The urgent need for an effective performance-based assessment tool that can make the connection between effective teaching and student learning has spurred action by expert educators. The Teacher Work Sample Methodology (TWSM) is a quality assurance system that can assess what students learn, how well they learn it, progress they make in their…

This article reviews the contributions and limitations of economic analyses of resource allocation policies aimed at improving teacher quality. Two analytic frameworks taken from the study of the economics of education are employed: productivity theory and human capital theory. The article first summarizes results of various economic analyses of…

A general common-sense model of interactive teaching is presented, including conscious and partly or totally unconscious decision making. The model assumes that the teacher wishes to choose actions that are as appropriate as possible to the situation and goals of teaching. Knowledge and emotional variables influence the process. (SLD)

How does a hiring committee define the requisite knowledge essential for a writing program administrator (WPA)? A survey of writing program administrators revealed that typical WPAs begin their academic career by taking a B.A. in English and then proceeding on a more or less predictable course with an M.A. in English and a Ph.D. in English,…

Because of the potentially significant effect that cooperating teachers can have on student teachers' philosophy, teaching strategies, and classroom behaviors, it is imperative that cooperating teachers be selected, prepared, and evaluated carefully. Certain attributes need to be present in effective cooperating teachers. A questionnaire was…

This paper explores the scope of "failure" in the period of practice immediately prior to teacher certification, by examining personal experiences of 25 preservice teachers who "failed" or hovered in failure-like circumstances. Indicators of failure included poor interpersonal skills, lack of primary focus on students, lack of commitment and…

Researchers have demonstrated that differences exist in the planning and interactive decision making tendencies of expert and novice teachers. This study investigated whether such differences exist between more experienced preservice teachers (n=6) and less experienced preservice teachers (n=6). Each teacher planned, taught, and reviewed two…

A model is presented for the improvement of compensatory early childhood education through more effective use of student and staff time. A framework for research to test the model is also suggested. Sections of the document prefacing discussion of the model include (1) an overview of the historical antecedents and development of early childhood…

To compare perceptions of inservice and preservice teachers toward the relative importance of competencies identified on the Mississippi Teacher Assessment Instrument (MTAI), a questionnaire listing the 14 generic competencies in the MTAI was distributed to 300 preservice and inservice teachers who were instructed to rank order the competencies…

Reader-writer conferencing was examined as an alternative or complement to the direct assessment of writing. Criteria guiding development of a framework for analysis of reader-writer conferencing were summarized as: (1) achievability; (2) transfer to other domains of writing; (3) importance of the outcomes; (4) inter-scorer agreement; and (5)…

More relevant content for vocational special needs teacher education programs was identified through a review of the literature on teacher competencies in vocational special needs education. These competencies were then fitted into a multidimensional framework that included three dimensions of competence--task, human, and environmental. Following…

The background, responsibilities, supervision, preparation, and perceived needs of teaching assistants (TAs) from a representative group of research institutions across the country were studied. The National Graduate Teaching Assistant/Associate Survey was developed through voluntary cooperation of eight public and private research institutions…

The competency based teacher education (CBTE) program at the University of Toledo (Ohio) is constructed around ten basic goals which are behaviorally stated and cover the fundamental tenets of the American educational system. To evaluate the program, the goals were examined in relation to five contexts which were identified as being of major…

A study sought to identify characteristics and competencies needed for successful teaching in inner city or urban schools. A review of studies concerning the identification of generic teaching competencies formed the basis for a questionnaire, used in a previous study which sought data on what preservice students should master prior to their…

The Assessments of Performance in Teaching (APT) is a classroom teacher performance evaluation procedure mandated by the South Carolina legislature for all student and first year teachers. Aiming to measure minimal competence, the instrument addresses five performance dimensions: planning, instruction, class management, communication, and…