Like all models, the new model is also based on a theoretical foundation; constructivism, which emphasis is placed on the learner or the student rather than the teacher or the instructor. Students learn by fitting new information together with what they already know. People learn best when they actively construct their own understanding. The new…

A project to identify competencies needed by students entering college was undertaken jointly by the New Mexico Department of Education and the Commission on Higher Education. The first step was to review statewide data on enrollment in developmental/remedial college courses of graduates from New Mexico's public secondary schools. After a…

A survey of 163 special educators in North Carolina examined aspects of abuse and neglect of their students over the last 3 years. Students were mentally handicapped (MH), learning disabled (LD), or behaviorally/emotionally handicapped (BEH). Of the respondents, 43% stated that they had reported at least one case of suspected abuse or neglect…

This collection of essays, which evolved from the Professional Lecture Series on Teaching and Learning and Instructional Workshops on Teaching and Learning held at the University of Colorado (Boulder), addresses a variety of styles and situations for teaching and learning. The following essays are included: (1) "Teaching as Architecture:…

In making a case for the liberal arts in teacher education, the point is made that the liberal arts contribute to the professional qualifications of teaching. If teachers are to be more than mere technicians, the professional skills of problem solving, analysis, and critical thought are needed. A discussion is presented of the specific need for…

Guidelines and implementation options for a program to evaluate the outcomes of collegiate education in New Jersey are discussed. A good program must seek to: (1) maintain public confidence; (2) nuture institutional autonomy and individual diversity; and (3) stimulate educational excellence. College outcomes that the program should cover are:…

This paper reports data from a program of research examining how teachers learn the practical, professional knowledge of teaching. Data collection focused on interviews with teachers immediately following a period of classroom observation. Interviews were spaced at monthly intervals when possible. The 15 participants included teachers in training,…

The curriculum content of elementary and secondary school social studies is discussed as it relates to the assessment of social studies learning. In addition, recommendations are made for future efforts in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). The social studies curriculum involves both factual learning and concept learning.…

The Infant Care Survey (ICS) was developed to measure new mothers' confidence in their knowledge and skills regarding the care of babies under one year of age. One potential use of this test would be the identification of groups at high risk for health problems or for avoiding medical care. Self-efficacy was an important construct in the…

A survey of 135 Pennsylvania regular classroom teachers (kindergarten through grade 8) examined their understanding of learning disabilities (LD) and the degree to which they felt prepared to work with LD students. The survey sought information on: (1) teacher preparation, knowledge, and experience related to identifying and working with LD…

An analysis of science teacher's knowledge of specific biology and physics topics and the effects of this knowledge on their planning for instruction and on simulated teaching are discussed in this report. Six experienced secondary school teachers participated in the study. Each teacher's knowledge of a biology topic and a physics topic was…

A study tested the hypothesis that highly unrepresentative news stories about foreign nations would have a more damaging effect on the accuracy of inferences formed by United States audiences if the stories concerned developing countries than if they were about developed nations. Subjects, 76 college students, answered questions concerning a…

Four hundred twenty-six elementary, middle and high school teachers from the Albuquerque (New Mexico) Public Schools participated in a four-day staff development program in Effective Teaching Training, in January, 1986. This report evaluates that program in terms of: (1) effectiveness of staff development as defined in current research; (2)…

The content validity of the National Teacher Examinations (NTE) Core Battery tests of communications skills, general knowledge, and professional knowledge was examined to determine whether this commercially available test was suitable for initial teacher certification in Idaho. Focus was on recommending adoption scores (cut scores) to the State…

With the use of verbal report strategies, a study was conducted to examine (1) the types of comprehension strategies readers use to process familiar and less familiar texts and (2) the differential use of think aloud strategies by average and below average readers. Subjects were 15 tenth grade male students in upstate New York. Two weeks prior to…