Andrews University, Michigan, developed the First Day of School Experience for preservice teachers, which coincides with the opening days of school in area K-12 public and private schools where preservice teachers are placed for their student teaching experiences. The program allows preservice teachers to develop competence in beginning the school…

The teacher education program at Western Montana College helps preservice teachers understand how the local context of the rural school and its community impacts student learning and the teacher's role. Coursework and multiple field experiences help preservice teachers identify their own cultural background and give them experience in teaching…

Presents four case studies illustrating how preservice middle school teachers negotiated their orientations toward teaching during three years of professional courses and internships. The article examines the conflicting influences of coursework, classroom experiences, and cooperating teachers' practice. All of the students experienced a degree of…

Details evolution of a Boston University (Massachusetts) dental school program providing field experience in private practices, community health centers, hospital-based ambulatory health centers, health maintenance organizations, and the school's predoctoral treatment centers. Issues discussed include integration of classroom and field learning,…

Investigates the potential roles of information technology in enhancing the preparation phase for fieldwork in geography. Examines the separate developments of; a geographical information system (GIS) to support local fieldwork activity and computer-based briefing tutorials to prepare students for residential field classes. Includes graphs, charts…

Twenty-six university students participated as job-sampling mentors for an on-campus transition project for 17 high school students (ages 16- 20) with mild to moderate cognitive disabilities. The university students gained new expectations for individuals with disabilities, become more aware of attitudes toward individuals with disabilities, and…

Describes an initiative that engages a teacher education program with an innovative urban "full-service" elementary school in a joint effort to serve children and families and provide a deeper and broader experience with urban education for suburban preservice teachers. Education students complete traditional and nontraditional fieldwork in the…

The education of foreign language teachers encompasses language, content area, and pedagogy courses as well as a teaching experience component. Foreign language and education faculty must work together with other faculty involved in the teaching experience to unite these components to provide future foreign language teachers with the best possible…

Discusses the development and formal thrust of an environmental education program. Indicates that efforts have resulted in a viable learning process which transcends the traditional nature study program. Describes a learning continuum of activities focusing on concepts, values, and problem solving skills, organization of the system, future…

An IBM-compatible information storage and retrieval software program was developed to support an eight-week community pharmacy ambulatory care clerkship for entry-level Doctor of Pharmacy students. The program helps evaluate and identify patients for health and medication problems, perform patient risk-factor assessment, monitor drug therapy,…

The Drake University (Iowa) pharmacy school has developed an elective teaching clerkship to help prepare pharmacy students as university teachers. Course goals were to familiarize students with issues in university-level teaching, promote understanding of theories underlying specific teaching methods, and apply general teaching technique and…

A model for assessing the readiness and potential of undergraduate social work students for field education is presented, and issues to consider in implementing such a model are identified, including faculty and university support of and student response to the professional gatekeeping process. One university's experience is discussed. (Author/MSE)

The University of Technology, Sydney (Australia) graduate certificate program in local government management grew from a desire for program flexibility and relevance and resulted in a partnership with local government. The one-year program has a variety of delivery modes, with both delivery and content negotiated by participants, employers, and…

Discusses ways to introduce student teachers and field experience students to the library media center. Suggestions include contacting the university's student program coordinator; creating an information sheet on the library media center; and using the information sheet for new and substitute teachers. (LRW)

University of Toronto's Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, in partnership with the North York and Metropolitan Toronto Separate School Districts, began a two-year pilot program in 1995 that incorporates a school-improvement project into beginning teacher preparation. A key aim is preparing preservice teachers to be improvement-minded…