The results of the experimental effect of low-inference teacher clarity variables on achievement and on retention were determined by means of a randomized control group, posttest only, basic design. Members of an introductory education class viewed videotapes of lessons containing either high or low teacher clarity variables. Subjects who took a…

One hundred and forty-eight student teachers from Israel Institute of Technology were subjects of an experiment investigating effectiveness of microteaching alone as compared with a category observation system as a training method, and interaction between the two when combined. Thirty-two subjects were assigned at random to each of the four cells…

This investigation involved the evaluation and analysis of the degree to which competency-based teacher education (CBTE) preservice reading competencies were judged to reflect selected factors of teacher effectiveness. Twenty-two generic competencies developed by the state of Pennsylvania, twelve selected factors of teacher effectiveness…

Therapeutic horseback riding for persons with disabilities provides physical, mental, social, and emotional benefits. Most research in this area has focused on the product or benefits of therapeutic riding, while the process of teaching horseback riding has received little attention. Research from the fields of regular education, special…

This paper discusses lessons learned from becoming an independent standards board. It begins by explaining that teachers lacked adequate academic preparation during the two World Wars and shortly thereafter. At the end of World War II, public education had to deal with poor pay, little job security, inadequate pensions, and inadequate and…

This multiple-case study describes how three constructivist high school teachers attained their knowledge and skills and how the knowledge and skills translate into classroom applications in the high school setting. Ongoing interviews and observations were conducted over 1 year with selected participants, and documents provided by each…

This paper reviews five prominent approaches to U.S. high school reform: small schools, applied learning, professional development/curriculum and instruction, youth development, and comprehensive/whole school reform. For each strategy, it offers: a description and "theory of action" of the reform approach; some examples of the reform in…

This paper discusses the problems associated with identifying incompetent teachers and it examines the lack of effort in defining incompetence and the corresponding absence of imagination in prescribing desirable traits in instruction. Described is the Teaching Competence Project, a 2-year research project undertaken in England that studied the…

This paper describes one college faculty member's experiences coordinating departmental preparations for a 5-year, continuing program approval/accreditation visit from the Florida Department of Education (FDOE), the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), and the Florida Board of Regents. It notes that in addition to the…

A discussion of classroom teaching addresses two questions about how teachers learn to teach: (1) What do teachers know and how do they use that knowledge to do what they do in the classroom?; and (2) How do teachers learn what they know? In response to the first question, it is proposed that teaching can be seen from three basic perspectives: as…

The current emphasis on educational reform recognizes the importance of effective teachers as a basic component of quality schools. Current research is focusing on the characteristics of effective teachers. Self-efficacy, a component of social learning theory, has been shown to affect performance in many different areas. This study is the first…

A pilot project designed to link more effectively instructional improvement to student evaluation was undertaken at The University of Missouri at Kansas City. Attention was focused on graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) in seven academic units. Students rated their GTA instructors, and interpretations of the evaluation results were provided to a…

To respond to teacher training needs, staff at the National Center for Research in Vocational Education developed an alternative approach to teacher/instructor preparation, called performance-based teacher education (PBTE). This training program was based on competencies required of successful vocational and technical instructors and required the…

The areas of knowledge, abilities, and attitudes essential to bilingual, English-as-a-second-language, and mainstream teachers in developing the academic competence of limited-English-speaking students are outlined. The areas of knowledge include linguistic and applied linguistic concepts, reading and writing processes, instructional resources,…

Teachers who wish to change professions can use their skills in a new setting rather than take jobs in settings where their teaching competencies are of little use. This document provides a list of 29 professions where teaching takes place outside of traditional elementary secondary school buildings. The career of one teacher who left the school…