This paper discusses the use of field experience in teacher education and how it can be augmented by phenomenological case studies. It summarizes a particular case study involving three teacher education classes, noting that reflective analysis of cases can prepare students to observe in the field. (SM)

Northern Arizona University's introductory coursework for prospective teachers was revised from a survey-type covering of various education topics to a field-experience-based course focusing on four areas of teaching as a career choice: motivation, rewards, commitment, and skills. (CB)

There are three barriers to successful laboratory experiences: shortage of trained laboratory-experienced supervisors, a lack of requirements for specific preparation for teachers who serve as school-based supervisors, and a lack of preparation and study among college and university supervisors of laboratory experiences. (JD)

Discussion of restructured schooling and restructured teacher education focuses on the needed interaction between schools, university-based teacher education, and technology. A school/university partnership between George Mason University and Fairfax County (Virginia) public schools is described that provided field experiences for an educational…

Describes the United Kingdom's IT-INSET program, which offers opportunities for Initial Training (IT) for students and Inservice Education and Training (INSET) for teachers and tutors. IT-INSET provides a collaborative, professional approach to curriculum design and evaluation. The paper examines the six principles and objectives of IT-INSET. (SM)

An education course for prospective teachers was designed to include a field experience that challenged students' underlying beliefs about teaching and learning. This article describes and discusses prospective teachers' reactions to encounters with an unconventional third grade teacher's approach to teaching negative numbers. (IAH)

The development and implementation of a clinic to offer advanced study in business organizations and commercial law transactions for third-year law students at Wayne State University (Michigan) are described. The course builds vertically on prior study and puts students in contact with practicing lawyers in an academic setting. Considerations…

Presents a contextually situated case study on the critical nature of early field experiences in teacher preparation, describing an exemplary program at California State University, Los Angeles, that focuses on a blended program in preparing secondary school science teachers. The blended option provides access to teacher education for those who…

Presents a model curriculum for preservice teachers developed at the University of West Florida to prepare them for technology integration. Explains the combination of classroom experiences and field experiences and the use of the Lesson Architect, a tool in an electronic performance support system that teachers can use for instructional planning.…

Description of the field experiences in the preservice special education program at Pennsylvania State University examines influences on the program; program content, activities, and evaluation; and outcomes. The program was designed to incorporate multiple field experiences in a graduated sequence, expose students to a variety of settings and…

Examined a partnership and a single-placement model of early field experience, using mentor and preservice teacher interviews, preservice teacher ime logs, and planning session transcripts. All respondents valued their experiences, but those in partnership placements felt better supported and engaged in greater instructional risks within the…

Field experience is a core element in an initial or preservice teacher education programme. It allows students to enact and reflect on their developing philosophies of teaching and is the "testing ground" for theory/practice links. Educational theorists and programme planners in distance delivered teacher education programmes acknowledge the…

Drawing chiefly from Paul Shepard's (1982) "Nature and Madness" and David Abram's (1996) "The Spell of the Sensuous," this essay draws attention to two underlying foundations of educational thought: the process of human social development and the emergence of language and literacy. A reading of Shepard and Abram implies that the meaning of human…

Alternative teacher certification (ATC) programs offer one method to help alleviate teacher shortages. While much debate has arisen over ATC programs, very few have empirically examined their impact on the teaching pool. The present study was designed to explore differences by certification type and program characteristics based on novice…

One goal educators have is to empower students at all levels in this diverse and changing society whether they work with teacher candidates or with P-12 students. Teachers are seeing increased differences in race, ethnicity, culture, and special needs in children in their classrooms. The changing composition of early childhood classrooms…