In the spring of 1995 Northern Arizona University initiated a pilot program for a new content emphasis for elementary education majors. This new emphasis, "Diversity in Educational Contexts," is designed to prepare teachers to instruct the diverse children they will encounter in their public and private classrooms. The new program…

The traditional differences in philosophy and approaches to teaching and learning between colleges of education and sciences have been repeatedly cited as one of the major obstacles in providing appropriate teacher training programs. In an effort to alleviate this problem, Wright State University (Ohio) has fostered a unique environment through a…

Teachers make the greatest impact on students--what they learn, how they learn it, and what they do with it. Decades of research clearly demonstrate that a quality teacher, more than any other factor, enables students to overcome obstacles to learning like poverty and can even erase the achievement gap. The problem is that many teachers lack the…

Middle and high school American history teachers in Lake County, Illinois, use an innovative model of professional development created through collaboration between higher education institutions and public school districts. Goals of McRAH (Model Collaboration: Rethinking American History) are to (1) raise student achievement and engagement by…

Elizabeth City State University (ECSU) serves the 21 counties of rural northeastern North Carolina. In Fall 2000 ECSU administrators met with educators in area school districts to discuss their professional development needs. This paper reports on those expressed needs relevant to mathematics education and discusses ways to help achieve excellence…

This report describes the development of teacher certification in America, arguing that changes in and debates about teacher certification have revolved around four clusters of questions: who should control teacher licensing; the proper basis for making decisions about assuring teacher competence in individual cases; elements of teacher training…

Argues that geography often is relegated to a negligible role in social studies curricula and that geography instruction suffers from a lack of standards and educational research. Recommends establishing intensive cooperative programs developing a thorough knowledge base for geography teachers and encouraging instructional research. (MJP)

Makes a case for using the tenets of National Board for Professional Teaching Standards in redesigning the Mathematics and English Subject Specialist Master's Programs at California State University, Northridge, by going through the constructed cohort program semester by semester, discussing coursework and portfolio activities, highlighting the…

Compares factors in the literature associated with successful outcomes in distance education with the experience of providing an inservice teacher-education program on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD). Presents the method of a satellite- and telephone-based course and evaluation of this graduate level inservice course. (Author/CR)

To gain the full educational benefits of the major new investments in corporate technologies supporting online teaching and learning it is argued that a strategic, systems based approach to academic professional development (APD) is required. Such an approach requires a clear view of the key areas of potential and enduring teaching and learning…

No one would dispute the claim that teacher training in the university and training colleges has long been in urgent need of reform. Even so, nothing is getting done. However, there are some efforts made in North-Rhine/Westphalia, where a committee of experts has recommended a double package consisting of six semesters of specialized studies…

In 1993, at Wright State University (WSU), the College of Science and Mathematics (COSM), and the College of Education and Human Services (CEHS) began hiring faculty with joint appointments in both COSM and CEHS. That began the process of reforming the undergraduate education of preservice elementary teachers. Then, when the state called for a…

One of the key features of this legislation is an emphasis on teacher quality. A growing body of research has documented the importance of teacher knowledge and skill in improving student achievement. The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001 includes specific criteria for considering a teacher highly qualified, and other specific requirements…

The lack of resources devoted to educating Latinos in emerging immigrant communities is generating negative educational outcomes and de facto educational segregation in the South. While Latino immigrants continue to dominate employment in the meat processing, service, and construction sectors in these communities, they are underrepresented on…

Carnegie Corporation of New York and other funders are undertaking a reform initiative, "Teachers for a New Era," to stimulate construction of excellent teacher education programs at selected colleges and universities. Success will require radical change in allocation of resources, academic organization, criteria for evaluating participating…