This study was designed to examine benefits and challenges of teaching through videoconferencing in the context of students' field placement experiences, particularly as it relates to an inquiry-based approach to teaching and learning math and science. In the context of mathematics and science methods courses, preservice teachers, with the…

This is an intervention study that explored the effect of using video lesson analysis methodology (VLAM) on the ability of prospective middle/high school mathematics teachers to analyze mathematics teaching. The sample of the study consisted of 26 female prospective mathematics teachers enrolled in a methods course at the United Arab Emirates…

The researchers investigated the reflections of preservice middle school teachers (PSMTs) who were enrolled in an activity-based middle level social studies methods course. These reflections concerned the students' past educational experiences. Through weekly journals, the PSMTs were encouraged to reflect on course activities and relate them to…

Methods courses in teacher education programs often stress the importance of planning and preparation. However, there is no real substitute for experience and ongoing professional development; learning for a mathematics teacher is a continuous endeavor. While university coursework is helpful, the preparation for planning discussed in this…

The purpose of this paper is to describe the procedures and the analysis of an instrument designed to measure preservice teachers' ability to develop appropriate 5E learning cycle lesson plans. The 5E "inquiry lesson plan" (ILP) rubric is comprised of 12 items with a scoring range of zero to four points per item. Content validity was…

This paper describes how an online space has been used as a venue for action research in a teacher education program. The research context is a general methods course on Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) for elementary and secondary school teacher candidates in a teacher education program. This blended course used an online…

There is a dearth of research on the mechanisms for preservice teachers' development of the pedagogical knowledge necessary for effective use of such technologies. We explored the emergent Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge (TPACK) (Niess 2005, 2006, 2007) of a group of secondary mathematics preservice teachers in a methods course as…

Teachers' understanding of the elementary school mathematics curriculum forms part, but not all, of the newly emerged field of mathematics for teaching, a term that describes the specialised mathematics knowledge of teachers. Pre-service teachers from a one-year teacher preparation program were studied in each of three years, using a…

This study examines the coding reliability and accuracy of pre-service teachers in a teaching methods class using digital video (DV)-based teaching episodes and Studiocode analysis software. Student self-analysis of DV footage may offer a high tech solution to common shortfalls of traditional systematic observation and reflection practices by…

Curriculum materials are crucial tools with which teachers engage students in science as inquiry. In order to use curriculum materials effectively, however, teachers must develop a robust capacity for pedagogical design, or the ability to mobilize a variety of personal and curricular resources to promote student learning. The purpose of this study…

The purpose of this pragmatic action research study was to explore our re-conceptualization efforts in preparing pre-service teachers to guide the inquiry process with formative assessment and subsequently use the understandings to improve our teacher preparation program. The process was guided by two questions: to what extent did course…

The objective of the present study was to examine the relationship between mathematics anxiety and the procedural and conceptual knowledge of fractions in prospective teachers. Thirty-two preservice teachers enrolled in an elementary mathematics methods course were administered the Revised Mathematics Anxiety Rating Scale (RMARS, Baloglu, 2002).…

In this article, the authors provide an argument for future directions for teacher education, based on a re-conceptualization of teaching. The authors argue that teacher educators need to attend to the clinical aspects of practice and experiment with how best to help novices develop skilled practice. Taking clinical practice seriously will require…

From her experience as an instructor, the author finds that it is valuable to engage graduate students in conducting a study within their qualitative methods course. In this article, the author discusses how she used a collaborative autobiographical research approach. Class members generate autobiographical writing to be shared with the group, and…

This study was designed to gather input from early career elementary teachers with the goal of finding ways to improve elementary mathematics methods courses. Multiple areas were explored including the degree to which respondents' elementary mathematics methods course focused on the NCTM Process Standards, the teachers' current standards-based…