Field placement has traditionally been an important component of professional and vocational education programmes, and there is a growing interest in workplace experience in higher education programmes in general. In this article, we examine the direct and the indirect links between classroom preparation for placement, placement quality and…

This study examines the experiences of teachers enrolled in an online certificate program for K-12 online teaching. Participants blogged weekly regarding their experiences developing and facilitating an online course. Qualitative analysis of the data shows that teachers face many challenges in developing and facilitating an online course; however,…

This brief presents a third party, external perspective on the Akamai Workforce Initiative (AWI), highlighting some of the contributions of the initiative over the last ten years. AWI is a program that seeks to develop a skilled local STEM workforce to meet the needs of Hawai'i's growing high-tech industry. It began as an internship program…

This qualitative self-study examines the incorporation of service learning in 2 sections of a middle childhood undergraduate methods course. As a beginning teacher educator, I used self-study to explore the following research questions: (a) How does engaging in a service-learning project during a field experience influence middle level preservice…

In 1990 the Teacher Development Program was created by the Office of Professional Field Experiences at Southeastern Louisiana University to better the quality and improve the success rate of teacher candidates and student teachers. The fundamental principle behind the program was to provide assistance for pre-service teachers who need immediate…

This article examines the effectiveness of a 1-year full-time credential program in recruiting, preparing, and retaining elementary, secondary, and special education teachers for urban schools. The program was designed to restructure teacher education as a shared school-university responsibility and to reflect best teacher preparation practices…

This study addresses the question, "What is the impact of an international field experience on preservice teachers?" and corroborates many of the findings of a similar study by Willard-Holt [(2001). "The impact of a short-term international experience for preservice teachers." "Teaching and Teacher Education, 17,"…

Cooperating teachers rated student teachers on ability to work with children having learning disabilities and/or emotional/behavior disorders. No significant differences were found between students with prior special education field experience and those without. Further research is needed to identify training methods that increase ability to work…

A study undertaken by the Faculty of Education at the University of Regina, Saskatchewan, sought to determine beginning teachers' perceptions of their own abilities in 15 teaching skills and strategies and the degree of importance of various components of the teacher education program in developing these skills. Forty-three questionnaires were…

Reviews the National Commission on Secondary Vocational Education's findings regarding present attitudes, developing trends, and desirable goals associated with vocational education. Topics of discussion include vocational education's worth, status, flexibility, popularity, accessibility, equity, curriculum, teachers, program standards,…

This meta-analysis examines the effects of adventure programs on diverse outcomes such as self-concept, locus of control, and leadership. Analysis of 1,728 effect sizes from 96 studies shows that effect sizes varied substantially and improved as the length of the program and ages of the participants increased. (SLD)

Cooperative education can enhance classroom instruction by providing practical work experience that is relevant to students' career goals. Among co-op's benefits to students are increased relevance of learning and motivation for study; improved self-reliance, self-confidence, and responsibility; contacts with potential employers; and higher…

Project MAFEX (Meta-Analysis of Field Experience) used standard meta-analysis techniques to synthesize the available body of research concerning preservice field experience programs. Several important questions were considered: (1) What types of field experience programs are most and least effective? (2) Are there common characteristics of field…

As a follow-up to a 1981-82 formative evaluation of Scarborough's (Ontario) cooperative education program, an outcomes-oriented study of the program was conducted in 1983. The study, which involved surveys of cooperative education and control group students, employers, teachers, and parents, focused on program outcomes related to student attitudes…

The Career Intern Program (CIP) is an alternative high school designed to enable disadvantaged and alienated dropouts or potential dropouts to earn regular high school diplomas, to prepare them for meaningful employment or postsecondary education, and to facilitate their transition from school to work. CIP components are instruction, counseling,…