This study sought to determine if a professional course of study during teacher preparation in physical education had more influence on teaching effectiveness than a discipline-oriented course of study. The subjects were 41 undergraduates involved in two different physical education programs. The discipline-oriented course contained such subjects…

Investigated were the effects of an elementary methods course on preservice teachers. The preservice teacher's perception and performance of role expectations in the teaching of science, the preservice teacher's attitude toward science in the elementary classroom, and the preservice teacher's knowledge and performance in inquiry skills were the…

Because of a shrinking demand for physical education teachers, students majoring in this subject at the University of Delaware are required to participate in activities to relate physical activities with other elements of the child's curriculum. (JD)

The perceptions and attitudes of elementary education majors engaged in student teaching are examined. The desirability of a mandatory student teaching component in preservice teacher education is questioned. (RJG)

Describes Indiana State University's baseline day program, which helps establish a strong beginning upon which student teachers can build. Student teachers take full responsibility of the classroom for 1 day within the first 4-10 days of their assignment. Evaluations of student and cooperating teachers indicate the program benefits all involved.…

Interviewed elementary teacher preparation program graduates within urban schools serving poor, diverse students. Overall, fieldwork contextualized in real classrooms significantly influenced what teachers carried from preservice programs to classrooms. Respondents suggested bolstering classroom management and parent communication components of…

This article describes a course-specific model for organizing field experience in the teacher education program at Morehead State University. Students in an elementary social studies methods course had class and field experience within the same public school. Guidelines for effective collaboration between the university and the school are…

Study described what and how preservice teachers learned during a field-based elementary physical education methods course. Interviews, observations, and written work indicated they felt the development of pedagogical content knowledge was salient in learning to teach. They linked inadequate pedagogical content knowledge to problems observing and…

This interpretive study of a 22-year-old male student teacher in an elementary setting examines how he dealt with the contradictions inherent in the role of "student teacher" by making tacit "treaties" with the cooperating teacher. Data were collected through interviews and observations. Field notes taken during the 5th through…

A practicum was developed to help preservice teachers practice reading theories learned in the college classroom during the three-week field experience portion of the class. Preservice teachers at a Christian college in a small, rural, midwestern town had few opportunities to implement theories learned during field experience. A literature review…

Fifty-seven elementary education students enrolled in methods courses were asked to respond to an open-ended questionnaire to identify what knowledge and skills had been learned as a result of participating in field experiences required in the courses. Students provided 516 individual statements, with 245 being knowledge statements, which included…

A teacher education program was developed to implement the competencies for nontraditional, career adults who have an undergraduate degree in a content area. The program features three main areas of instruction: (1) curriculum and foundations; (2) specialization area; and (3) application of theory. Each of these areas is presented through…

A description is given of a field-based preservice teacher education program which integrates elementary and special education, infusing theories of effective teaching with practical classroom application for working with pupils who have special needs as they are mainstreamed into the regular classroom. The program consists of three phases:…

A new educational psychology course that combines mastery oriented content learning with direct participation in an elementary school classroom is described. The integration of theoretical-empirical information from psychology with the applied view of education in the classroom is the most important outcome of the new course. A variety of learning…

Activities for a field experience program involving 50-60 methods students and as many sixth graders is described; the program explores the cemetery as a place to pull together skills and concepts from subjects like reading, mathematics, language arts, science, and social studies. Activities involve tombstone rubbings, family trees, writing poetry…