This research study sought to determine the impact from participation in a practicum field experience on teacher candidates' perceived professional dispositions for effective teaching. A further intent was to describe what teacher candidates perceived to be the necessary professional dispositions for effective teaching as they reflected on their…

Field experience (FE) is a key component of pre-service English language teacher education enabling the early integration of pre-service teachers (PSTs) in real teaching situations. As a well-researched area, FE is known to increase PSTs' teaching-efficacy perceptions. Thus, to better understand how it does so in the Turkish context, this study…

Practicum experiences, a crucial component of preservice teacher preparation, help establish the foundational knowledge and skills necessary for beginning special education teachers (SETs). Preservice SETs need cooperating teachers (CTs) who support preservice SETs in proper emotional development (i.e., feeling like a teacher), who can model and…

Student teachers and teacher educators view the practicum experience as the most significant aspect of learning to teach. Student teachers regard the relationship with their cooperating teachers as the most important part of the fieldwork experience. However, what student teachers learn about teaching practice from their cooperating teachers…

Four components comprise the elementary education program offered at Illinois State University in cooperation with the Peoria Public School System. Three components familiarize the student with curricula in arts, communication, and the natural and social sciences. The fourth segment of the program is a full-semester clinical experience at the…

This study compares the relative performance of Central Washington University student teachers who chose to participate in extended field experiences with that of student teachers who preferred the regular course of study, which featured fewer and later field experiences. The regular course, Option A, was a campus-centered program which included…

The center provides an opportunity for elementary education majors to take some of their professional education courses in public school settings. After a three-week orientation period, students spend three consecutive days each week throughout the semester within the public school. Major objectives of the center are (1) to integrate theory with…

The purpose of this study was to identify and compare the teaching concerns of two groups of preservice teachers who were taught language arts methodology through the use of different approaches. A traditional approach (lectures and demonstrations by the professor) was used with one group (n=43) and a field-experience approach (lectures by the…

This study examined changes in novice teachers' feelings of self-efficacy (the belief that he or she can be successful in affecting student performance) and their beliefs about teaching as they completed a clinical experience in their teacher education program. It also attempted to identify factors which influenced these changes and to examine…

This article examines communication problems in teacher education programs and cites programs or approaches and research efforts in teacher education. Needs of prospective teachers and the quality of student teaching are examined. Instructional procedures and components that may improve learning in teacher education programs include…

This report reflects opinions shared during the 1999 South Carolina Summit on Teacher Quality, highlighting areas of consensus among participants. The Summit examined issues contributing to today's challenges and discussed solutions to ensure adequate numbers of teachers and a good supply of well-qualified and successful teachers in all academic…