As long as there have been teachers, there has been an expectation that they be of good character and model virtue. The author describes developments in the thought about teacher dispositions and identifies specific shortcomings in the effort to define and assess them as part of teacher education program accreditation. Virtue ethics as an…

This article highlights key online teacher professional development (oTPD) areas in need of research based on a review of current oTPD research conducted in conjunction with an oTPD conference held at Harvard University in fall 2005. The literature review of this field documents much work that is anecdotal, describing professional development…

Knowledge of learners' assets beyond the traditional structure of school can provide preservice teachers with essential gateways to connecting learners with the content to be studied, and with forming beneficial social relationships that can enhance learning. This article describes ways that preservice teachers responded to community-based…

Well-developed media modules, geared especially to the needs of special education teachers, can be an invaluable aid to an effective teacher education program. (LH)

Proposals for extended teacher education programs are considered: (1) adding a year long internship to a four-year undergraduate program; (2) postponing professional training until a student has earned a B.A. or B.S.; and (3) requiring masters or doctoral degree programs in teaching for initial certification. (JN)