This study represents a preliminary review of first year teachers' reported levels of development on selected dispositions. The responses of practicing first year teachers, in this case 52 first year teachers who were three-fourths of the way through the first year in one school district and participating in the district's mentoring program, will…

The introduction of technology education in primary and secondary schools during the past 10-15 years around the world has presented a number of difficulties for teachers, primarily related to their coming to understand the phenomenon of technology and to conceptualise the technology learning area in line with national frameworks. This paper…

The purpose of this study was to explore agricultural science teachers' knowledge levels and attitudes toward biotechnology topics. The average agricultural science teacher in this study was a 37-year-old male who had taught for 12 years. He had a bachelor's degree and had lived or worked on a farm or ranch. He had not attended…

Most experienced high school science teachers are asked at some point to serve as a mentor to a novice teacher. While mentor-training programs have been established in many states, they often only focus on how the mentor can help new science teachers understand and negotiate the school culture, such as how the school runs and where supplies are…

This study uses a sample of 454 teachers engaged in an inquiry science program to examine the effects of different characteristics of professional development on teachers' knowledge and their ability to implement the program. The authors analyzed results from a survey of teachers served by 28 professional development providers within a…

In this paper I will explore the implications of an analysis of two kinds of knowledge, the exercise of practical wisdom and the insights associated with narrative knowing, for "connected" teaching. My aim is to show that both kinds of thinking share important similarities insofar as they include the experience of openness and surprise of…

Mathematical tasks, centered on arithmetic word problems, are discussed as the basis of an approach to facilitate preservice elementary teachers' development of mathematical knowledge for teaching arithmetic operations. The approach consists of three groups of tasks that allow students to reflect on their initial knowledge, explore arithmetic word…

Like practitioners in other professional fields, educators must keep au courant with the emerging knowledge and must be prepared to use it to continually fine-tune their conceptual and craft skills. Is there a difference between the professional development training experienced by teachers' verses the professional development provided to other…

Schools in Scotland have recently received a resources boost, from high-profile entrepreneurs working with the Scottish Executive Education Department, to raise the priority of enterprise education in both primary and secondary schools. At the same time, current policy documentation is clear about intentions to develop more entrepreneurs from the…

Research indicates that U. S. teachers' mathematical knowledge continues to be weak, and there is an inherent difference between the mathematical knowledge needed to be an effective teacher and that needed by a mathematician. In this article, the author discusses pedagogical content knowledge. According to Schulman (1987), pedagogical content…

Modern primary teachers must adapt literacy programmes and ensure efficient learning for all. They must also support children with language and literacy difficulties, children learning English as an additional language and possibly teach a modern foreign language. To do this effectively, they need to understand the applied linguistics research…

This paper discusses the beginning of life on Earth, the formation of life forms, evolution, and the origin of life. The paper suggests that how life first appeared on earth is not known and may never be known. (YDS)

Two papers examine the positive impact of professional development on student achievement. One discusses experiences in California which show that standards, assessment, and accountability are more likely to succeed when accompanied by extended opportunities for professional learning grounded in teachers' practice. The second explains that the…

Focuses on "teacher professionalism" as the knowledge and skills of the professionals. Chapters of this special collection address issues pertaining to the importance of school culture on teacher professionalism, the role of on-line professional development, the professional knowledge base for teaching, and the development and use of…

Discusses the mathematical preparation of new teachers in teacher-preparation programs. Outlines three of the many possible emphases that might make the mathematical preparation of secondary teachers more appropriate for a teaching career. (ASK)