A new reform movement in Japanese tertiary education has emerged which is more economy centered, more market sensitive, and more influenced by a government shift towards decentralization. With the dramatic decline in the 18 year old population, a buyer's market has led to the introduction of student evaluation of teaching surveys (SETs) partly as…

Teacher work samples (TWS) are an integrated, comprehensive assessment tool that can be used as evidence of a beginning teacher's readiness to teach. Unlike linear assessments used to determine teaching effectiveness, TWS are relevant and reflective of "real" teaching. They are designed to exhibit a clear relationship among teacher candidate…

The growing use of part-time, non-tenure track faculty in higher education has become a nationwide phenomenon. The college-teaching part-time instructor is one who is working for low pay, has little job security, and has few benefits. College part-time instructors' employment is in a contingent state. They do not have the job protection provided…

Including classroom research methodology in undergraduate is not a common practice. In order for practicing teachers to conduct classroom research in their own classrooms it is critical that they are involved in some form of planning preparation during their pre-service years. In this study, classroom research was included in one undergraduate…

A superintendent's mandate required that teachers in a Midwestern U.S. city public school system tailor their lessons to be culturally sensitive. Teachers at one high school lacked training to support their implementation of this initiative. This project study evaluated participating teachers' racial awareness, determined how this awareness…

The decade since publication of "Place as Text: Approaches to Active Learning" has seen an explosion of interest and productivity in the field of experiential education. This monograph presents a story of an experiment and a blueprint of sorts for anyone interested in enriching an existing program or willing to experiment with pedagogy…

The purpose of the study was to examine generic instructor characteristics capable of predicting learning outcomes for application to the evaluation process of formalized trainers within U.S. Marine Corps vocational specialty courses. A survey instrument was created based on research findings from multiple training disciplines and educational…

Saint Xavier University in Chicago, Illinois offers a Master of Arts in Teaching and Leadership (MATL) degree program for certified teachers in the state of Illinois. This professional development program is provided through a partnership with Pearson Achievement Solutions. The program employs an action research model to guide teachers in…

Portfolio assessment of teaching practice was first introduced into the University of Botswana's Faculty of Education in May 2010. This study sought to investigate the impact of this innovative new professional development/assessment system on the professional growth and development of in-service teachers. The findings of the study suggest that…

While multiple factors contribute to student success in primary and secondary school, student access to qualified, competent and motivated teachers is critical. Preparing a highly qualified teaching workforce is a major national challenge, but the nation is making significant strides. The 2001 amendments to the "Elementary and Secondary…

A foundational mission of our public schools is dedicated to preserving a democratic republic dependent on a literate and actively engaged citizenry. Civic literacy is essential to supporting the rights and responsibilities of all citizens in a democratic society. Civic knowledge is the foundation of our citizens' civic literacy. National…

The use of evaluation to examine and improve the quality of teaching and courses is now a component of most universities. However, despite the various methods and opportunities for evaluation, a lack of understanding of the processes, measures and value are some of the major impediments to effective evaluation. Evaluation requires an understanding…

One of the challenges for educators is composing well-written, specifically stated outcomes of student learning. Developmental teacher training is a program designed to improve the effectiveness of university instructors. The program focuses on improving course methodology by guiding instructors through the development of correctly written and…

Teacher education preparation programs are under pressure from the public to provide evidence that their programs and teacher candidates are improving student achievement. However, the connections between teacher education preparation programs, teacher candidates' evaluation, and student achievement are often hard to disentangle from other…

This report summarizes findings from a two-year study of Chicago's Excellence in Teaching Pilot, which was designed to drive instructional improvement by providing teachers with evidence-based feedback on their strengths and weaknesses. The pilot consisted of training and support for principals and teachers, principal observations of teaching…