There are many afterschool programs that provide tutoring services for K-8 elementary students. Although much research has been conducted on the benefits field experiences have for preservice teachers, and even more research on the impact family engagement has on student achievement, little research has been focused on how embedded field…

Recent trends in agricultural education have demonstrated that the number of middle school programs and students has been increasing. Despite this, middle school agricultural education students, teachers, and programs have been underserved. For example, middle school agricultural education teachers lack the training and resources to meet the needs…

Mathematical knowledge for teaching (MKT) is a professional knowledge crucial for effective mathematics instruction, encompassing both content knowledge (CK) and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). The purpose of this study is to investigate the hierarchical structure of PCK for fractions by seeking further evidence for the PCK-Fractions…

This article describes the trials and tribulations that a middle level education program faced during the global pandemic and recommendations that others can take away from these experiences. The provided suggestions for middle level teacher education programs are specifically for the current pandemic, but can be used for other disasters as well.…

This article examines the teaching practices and pedagogical theories preservice teachers (PSTs) enacted in a newly designed after-school literacy club field placement. We draw from sociocultural and activity theories to analyze data collected in the qualitative study that examined the following research questions: (1) What teaching practices do…

High-quality field-based experiences are at the core of teacher preparation programs; however, the COVID-19 pandemic severely limited access to such placements for pre-service teachers. This descriptive study examined how virtual tutoring in a summer-semester intermediate literacy course impacted both pre-service teachers and students served.…

This study aimed to better understand the role that an undergraduate teacher exploration program for STEM majors played in STEM teacher education and recruitment. Utilizing journal data from 126 undergraduate students engaged in an intensive and immersive four-day internship that took place in Summer 2015 and Summer 2016, this study examined how…

The purpose of this study was to examine physical education (PE) preservice teachers' (PSTs) experiences applying the teaching personal and social responsibility model (TPSR) at the elementary level. Fuller's (1969) theory of concern development served as a framework for this study. A purposive sample of nine PSTs (3 females, 6 males), majoring in…

Purpose: Grounded in self-determination theory, this study examined factors of secondary early field experiences that preservice teachers consider significant and how these experiences impact them as educators. Method: Preservice teachers (N = 13) completed two 10-week early field experiences, one at each level--middle school and high school. Data…

Field experiences are an important element of paleontological knowledge building. However, there is little information about the effects field experiences have on science stewardship and personal growth in high school learners. This pilot study analyzed the reflections of a group of female and male 9th grade U.S. high school students (N = 72) on…

Faced with school closures in the spring of 2020 due to COVID-19, middle level teacher candidates were left with no way to finish their field experiences. The challenge continued into the fall with many schools providing only virtual learning and some not allowing visitors on campus. This article describes the steps one university middle level…

Despite the importance of learning to teach writing, many preservice teachers do not take a writing course as part of their teacher preparation. For those universities that do offer a writing methods course, teacher educators face challenges in designing responsive and rigorous clinical experiences especially since writing is often under taught in…

The researcher's goal is to instill a sense of wonder and curiosity about the world by encouraging students to think critically and gather information from numerous sources. By introducing field experiences and primary sources into the curriculum, student engagement increased. Students were able to make a personal connection with their studies and…

Eighth-grade students from three school districts in three small towns in Crosby County, Texas, received academic credit for working together with the biannual Crosby County Pioneer Memorial Museum summer travel education program. Each of the three districts radiate from a small town. They were within one county, and the museum was located in the…

In June 2016, a state university partnered with a local school district to integrate college of education summer courses with a community camp for K-8 students. We reflect upon the benefits and challenges found within this partnership; how the course/camp integration informed our evolving views as teacher educators; and how the camp clinical…