Despite the wide use of discussion in online courses, the quality of these exchanges varies. In this article, the authors draw on the community of inquiry (CoI) model to inform the design of what we call "first responder/connector" (FR/C) discussions, which are student-led asynchronous online discussions. The authors propose and describe…

Developing preservice and inservice teachers' sociopolitical consciousness remains an important part of supporting the success of P-12 student experiences. The authors recognize that one way to enhance the sociopolitical consciousness aspect of culturally responsive pedagogy/teaching is through experiential opportunities that support teacher…

This article draws on a recently completed study in which preservice teachers identify aspects of their initial teacher education that act as hindrances or aids to developing reflectivity. It articulates the concept that reflection must be seen not as something to be done or acquired but rather as a disposition or way of being. Also identified are…

This article explores and examines the social studies content knowledge that preservice teachers have about commonly studies historical figures. The data indicate that preservice teachers often have shallow and decontextualized understandings of historical individuals such as Christopher Columbus and Helen Keller, despite their being repeatedly…

Although much has been written about the use of video cases--particularly, video cases in teacher preparation programs in the United States--little is known about what the consumers of video cases (i.e., preservice teachers) think about such cases and how they are implemented in teacher education courses. This research investigated preservice…

Mentors are taking increasingly significant roles in preservice teachers' preparation. Because mentoring is complex and research is evolving and sometimes contradictory, the questions guiding this qualitative study were as follows: First, how do mentors gain their expertise? Second, what support do they need to promote their continued development?…

The aim of this article is to provide insight into ways that a domain-specific model for reflection can support student teachers in reflecting on teaching experiences. According to the literature, the quality of reflection fundamentally depends on the conceptual repertoire that practitioners bring to bear on the situation. This process is referred…

This inquiry investigates action research as a tool to facilitate reflective practice in undergraduate preservice teachers. Typically utilized in graduate programs, action research is a viable tool for increasing preservice teachers' systematic classroom-based inquiry. This process is examined through a theoretical framework of narrative inquiry,…

Reflective practice is a major focus of teacher preparation programs (Cochran-Smith & Lytle, 1992; Putnam & Borko, 2000; Zeichner, 1986; Zeichner & Liston, 1987), yet Zeichner (1986) asserts that developing reflective practice in preservice teachers has focused primarily on short-term, less systematic interventions and that interventions must be…

Preparing prospective teachers to work effectively with culturally diverse students remains an ongoing challenge for literacy teacher educators. Current teacher education practices help prospective literacy teachers to enhance their cultural awareness and sensitivity, but they do not necessarily enable teachers to translate their cultural…

Research and practice going back to the 1960s support the use of videotaping to facilitate preservice teachers' development of reflective teaching skills. Emerging research suggests that additional video-based activities, including editing video vignettes of teaching, can deepen preservice teachers' reflection. This action research study describes…

Lack of communication between cooperating teachers and preservice teachers is one of the most commonly reported problems during field experiences. To provide more opportunity for feedback during preservice teachers' clinical experiences, a large elementary education program in a midwestern university implemented the use of peer feedback practices…

Research has called for courses to be developed that provide preservice teachers opportunities to actively engage their pedagogies under construction in order to effectively translate their beliefs into sound instructional practice. This article presents research that examined how a service-learning writing tutoring program affected preservice…

Many teacher educators have enthusiastically embraced case-based instruction in teacher education programs. However, the research base is equivocal on whether preservice and in-service teacher educators' case-based reflections on educational issues are comprehensive and critical. This study explores the use of a metacognitive strategy--the case…

The coupling of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act and the No Child Left Behind Act has placed a large number of students with disabilities into general education settings. The continued trend toward educating students with disabilities in inclusive settings mandates that teachers be prepared to work with all learners. General…