This study examined the experiences of administrators of Massachusetts out-of-district special education schools two years after they began aligning their curriculum with state standards. The majority of administrators described faculty as "Somewhat Familiar" with state frameworks, and their curriculum as "Partially Aligned."…

The cycle of transmission pedagogy that begins in teacher preparation programs--and is supported by "old school" practices in the field--obstructs critical thinking in both arenas. By pedagogically structuring for critical thinking in teacher education courses, teacher educators can disrupt this pattern through exposure to and experience with…

Alarming studies indicating a lack of mathematical knowledge among elementary educators has led to increases in the number of mathematics courses required in teacher preparation programs. This study examines the impact newly required mathematics courses had on teacher candidates' beliefs regarding mathematics content and pedagogy in a large,…

This study explores aspects of teachable-moment-oriented curriculum practice by questioning whether a teacher's teachable moment is relevant to the learner's "learnable moment". For teachable-moment-oriented curriculum practice to result in developmentally and culturally appropriate meaningful learning, transforming the identity between learner…

Nine 12th grade students, attending the science section of the upper secondary school in Cyprus, were individually interviewed about their understanding of the changes associated with the process of oxidation/combustion. Each student was instructed to firstly predict what would happen when heating a piece of copper wire or a piece of magnesium…

Classroom instruction varies among high school academic departments. To understand how instruction in core subjects can differ, an awareness of the two axes that define instruction is required. In this article, the author discuss the two axes, namely, knowledge-versus-skill axis and level of mental engagement axis, that help describe what…

This paper reports the design and evaluation of small-scale teaching interventions addressing the epistemology of science as part of the regular high school science courses followed by English students. Although there is a growing consensus that the curriculum should include aspects of the nature of science, there is a limited body of knowledge…

This fourth and final volume of the 31st annual proceedings of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education conference presents research reports for author surnames beginning Na- through Zod-. Reports include: (1) Mathematically Gifted Students' Problem Solving Approaches on Conditional Probability (GwiSoo Na, DaeHee Han,…

A focus group of 5 general education schoolteachers from one rural middle school in Hawaii was conducted to investigate their perspectives on the unintended effects of including students with learning disabilities. The general education teachers were asked how the inclusion of students with learning disabilities had impacted (a) their professional…

This concise volume offers educational leaders key concepts and strategies for framing discussions about closing the equity gap and ensuring high achievement for all learners. As the first volume in "The Soul of Educational Leadership" series, this unique collection presents: (1) Pedro Noguera and Alan Blankstein on essential questions and themes;…

This study explored preservice teachers' (n = 25) knowledge structures and their mastery of content knowledge in relation to their ability to diagnose the strengths and weaknesses of a fourth grader's videotaped explanations of a scientific phenomenon, i.e., molecular kinetic properties of air. Participants' knowledge structures were analyzed…

Early years classroom practice in Northern Ireland is perceived to be dominated by a traditional teacher-directed model to the detriment of a more constructivist, play-based and child-initiated learning environment favoured in many nations' early education provision (see for example Walsh, 2000). In 2002, the Northern Ireland Council for…

This study investigates the development of prospective teachers' observation skills and understanding of assessment in two teacher education programs that integrate information about performance assessment in varying degrees into their preparation and field experiences. Focusing on eight student teachers, we used interview data to investigate the…

This phenomenological inquiry looked at 28 preservice teachers as they participated in a field-based curricula restructuring initiative that connected the disciplines of creative arts, science, and reading. The preservice teachers offered weekly interdisciplinary lessons to kindergarten and first grade students. A survey, teaching cases, and a…

This study examined the impact of multicultural education courses on preservice teachers' pedagogical knowledge and beliefs about culturally diverse learners. Part 1 reports on a study of 20 preservice teachers pursuing a masters degree in elementary education enrolled in a required multicultural education course and were examined for their…