Field experience has long been considered a valuable component to the professional development of prospective teachers. This paper describes a program to determine whether consistent training and support of the participants in supervised field experiences would impact the overall achievement of prospective teachers and increase each participant's…

This study investigated the impact of administrators' constructive comments to preservice teachers about their micro-teaching demonstration. The project used a research model that concentrated on cognitive changes rather than changes in behavior and that used images of growth rather than measurable changes. It attempted to facilitate reflection,…

This report describes some outcomes of the Texas initiative to restructure teacher preparation according to a field-based model, discussing its processes, problems, and challenges and suggesting that the resulting improvements in teacher education are well worth the additional effort and expense. Section 1, Introduction, presents an overview of…

This study was conducted to examine the value of analyzing student teachers' metaphors for purposes of early identification of beliefs and teaching orientations. Participants were 2 university professors and 23 female elementary education majors enrolled in a reading/language arts methods course designed as an early field placement. During the…

A questionnaire was developed to determine the understanding and response of student teaching field experience directors to the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) student teaching requirement. NCATE-approved schools in Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, and Nebraska were surveyed. The NCATE requirement…

The purpose of this study was to compare the performances of undergraduates on a knowledge test of reading (before and after student teaching) with the amount of effort committed to reading instruction by their respective supervisory teachers. The Artley-Hardin "Inventory of Teacher Knowledge of Reading" was administered to three classes of senior…

A study was made at Ohio University (Athens) to evaluate the perspectives of cooperating teachers and field experience students on: (1) problems cooperating teachers had in assisting field experience students; (2) help cooperating teachers received from field experience students; and (3) field experience students' perceived usefulness of the…

In 1980, the teacher education program at the University of California at Los Angeles initiated the position of consultant to complement the student teaching triad (student teacher, cooperating teacher, and university supervisor). Consultants were doctoral students who visited the schools to assist the student teachers and cooperating teachers and…

The School of Education at the University of Louisville (Kentucky) prepares its elementary teachers to work in an urban setting through a teacher education program that makes extensive use of field experiences. The program is organized into four phases. Phase I is the screening process for acceptance into the teacher education program for those…

Results of a study to identify characteristics and responsibilities of directors of student teaching and field experience programs are presented and discussed in this document. The survey instrument had 74 items in 10 categories: (1) institutional characteristics; (2) director characteristics; (3) compensation; (4) rank, promotion, and tenure; (5)…

An early childhood teacher education program using developmental perspectives as an organizing framework for formulating competencies and interweaving courses and practicum experiences is described. Emphasis is placed on understanding the cognitive and behavioral development of children and their maturation patterns. Included in this document is a…

This paper describes a survey of Texas teacher education programs. The programs investigated whether increased pressure on K-12 teachers to prepare students for mandated tests contributed to dissonance between higher education's expectations for field experiences and preservice students' actual experiences. A questionnaire was mailed to the…

Wichita State University's teacher education program was revised to develop sensitive, nurturing teachers who understand student diversity. Pretests and posttests examining students' professional and personal opinions about diversity found that field experiences created significant differences in attitudes toward diversity and social distance…

Schools may not be the best sites for early field experiences of preservice teachers just beginning to work with culturally different children. The paper examines factors limiting public schools' potential as sites, describes an alternative nonschool setting, and analyzes conditions that make the setting better for developing culturally responsive…

During an eight-week field experience, six preservice teachers designed and facilitated an integrated inquiry unit for fifth graders. During this experience, they investigated their effectiveness in implementing the inquiry approach to teaching based on pupils' learning responses. Reflecting on teaching behaviors through reflective classroom…