This yearbook contains 24 reports concerning the following seven challenges currently facing vocational education: new needs for job training, reexamining value bases, a growing network of vocational educators, reflecting on past effectiveness, the continuing challenge to meet individual and special needs, strengthening curricula and instruction,…

This document contains 10 papers about and from a national forum that was conducted by the Adult Literacy and Numeracy Australian Research Consortium (ALNARC) to gather various perspectives on the inclusion of literacy and numeracy standards in Australia's national training packages and to discuss research about the implementation of training…

This paper examines how teacher competence is related to the role-expectations set forth for teachers--specifically elementary teachers. Data descriptive of teachers today are reviewed. Factors which appear to deter highly competent persons from entering teaching are also identified. The paper projects even more challenges to a role often…

This paper examines the life-span approach to developmental psychology as it relates to teacher development research and presents some empirical results demonstrating the potential of the approach for increasing understanding of teacher development. Five assumptions of the life-span orientation as applied to the study of teacher development are…

Because of a documented need for more and better trained vocational education teachers, including those from industry, an alternative approach to teacher preparation, called performance-based teacher education (PBTE), was developed. PBTE is an approach to instructor preparation in which (1) the training program is based on the competencies…

The following position papers on evaluation are presented: (1) "Curricular and Comprehensive Program Evaluation," by Ray Clifford; (2) Evaluation--Proficiency Goals, CBTE National Assessment: How Do They Interrelate?" by Randall L. Jones; and (3) "Priorities in Classroom Testing for the 1980s," by Alice C. Omaggio. The first paper describes an…

While many states are considering mandating Competency Based Teacher Education (CBTE), certain basic problems should be addressed before official action is taken. Some confusion exists over the exact definition of CBTE and how a state views teacher education will affect the thrust of CBTE programs. The selection of competencies and the…

The article identifies constraining forces (such as resistance to special education content in general teacher preparation) and facilitating forces (such as commonality between special and bilingual education). A detailed list of competencies for teachers of bilingual exceptional children is presented, and the Concerns-Based Adoption Model is…

Asserts that currently accepted teacher competency tests are not valid and reliable measures of those qualities essential to effective teaching. Presents criteria that should be met by a valid assessment approach and, beyond competency assessment, stresses the need to improve the environment in which teachers function and students attempt to…

The Association for Children with Learning Disabilities encourages a Regular Education/Special Education Initiative as a system of integrated planning, delivery, and evaluation of the effects of services to disabled children. Specific recommendations regarding the development of pilot projects and competency training for school personnel, related…

Unless there is a renewed effort by educators to reach a consensus on the meaning of competency in the teaching profession, the promise of the competency based teacher education movement will be as elusive as its terminology. (Authors/CJ)

In response to the need to remain a leader in teacher education in Missouri, Southeast Missouri State University analyzed a variety of sources that suggested new directions in teacher education. A review was conducted of current literature, and a study was made of the revised National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE)…

Focusing on competency in art education, the seven essays in this critique deal essentially with two aspects of this topic: as it appears to manifest itself in competency-based teacher education (CBTE), and how competency might be interpreted to serve in the name of art education. In the introductory section, "Art Educators focus on Controversy,"…

Training and retraining for vocational educators and trainers is badly needed in order for them to keep up with rapidly changing technologies. In order to meet this need, new teaching strategies and new curricula are essential. Some recent research is having an impact on the training of trainers in the United States. This research has focused on…

This paper indicates the importance of interpersonal skills for the preschool teacher, explores the role of the preschool teacher as a leader, and provides guidelines for assessing teacher competency and developing more effective teachers. Concepts associated with effective leadership as well as specific teacher tasks that require leadership…