This paper supports the idea that teacher preparation programs must create reflective, field-based opportunities that help preservice teachers make connections between educational philosophies and classroom practices. It uses first-hand experiences from one class to introduce the subject matter. The paper discusses the trouble that preservice…

Rural teachers are often undertrained in the identification and education of gifted students. This paper describes the principles and development of an online introductory course in gifted education that could meet the need for rural teacher training. Using the philosophy that learners construct their own knowing, the system for developing an…

This paper explains the use in teacher preparation of a psychoanalytical tool called the repertory grid, examining how the grid has been successfully integrated into physical education teacher preparation courses. Within the process reported here, student teachers engaged in semi-autobiographical reflection on the roots of their personal beliefs…

This paper reports findings from a research project investigating teachers' construction of knowledge for teacher education and focuses on what teacher educators learn in their relationship with school-based practitioners. The research continues a study of professional partnerships in teacher education. Participants at a workshop included four…

An instrument to evaluate the effectiveness of constructivist teaching methods, the Constructivist Teaching Inventory (CTI), was developed and assessed, the assessment focusing on the validity and reliability of the instrument. A pool of items measuring the presence of identified elements of constructivist teaching was developed; items were…

This paper reviews the historical antecedents and theoretical foundation for a constructivist approach to teaching and learning. One neglected characteristic of constructivism apparent in the professional literature is the need to better understand that human relationships in the classroom are often pivotal in helping students construct knowledge.…

This paper examines the decisions, benefits, and difficulties in teaching educational psychology through a constructivist case study approach. Recent interest in and inquiry into constructivism, pedagogical content knowledge, and case study methodology are influencing the content and goals of educational psychology in teacher preparation. The…

This study was designed to examine preservice elementary teachers' beliefs about the nature of science, document changes in these beliefs over the duration of a year-long science methods course and embedded teaching practicum, and assess the impact of these beliefs on their classroom practice (Bright, 2001). The pre-test and post-test case study…

This study assessed the impact that reflective journals used in an introductory college science course had on preservice teachers' science literacy. Fourteen preservice teachers enrolled in an introductory physical science course taught using a variety of constructivist instructional methods (hands-on activities, cooperative group work,…

This paper documents a 3-year longitudinal study designed to track changes in preservice teachers' attitudes toward teaching and learning mathematics and science while enrolled in an Urban Preservice Degree Articulation in Teacher Education (UPDATE) Project. The primary goal of this project was to provide a pathway for urban para-educators of…

This paper addresses the issue of effectively integrating technology such as the World Wide Web and computer software technology into diverse classrooms. Significant ideas and support for constructivist, project-based teaching and learning approaches are also provided. This paper argues for schools, universities, and departments of education…

This study reports on the effects of a major reform initiative which was implemented in the Iowa City Community Schools District. The Science: Parents, Activities, and Literature (Science PALs) Project was launched in 1994 to reform the district's elementary science program. It was designed to increase teacher effectiveness by providing a…

This paper describes an intergenerational science program called Sisters in Science which fosters girls' interest and achievement in science. The program is designed to encourage and prepare girls and women for careers in math, science, and technology. A group of fourth grade girls from 19 classrooms across 6 elementary schools met once a week…

This study investigated whether seventh- and ninth-grade students who did prewriting activities in English class preceding a related literature comprehension test would produce higher raw test scores on literal and interpretive questions than would students who did not use prewriting. The study took place in 1993 and 1995. Participants included…

The nature of science encompasses the entire world and within that realm, patterns of life can be observed, interpreted, and organized into a sensible arrangement of understanding. By discovering, through an intricate process, how shapes and images form into a complete design or sequence, students related similar scientific patterns to their own…