In the face of communication changes brought on by technology, journalism curriculum needs restructuring while staying true to its core values. Using an instructional design framework, and a case study, this paper proposes a journalism education based on Esser's spheres of influence. Current practices and principles are discussed. A literature…

In teacher preparation programs across the United States, early field experiences are considered to be an effective method of providing teacher candidates with opportunities to observe and interact with children (National Council for Accreditation for Teacher Education (NCATE, 2010). These practicum arrangements assist candidates in developing…

In the era of No Child Left Behind and Race to the Top, school districts are under increasing pressure from policymakers to hold all students to high performance standards. In response, a growing number of schools are embracing the principles of student-centered learning (SCL). SCL is a contemporary approach that combines progressive and…

Teacher education programs have been criticized as too theoretical with university courses disconnected from the practical realities of classrooms. This single case study investigates a model of teacher education that worked to bridge the coursework-fieldwork gap in teacher education. The Mediated Field Experience (MFE) is a field experience…

There is a consensus among researchers that teachers from diverse linguistic, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds contribute to American education (Dee, 2004; Easton-Brooks, Lewis, & Yang, 2010; Irvine, 2003; Irvine & Fenwick, 2011; Ladson-Billings, 2005; Lu, 2005; Talbert-Johnson, 2001). There is also a call for teacher educators to recognize what…

Practicum experiences are an extremely critical component to any teacher education program. Yet how pre-service teachers are included in classrooms can be organized in multiple ways and is influenced by many factors. Structurally, universities must consider school schedules and student course offering schedules. More important is ensuring…

In "Redesigning Supervision", active professionals in teacher education and professional development share research-based, alternative models for restructuring the way pre-service teachers are supervised. The authors examine the methods currently used and discuss how teacher educators have striven to change or renew these procedures. They then…

Research indicates that partner placements--pairing two preservice teachers with a mentor teacher--provide a supportive and collaborative context for learning to teach. This qualitative study examines three partner placements in a 100-hour urban field practicum to understand how preservice teachers experience and perceive partner placements, and…

In this quasi-experimental study, 127 preservice teachers from two community colleges enrolled in a mathematics for teachers two-course sequence. Control and experimental groups were used to investigate the effect that fieldwork had on efficacy beliefs. The Mathematics for Teaching Efficacy Beliefs Instrument (MATHEMATICS TEACHING EFFICACY BELIEFS…

Commentators find that education in social group work has diminished over the past three decades, creating a shortage in group work-trained field instructors. The role of instructing group work students may appear relatively easy; however, quality instruction requires careful planning, time, energy, and specialized knowledge. Without knowledge and…

Little is known about the population of educators who teach online, especially with relationship to preparation from their teacher education programs. This article discusses the results of a national survey of K-12 online teachers from across the nation to ascertain how prepared they felt they were with regard to three key areas: technology,…

This paper draws explicitly on the field experiences of two doctoral researchers in geography to elucidate some of the challenges and issues related to researcher vulnerability that are especially acute for graduate students. In spite of significant differences in context, both researchers experienced an unanticipated degree of professional…

This paper aims to present a small group of pre-service English teachers' perceptions towards the overseas field experience programme jointly organised by a university in Canada and the teacher trainer institute in Hong Kong. The study involved seven Canadian Year 3 and 4 B.Ed. TESL students who participated in the investigated eight-week overseas…

"This We Believe" (NMSA, 2010) advocated the training of teachers in programs designed to specifically prepare middle level teachers. Teacher education programs are challenged to provide instruction in content, pedagogy and dispositions. Many colleges and universities have included field experience to enhance teacher dispositions among…

Although early field experiences are touted as vital for providing a hands-on preview of how teaching unfolds in the classroom, these essential components of teacher preparation programs have consistently fallen short of the desired outcomes. In the spirit of Dewey, candidates need substantive experiences that transform their theoretical learning…