A description is given of a field-based preservice teacher education program which integrates elementary and special education, infusing theories of effective teaching with practical classroom application for working with pupils who have special needs as they are mainstreamed into the regular classroom. The program consists of three phases:…

This review of research on the influence of the cooperating teacher seeks to clarify the relationship between the preservice student teacher and the cooperating teacher, and to provide a better understanding of the student teaching experience. The expectations and the role of the cooperating teacher are reviewed and it is pointed out that, though…

A reform effort in the initial preparation of teachers has focused upon extended teacher education programs. Future teachers must know academic subject matter thoroughly, have a comprehensive understanding of the principles of human development and learning, and be able to apply their education and training effectively prior to becoming fully…

THE FOLLOWING IS THE FULL TEXT OF THIS DOCUMENT A meta-analysis of 80 third-party evaluations (all that were conducted) of Experience-Based Career Education programs shows that in the large majority of programs: (1) EBCE students made large gains not only in career skills and life attitudes but also in academic skills; (2) EBCE students gained…

This study used repeated measures of the Pupil Control Ideology (PCI) instrument to examine the change in student teacher orientation toward pupil control ideology occurring during a three semester field experience. The instrument was given to elementary and secondary education majors at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale five different…

Collaboration for the Improvement of Teacher Education (CITE) is designed to bring university and school personnel together to create, implement, and then assess structured pre-student teaching field experiences to accompany a newly implemented core teacher education program. The program is grounded in research and theory about the nature and…

A discussion is presented on a cluster of related research studies conducted on the adequacy of multicultural education in current teacher education programs. The first was designed to determine whether preservice teachers lack relevant background experiences in multicultural settings, perceive a need for multicultural training, and would be…

This paper examines the role of the initial exploratory experience, an introductory education course, in preparing teachers for working in mainstreamed classrooms. It is divided into five parts: (1) examination of the 11 knowledge competencies related to mainstreaming that can be developed as part of the initial exploratory course; (2) discussion…

The Mercer University field-based program in elementary education provides practical experience beginning in the junior year. The prospective teacher starts with observations in public school classrooms while enrolled in a foundations of education course. Opportunities to work directly with children commence in the second quarter of the junior…

The student teaching program at the University of Northern Iowa places priority on developing a preservice teacher's ability to become a reflective practitioner. As a required field experience for teacher education students, the program provides time for learning, experimentation, critical analysis, and practice. The second major construct on…

A cooperative program of teacher education involving a university, public schools, and the community is built on formal agreements for joint responsibility in teacher training and depends upon clear communication among all participants. In this paper, the structure, areas of responsibility, and lines of communication are described for five…

Regular class placement, or mainstreaming, of handicapped children is examined from three aspects, and a number of implications are noted for the clinical portion of preservice teacher preparation programs, with the observation that such programs are lagging behind educational practice in meeting the needs of handicapped children. Examined as…

A new educational psychology course that combines mastery oriented content learning with direct participation in an elementary school classroom is described. The integration of theoretical-empirical information from psychology with the applied view of education in the classroom is the most important outcome of the new course. A variety of learning…

The purpose of a project at the University of Oregon was to explore principles and procedures for experiential learning programs. Experiential learning in this instance refers to both prior learning and field experience. Considerable attention is paid to the Lila Acheson Wallace School of Community Service and Public Affairs within the university.…

The most suitable vehicle for preparing preservice teachers for work with exceptional children is clinical experience, which include practica, field experiences, internships, and student teaching. Besides giving preservice teachers practical work experience, a well-planned and action-oriented clinical experience develops and modifies attitudes,…