During their time as Teaching Assistants (TAs), graduate students develop a variety of skills, knowledge, and attitudes (SKAs) based on teaching and related facilitation experiences. As TAs move on to future opportunities, their prior experiences form a foundation upon which additional teaching experience builds. Presently, there are few tools to…

With increased attention focused on the economic cache afforded through literacy and numeracy skills, governments around the world have turned their attention to developing the expertise of their teachers. Improving teachers' levels of competency leads to improvement in student achievement. In this qualitative case study, we focus on the…

An emerging body of self-study of teacher education practices research considers whether classroom teaching experience and doctoral study constitute sufficient preparation for engaging in the work of teacher education. As new academics who explored this issue as graduate students, we turned to one another in this collaborative self-study to…

In this paper, the authors review current practices in pre-service teacher education. They suggest that radical improvements are possible and that, if practiced, would help mediate many of the pressures young teachers face. To do so, the authors: 1) outline the experiences of young teachers to consider how teachers might thrive in a difficult…

This article explores two beginning Canadian teachers' experiences of professional development in literacy education. Differences and parallel tensions between the Canadian teachers' and my own experiences as a teacher and teacher educator in Pakistan were identified through narrative inquiry. The significance of this article is found in the…

A mixed-method study was carried out to investigate how teacher attitude and professional development influence learner-centered Information Communication Technology (ICT) integration. A questionnaire, interviews and observations were used to gather data in a school district in Nova Scotia, Canada. Teacher data were categorized by grade level,…

In North American teacher education programs, preservice students typically complete a substantial proportion of time practice teaching in schools, experiencing the extent to which professional school communities of inquiry contribute toward improving teaching and learning. Although there is extensive research about the experiences of new…

This paper reports on a case study of a "lead literacy teacher" initiative in one Canadian province. This initiative is related to a ''minority world'' trend in teacher in-service that seeks to develop "experts" in a field with the intent that such experts can help other teachers to raise student achievement for the betterment…

Collaborative autobiography formed the basis for a professional development project in an Alberta school district. The project encouraged participants to reflect on personal issues that shaped their teaching and to share their thoughts and experiences with colleagues. As a result of the project, two vice-principals developed a support system that…

In 1978, a kindergarten teacher and a university teacher at the Faculty of Education, University of Manitoba, traded jobs. The story of the university teacher's experience in the kindergarten classroom is told in this compilation of monthly newsletter materials. The story begins with thoughts about preparing to teach and ends with a review of…

Explores the experiences of 17 Canadian seconded teachers--school teachers who act as university teacher-educators for a few years. Identifies seven phases of secondment and five central themes related to university and school cultures, reflective practice, seconded teachers' commitment to teaching and professional identities, and secondment as…

Discusses aspects of an ongoing study of Alberta secondary-school teachers of written composition who have been teaching for two to seven years. Examines these "formative-years" teachers' developing responses to the tensions of job insecurity in the 1990s, increasingly diverse student populations, and conflicts between their own…

This paper examines the nature of University Continuing Education (UCE) part-time instructors and their needs with respect to professional development and renewal activities. It also casts light on the kinds of experiences that can shape positive professional development and renewal activities. Survey and focus group methodologies were used to…