This qualitative research study looks at how reflective practices support preservice teachers' professional growth and development and its impacts on their self-efficacy. This study takes place in a regionally recognized south-western Hispanic Serving Institution that serves a high needs school district. Preservice teachers were asked to reflect…

Professional development that scaffolds and supports supervisors is critical for quality field experiences and is our responsibility as teacher educators. The literature supports this statement and two ideas that conceptually frame our work: (1) quality field experiences are a critical component of preservice programs and (2) training and support…

For graduating teachers, the bridging period between formal teacher preparation and joining the profession is a time of high anxiety and great excitement. While this transition influences efficacy, job satisfaction, career length and future teaching quality, it is widely recognised to be inconsistent, poorly planned and resourced and largely…

This article focuses on professional work placements for teachers of business and management. These one-year work placements seek to develop the teachers' knowledge of the business world, allowing them to improve their teaching practice and produce new pedagogical resources. We examine here, from the teachers' point of view, two questions: What…

Teacher preparation programs (TPP) rely on school-based mentor teachers and university mentors to assist their teacher candidates with bridging the information presented in courses to the "real world" of teaching. Given the important role that the clinical components of teacher preparation provide in terms of candidate development, the…

Initial teacher education programs are continuously looking for ways to grow and evolve to meet the changing needs of pre-service teachers (PSTs) who will face a diverse student population when they begin their careers. This study examines a short-term, cross-cultural, service-learning immersion undertaken by 21 undergraduate PSTs to an internally…

Promoting inclusivity is a core aim for many teacher education programmes throughout the UK, USA, Canada and other highly diverse nations. However, despite this aim, teacher education programmes continue to face challenges in preparing teachers who feel confident in addressing issues of diversity and inclusivity in their classrooms. The purpose of…

The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) was founded in 1954 to serve as an independent body in promoting high quality teacher preparation programs. Its mission is to ensure accredited institutions produce high quality educators, administrators, and specialists able to meet the needs of all learners. Institutions seeking…

Urban schools are plagued with multiple issues that contribute to their low graduation rate. University of Louisville took a step forward by partnering with the school district to transform five schools into high performing schools. Building on the strengths of these schools, a collaborative partnership was developed that involved the entire…

The field experience component in a teacher education programme serves both a gate-keeping function and a formative purpose that supports student teacher development. The authors were members of a research team which took care of the re-design of the assessment instrument for the field experience component of a teacher education programme, as well…

This paper discusses an intensive professional development program designed by a science education specialist in conjunction with university science research professors demonstrating quality science teaching practices for secondary teachers in a contextual setting. The intensive professional development model was designed using research based,…

Describes the pilot of a field-based research experience in earth science teacher education designed to produce well-prepared, scientifically and technologically literate earth science teachers through a teaching- and research-oriented partnership between in-service teachers and a university scientist-educator. Indicates that the pilot program was…

Many researchers have addressed the professional development of teachers and the importance of the field experience component in the process of teaching effectiveness (Kowalchuk, 1999). A phased development model or paradigm used to address teachers' professional development and stages of effectiveness have been noted. Conceptual models of Field…

Using emerging technologies to connect teacher education programs to K-12 schools has the potential to enhance preservice teachers' understanding of the relationship between theory and practice. The study reported here examined preservice teachers' perceptions of the strengths and weaknesses of the use of compressed video to provide a shared field…

Presents the Nevada Science Teacher Enhancement Project (N-STEP) in which 50 high school teachers worked with research scientists, educational faculty, and high school students on authentic, field-based research projects in the geosciences, biological sciences, or social sciences. Indicates improved satisfaction of teachers and students with their…