primarily for undergraduate education are offered by the Program and Institutional Assessment Task Force of the State Higher Education Executive Officers (SHEEO). The recommendations include: degree-granting institutions should assess entering students to determine whether they are prepared to take…

Certain Japanese educational practices serving as worthwhile examples to the United States' educational system are highlighted in this overview of Japanese education. However, it is stressed that because the United States and the Japanese educational systems are dependent upon their social context and exist in a symbiotic relationship within that…

A questionnaire was developed to determine the understanding and response of student teaching field experience directors to the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) student teaching requirement. NCATE-approved schools in Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, and Nebraska were surveyed. The NCATE requirement…

The Ohio State University School of Education has developed a plan and established a data base to provide information to respond to anticipated accreditation visits. A format was designed to determine the breadth and depth of all standards by comparing and contrasting National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) standards with…

This report presents the findings of a survey of a nationally representative sample of school districts on high school academic requirements and achievement. A survey questionnaire was sent to 571 school districts and a 93 percent response rate was obtained. Information was gathered on the following topics: (1) time spent in school; (2) credits…

Designed to provide a systematic, in-depth assessment of Miami-Dade Community College's (MDCC's) educational programs, this institutional self-study report assesses the impact and effectiveness of major reforms in the college's educational programs, student support services, and selected campus-level activities. The first of eight volumes begins…

To determine if there are significant differences between the first-semester freshman composition grading standards of public two-year and four-year institutions in the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, a composition instrument was mailed to 120 freshman composition directors from two-year and four-year member institutions. The…

To address the seemingly intractable problem of improving student outcomes in its lowest performing schools, the Philadelphia School Reform Commission asked the University of Pennsylvania (Penn) to be one of seven outside organizations (collectively referred to as educational management organizations or 'EMOs') that would manage a total of 45…