The purpose of this study was to describe a process of preparing technology education teachers to teach engineering design concepts in the context of technology education. This process was identified through a study of professional development activities that were organized and conducted by technology teacher education partner universities of the…

This case study explores the affordances a weblog (blog) offered to "Ms. Frizzle," an urban middle school science teacher and exceptional blogger, to support her professional identity development. The 316 posts she wrote over 1 school year were systematically analyzed and triangulated with data from e-mail exchanges and interviews with Ms. Frizzle…

Middle-grade students like to talk. This natural "gift of gab" may at times be suppressed by teachers who prefer to impart knowledge rather than allow students to participate in its development. Intelligence is a social practice. Students become adept at socializing their intelligence if they are encouraged to talk in meaningful and constructive…

This course for middle and high school teachers uses video, online text, classroom activities, and Web-based activities to explore American history from the Pre-Columbian era through Reconstruction. The video programs are divided into three segments: (1) "Historical Perspectives," an overview of the historical era; (2) "Faces of America," in which…

In 2001, the Conference Board of the Mathematical Sciences (CBMS) published "The Mathematical Education of Teachers" (MET) outlining detailed recommendations for the instruction of future mathematics teachers. One focus of MET is that teachers need a thorough understanding of the mathematics covered at the level at which they are…

In the spring of 2002, a rural school district in the Midwest implemented an online staff development program. As a part of this program, every educator at the middle and secondary education level was required to complete one online course of his or her choice. A survey was conducted to analyze the positive outcomes and considerations for further…

This teacher's manual represents the third of a three-book series. Part One focuses on the sixth grade and Part Two focuses on the seventh grade. The work of each year is divided into 10 chapters, each consisting of approximately 18 lessons. This arrangement allows flexibility and enables the teacher to repeat lessons that are difficult for the…

In this study, the authors conducted a mixed analysis of student perceptions of their best high school teachers. The sample of 257 preservice teachers from a College of Education in California described their best high school teacher. From their descriptions, qualitative analysis through the method of constant comparison yielded eight themes:…

The "Guide to National Board Certification" introduces teachers to the assessment process and provides them with useful information as they apply for National Board Certification or order the "Take One![R]" professional development kit. By participating in the National Board Certification process, participants are joining tens of thousands of…

This report summarizes the findings of an analysis of a series of action research projects conducted by Goshen Community Schools at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. During the 2008-2009 school year, 40 teachers participated in independent action research studies regarding the extent to which a six step approach to direct vocabulary…

The authors share a successful Fulbright Group Projects Abroad grant award. The purpose of the grant was to enhance American educators' experience and knowledge of South Africa, in particular, and sub-Saharan Africa more generally. Toward that end, participants experienced a multifaceted view of South Africa's geographical diversity, both physical…

One of the primary goals of social studies education in the United States is to prepare students for civically active, politically informed, and socially engaged democratic citizenship. Too often, however, the curricula fall short of this goal. Textbooks and state curriculum standards tend to portray citizenship as a static concept rather than an…

One way to improve engagement and ensure motivation for students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) during academics is to use restricted interests in instruction and activities. Embedding these interests into the curriculum can motivate the student with ASD to attempt tasks that were previously less preferred or difficult. This article…

The evaluation of the Texas Rural Technology (R-Tech) Pilot sought to understand how districts implemented R-Tech grants, the effects of implementation on student and teacher outcomes, as well as the cost effectiveness and sustainability of R-Tech. The Texas legislature (80th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2007) authorized the creation of…

Researchers have given limited attention to teacher attitudes toward inclusion of English-language learners (ELLs) in mainstream classrooms. The author explored 4 categories within secondary teacher attitudes toward ELL inclusion: (a) ELL inclusion, (b) coursework modification for ELLS, (c) professional development for working with ELLs, and (d)…