In chemical education, many secondary school students experience difficulties in understanding three mutual related meanings of topics, that is, the macroscopic meaning, the microscopic meaning, and the symbolic meaning. As a consequence, student teachers should be prepared carefully to learn how to teach this difficult issue. This article…

This paper uses data originally gathered as part of an Australian national research study into the Impact of Educational Research (2000). The author was a member of one of four research teams, led by Professor Marilyn McMeniman. The team's focus was to identify the main influences on the knowledge that teachers draw on as they teach--their…

This qualitative study examined the effects of a high-stakes, standardized test on teachers' instructional planning at a rural school. The research addressed this question: How do mandated curricular standards affect teachers' instructional planning and content selection? Ethnographic interviews (Creswell, 1998) examined four secondary teachers'…

The main purpose of this qualitative research is to find out Turkish K12 teachers' intentions toward New Communication Technologies (NCTs) that they redesign and revolutionize their new roles in these new interactive milieus carefully. In this study, the K12 teachers' intentions are indications of their readiness and immediate antecedent of…

This study focuses on a beginning secondary science teacher and his efforts to establish a learning community in a large metropolitan school district. During the study, the teacher was enrolled in an alternative teacher-certification program for returned Peace Corps volunteers. After teaching full-time during the day, participants attend…

Alberta jurisdictions have been required since June 1985 to have in place and to implement a provincial policy on teacher evaluation. This study was designed to explore the impact of these policies on teachers and teaching and to study linkages between teacher evaluation and educational leadership at the school and systems levels. Methods used to…

Imprecise definitions and indeterminate effects of schooling have plagued the field of writing and have led to a persistent antagonism between the professional teacher and the professional assessor. Into this historical situation entered portfolio assessment in the 1980s. Can portfolio's be used in lieu of standardized tests and other forms of…

A study investigated whether a course in pedagogical content in English would have an impact on the lesson plans of 11 student teachers. Students were directed to write lesson plans for the short story "To Build a Fire" by Jack London, both at the beginning of the course and at the conclusion. Student teachers' perceptions of their…

This case study explores the relationship between one chemistry teacher's conceptions of teaching science and his teaching practice. The teacher, Mr. Corrigan, comments on the researchers' interpretations of his thinking and practice. Mr. Corrigan exhibited a high level of disciplinary knowledge and clear views on teaching, learning, and content.…

The selection of courseware is a difficult problem in the use of computers in education. A dissemination procedure for a courseware selection instrument involving workshops for computer coordinators is described. Computer coordinators of 267 Dutch secondary schools were asked how they used certain sources of information in selecting courseware.…

This book examines educators' norms, beliefs, and values in case studies of three "improving" high schools. The distinction between "sacred" and "profane" norms in the teaching profession is applied to the relationships among school culture, improvement efforts, and the effectiveness of change strategies. Schools'…

A case study was conducted of a teacher participating in a course for teachers designed to help them create partnerships for learning with students. The Curriculum for Possibilities (CFP) is an in-service course in which teachers examine their underlying beliefs, decisions, and behaviors that dictate their styles and the context of possibilities…

Explores teacher dynamics in an urban classroom. Strategies employed by a high school social studies teacher who had a significant impact on his class are detailed. (RLV)

A teacher incentive/reward program is presented based on the view that teachers should be assessed in part with regard to their success in fostering learning in the students taught. The major issue in teacher evaluation must be the outcomes achieved. The case study of an Oregon high school illustrates such a system. (SLD)

In this case study, I attempted to understand the nature of a teacher's curriculum planning as she learned about the essence of her teaching context and developed learning opportunities for students based on her perceptions of the students' needs. The teacher demonstrated what I am calling "responsive planning"--the development of lessons based on…