A large body of research literature suggests that quality formative assessment has the potential to promote positive outcomes for young children. This paper posits that early childhood educators learn how to use developmentally appropriate assessment practices to effectively assess young children and use these data to make decisions that matter…

Social work education fully endorses experiential learning through its field placement component, while experiential teaching methods are only somewhat used in the classroom. This article outlines the utility of action-based mutual aid processes in teaching social work. Three experiential sociometric group tools are presented with their…

In an effort to provide graduate students at a distance with field-based learning experiences and evaluation resources to statewide Extension programs, 24 Master's students participating in a distance-delivered program evaluation course served as evaluation consultants for Extension programs. State evaluation specialists unable to conduct…

The Auburn University Educational Leadership Team and its K-12 practitioner and community partners collaboratively developed a comprehensive, on-going evaluation plan to assess a newly implemented field-based graduate program. The purpose of the present manuscript was to describe the evaluation guidelines and plans. The leadership team and…

Clinical Teacher Education focuses on how to build a school-university partnership network for clinical teacher education in urban school systems serving culturally and linguistically diverse populations. The labor intensive nature of professional development school work has resulted in research institutions being slow to fully adopt a clinical…

The Academy for Educational Development (AED) sent a research team to the University of Dayton (UD) on November 5-7, 2008, to conduct interviews with individuals who played significant roles in the university's teacher preparation program (see Appendix A). These interviews, along with additional materials provided by UD and identified by the AED…

A description is given of an evaluation method which may be used as a tool in the comprehensive evaluation of preservice teacher education field experience programs. The "Parallel Pairs" construct is a theoretical model, empty of content, which can be used for a variety of purposes. This blank format, to be filled with field experience…

Undergraduate geography field courses are relatively rare at American universities, though they can exemplify well the fundamental tenets of learner-centered education. This article reports on an intensive three-week field analysis course taught at Northern Arizona University at Flagstaff, within the Department of Geography, Planning, and…

The quality of field supervision of student teachers is a major problem in preservice teacher education. A pilot study of supervising teachers showed positive trends when these teachers were enrolled in a course to increase flexibility through role-taking experiences. A discussion of the curriculum and its revised version are offerd. (DF)

A description is given of a group interview process used with candidates for a nine month, field-based teacher training program. Five candidates were interviewed together by several faculty observers in a forty-five minute session. Faculty observed and noted leadership skills, verbalization and sharing of ideas, ability to convince others,…

Texas A&M University at College Station (A&M) and the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) employed portfolio assessment in their field-based principal preparation programs using the 21 performance domains of the National Policy Board for Educational Administration. In a joint venture with the Bryan Independent School District, selected…

Careful evaluation of court training programs can use two approaches, program monitoring and training/learning. Four areas of inquiry include: reactions to the program, learning, behavior, and results (behavior measured against organizational goals). The Michigan Judicial Institute program is noted. Journal availability: 200 W. Monroe, Suite 1606,…

An electrical engineering program in which a field experience component is used both to enhance training and to evaluate the program's outcomes is described. The curriculum development process is highlighted. (MSE)

This paper first examines how the graduate institute of teacher education at Bank Street College of Education, New York, has worked to foster reflective practice over time and across program components. It examines the mission and structures that have been enacted to this end and identifies ongoing challenges encountered. The paper first discusses…

Ideas for enhancing learning from work experience are described, including work-learning progressions, learning descriptions, project development, linking work experience and courses, and educational debriefing. The importance of combining an effective work experience with other parts of the educational program is emphasized. (Author/SF)