Argues that within the context of teacher training, critical thinking takes on a more dynamic role than simple skill acquisition. States that critical thinking about urgent issues facing schools is a prelude to reflective teaching. Raises two questions that may be used in methods courses to encourage critical thought. (LS)

Describes experiences using portfolios in preservice reading/language arts methods courses, including portfolio development, values of the portfolio, transferring knowledge to practice, and future directions. (SR)

Explains how to use microteaching in an effective way to have students in methods classes plan, teach, and evaluate a lesson presented to a small group of their peers. (PR)

Discusses the use of rubrics in one preservice secondary science teacher methods course. Defines the term 'rubric' and provides a rationale for using rubrics. Discusses how rubrics were used in one science methods course and concludes with comments about the possible benefits and detriments of using rubrics in science education courses. (SAH)

In describing the professional development journey of science teachers, the National Science Standards (NRC 1996) provides a useful cartography. Inquiry, those standards suggest, is the central strategy for the teaching of science. By illustrating the parallels between inquiry as a form of scientific investigation and inquiry as a classroom…

The purpose of this study was to investigate effective uses of digital ink technology in an elementary mathematics methods course. A survey methodology was used in the study to examine the participants' perceptions toward this technology for teaching and learning. All of the items on the survey produced response means between 5.0 and 6.0, with a…

Numerous research studies have shown that science methods courses based on constructivist approaches can enhance teacher knowledge and confidence in ways that foster more positive attitudes to the teaching of science. However, a critical part of reflective practice is the opportunity to observe competent professionals practising their craft.…

In this study, we explore the instructional decision making of Charlotte, a graduate of an intensive social studies teacher education program. Charlotte articulated a sophisticated conception of historical thinking and appeared to possess exemplary pedagogical content knowledge. Her classroom practice did not incorporate the approaches to…

This article explores how dialogue journals and response journals can be used to encourage reflection among pre-service teachers. Thirty-one pre-service English teachers from two Hong Kong universities participated in the study. One group wrote dialogue journals and the other group wrote response journals throughout two semesters on two separate…

Many American colleges and universities that train English majors for careers in secondary schools (Eastern Washington University, for example) expose students to two radically different modes of literature pedagogy. In the majority of courses, literature is approached as artifact and students are instructed in ways to analyze literary text, with…

The purpose of this paper was to provide professors of research methodology and statistics with an annotated bibliography of articles that can be used to teach a particular statistical technique as well as to illustrate specific concepts in research methodology. By using these articles in intermediate and advanced statistics classes, instructors…

Reports on conference of public school and university personnel in which the improvement of preparation of prospective science teachers was the topic. Lists of suggestions are divided into the categories (1) secondary science methods courses, (2) student teaching, and (3) university-public school relationships. (CP)

This descriptive study of vocational teachers' classroom behavior and their students' achievement after the teachers took ITIP (Instructional Theory into Practice) training found the following: (1) vocational classroom teachers perceived some increase in their instructional skill in all areas, although the majority of respondents reported no…

The novel is important to teach; there is no one novel, though, that every student needs to read; flexibility and ingenuity are called for. (JH)

Unfortunately, most college students learning to be teachers learn methods from their English professors, and this can be changed only by extensive experiences in group-centered classrooms. (JH)