This study identified the literacy strategies and activities teacher candidates used during clinically rich field experiences based on their elementary-aged students' needs. The teacher candidates' weekly teaching logs were analyzed, and four categories of literacy strategies and activities emerged, including comprehension, word study, writing,…

The Learning Team at The Florida Aquarium in Tampa received funding in 2014 to create and conduct a long-term outdoor learning experience for Hillsborough County, Florida, fifth-grade students. The program was designed with four parts to optimize students' experiences in their local watershed, including both classroom and field activities. This…

University students often cite field experiences as some of their most important and memorable. Yet research shows that field trips are on the decline in many colleges and universities; this shift may impact geography courses that are traditionally field based. Often cited is the problem of instructor time, increased enrollment, and concerns over…

For business schools, AACSB and Middle States' call for more experiential learning is one reason to provide study abroad programs. Universities must attend to the demand for continuous improvement and employ metrics to benchmark and evaluate their relative standing among peer institutions. One such benchmark is the National Survey of Student…

Family literacy involves factors beyond what is done at home between parents and children. To help preservice teachers develop their understanding of the multiple dimensions of family literacy, this study uses the five pillars of family and community engagement (FACE)--early literacy, family involvement, access to books, expanded learning, and…

This article includes a review of the literature on personal epistemology and the reflective judgment model and applies these theoretical concepts to undergraduate students who engage in service-learning projects. The application will provide instructors with greater understanding of students' abilities and limitations in their…

The purpose of this study was to explore the extent to which the mission of preparing teachers to teach for social justice is operationalized within the methods courses in teacher preparation programs that assert a social justice mission. A qualitative content analysis was conducted of course syllabi for English/Language Arts courses, using a…

The number of English language learners (ELLs) in the United States school system is growing rapidly. Much of the responsibility for teaching ELLs lies with regular classroom teachers. However, little training is being provided to help them. From a sociocultural perspective and drawing on constructive-developmental theories of adult learning and…

Presents an email correspondence activity designed to supplement existing field-based literacy teacher education experiences. Notes the intent of the strategy is to provide the opportunity for preservice teachers to encounter authentic literacy issues faced by real teachers, and to familiarize preservice teachers with the trials of being a…

On the premise that it is important for students to benefit from and interrelate field experiences to on-campus experiences, this paper lists specific activities designed to help teacher education students gain the most from their field experiences so that they can learn to teach reading effectively in elementary school. The paper is divided into…

Changes made to improve a program providing education students a chance to observe and participate in public school elementary classrooms were based on two assumptions. First, it was assumed that students would see a greater need and relevance for ideas and concepts presented in education courses if they spent more time in the schools. Second, it…

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.…

Rather than learn about the environment vicariously in the abstract setting of the classroom, it is proposed that students become active participants in activities in the community to develop the attitudes and skills necessary for environmental improvement within that setting. The activities of the project include: 1) twenty teachers and ten…

A field experience environmental program involving urban high school students in farm, city, wilderness, and independent study situations is described. Concludes that experiential programs are beneficial to students, but that they place strain on public school organization, demand inordinate commitment from faculty and are expensive to administer.…