US and China are reforming mathematics teaching by shifting from students' attainment of facts and procedures toward development of competencies in reasoning, communication, connections, and problem solving, and application of these in real life contexts. Differences in students' overall performance, curricula, and teachers' knowledge and…

In this article, the authors argue that district and school leaders continue to struggle with the apparent dichotomy between "traditional" and "reform-oriented professional development," especially with increased presence of professional learning communities in schools and their use in replacing other forms of professional development. Traditional…

The purpose of this study was to determine if participants believed that participation in music education methods courses would provide adequate training to address concerns they had about teaching either within or outside their area of familiarity. One hundred fifty-nine music majors enrolled in music methods courses during the 2005-2006 academic…

Alternative certification programs (ACPs) have been proposed as a viable way to address teacher shortages, yet we know little about how teacher knowledge develops within such programs. The purpose of this study was to investigate prior knowledge for teaching among students entering an ACP, comparing individuals with teaching experience to those…

Teacher educators are constantly searching for ways to better prepare preservice teachers to enter the education field. One way that has gained prominence in the last twenty years is through examining and discussing authentic student work samples. Research suggests that doing so helps preservice teachers to (1) gain insight into their own beliefs…

Recent research indicates that self-monitoring is a common practice of expert teachers. Through self-monitoring, experts identify their strengths and weaknesses in teaching and devise strategies that help them to continue on a path of professional excellence. The purpose of this article is to propose effective self-monitoring practices for…

The purpose of this study was to rethink the conceptualization of pedagogical content knowledge based on our descriptive research findings and to show how this new conceptualization helps us to understand teachers as professionals. This study was a multiple case study grounded in a social constructivist framework. Data were collected from multiple…

In the context of literacy being understood as an evolving concept, this article argues that a particular form of literacy, pedagogical literacy, is an important cognitive tool for a developed conceptualisation of pedagogical content knowledge and that, by extension, being "pedagogically" literate is an integral feature of being a professional…

Multiple views have been presented on how mathematical content knowledge should be taught in order to ensure quality instruction in the classroom. However, the ability to teach mathematics content is influenced by general pedagogy, pedagogical content knowledge and mathematical content knowledge. Nevertheless, all pedagogical competencies and…

Much has been said about what science content students need to learn (e.g., "Benchmarks for Science Literacy, National Science Education Standards"). Less has been said about what science content teachers need to know to teach the content students are expected to learn. This study analyzed four standards documents and assessment frameworks to…

Historically, the provision of special education has moved from settings isolated from children without disabilities to services in public school classrooms with non-disabled peers. As advocates began to impact civil rights legislation, the educational rights of individuals with disabilities were realized, and laws began to protect them. Public…

The mission of the North American Council for Online Learning (NACOL) is to increase educational opportunities and enhance learning by providing collegial expertise and leadership in K-12 online teaching and learning. "National Standards for Quality Online Teaching" is designed to provide states, districts, online programs, and other organizations…

The best science teachers are not only experts in teaching and knowledgeable about science content, but they are also great at teaching science. They have specialized teaching knowledge, including knowledge of effective pedagogical practices in science, student difficulties with understanding content, and curricular purposes. As a result,…

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the common assumption that teachers of color (TOC) are more culturally competent than White teachers by assessing physical education teachers' cultural competency. A secondary purpose was to ascertain the possible differences in cultural competence levels of White teachers in diverse school settings versus…

Recent research has demonstrated a significant disadvantage for rural teachers in a variety of aspects of ICT use. This context provides a backdrop for two professional learning programs designed to support ICT-based pedagogies in teaching science in Victorian rural primary and secondary schools. In both programs the school-based workshops…