Effects of 3 different types of instruction (use of manipulatives, use of diagrams, and use of symbols only) of rational number content and teaching techniques were compared for 75 preservice teachers in a course in elementary mathematics. Only the manipulatives group showed significant improvement pretest to posttest. Implications are discussed.…

A survey of 588 undergraduate special education majors explored attitudes regarding urban, suburban, and rural teaching environments. The majority (60%) desired suburban placements, 23% desired rural placements, and 17% preferred urban placements. Students who grew up in rural areas were more likely to favor teaching in rural areas. (KS)

This paper discusses writing partnerships consisting of preservice English teachers who are in the Composition (or Grammar) course for the English Teacher, a 300-level course, and students in Written Communication 101 or 102. The paper presents a concept of writing partnerships which does not merely replicate collaborative learning since the…

A study was conducted to determine if significant differences existed in academic performance in general studies courses between students who received degrees in special education and students who received degrees in early childhood/elementary education. Subjects (N=284) were students who received a Bachelor of Science in Education degree in…

Recent research has suggested that teachers' beliefs about subject matter influence what they choose to teach and how they choose to teach it. The findings suggest that educational reforms need to take teacher' beliefs into account. This study examines teachers' beliefs about two school subjects, mathematics and writing, and their beliefs about…

The records of 7,499 college students were examined to determine if the Nelson Denny Reading Test (NDRT) scores, high school or college grades, high school rank or ACT composite scores differed across 8 colleges or major student groups at a midwestern state university. Arts and science students and music students tended to produce slightly higher…

This investigation compared the attitudes of business and elementary education majors on the enjoyment and value of mathematics. Fifty elementary education majors and 58 business majors participated. The mathematics attitude questionnaire contained two sections of questions: eight questions on the enjoyment of mathematics and eight questions on…

Fifty education majors in two sections responded to an Attitudes toward Mathematics and Its Teaching (ATMAT) scale. Results with two psychometric models, classical true-score theory and the one-parameter Rasch model, supported the ATMAT's reliability, content and construct validity, and invariance over three time points. (SLD)

To study gender and cohort differences, surveys of male and female preservice elementary and preschool teacher education majors (N=326) examined vocational choice, factors influencing their decision, comfort with that decision, and professional aspirations. Results indicated that males and females were similar in their reasons for selecting…

This study compared the effects of five constructed response answer evaluation strategies on both student achievement and instructional time during computer-based learning: (1) computerized evaluation only; (2) student self-evaluation; (3) computerized and self-evaluation; (4) self-evaluation with required elaboration; and (5) computer and…

Ethnic surnames were studied as a possible basis for stereotyped perceptions/expectations of 349 future teachers from the west and midwest. Subjects evaluated an excerpt from a book on multicultural education. Statistically significant differences were found for Asian and Hispanic surnames for subjects from the west but not from the midwest. (SLD)

This study investigated the differential effects of three laboratory experiences on preservice teachers' knowledge of specific teaching behaviors and ability to observe and report teacher behaviors. Results indicated knowledge of teaching behavior was significantly higher for the live telecast observation group than for the interactive video…

Studied the effectiveness of having science methods students design their own multimedia programs and then use those programs during a field-based teaching experience. Findings suggested that multimedia can be used effectively in preservice teacher education as a vehicle in content and methodology instruction. (Author/MKR)

Instruments used in a study by M. B. Kinzie and M. A. Delacourt (1991), the Attitude towards Computer Technologies (ACT) and the Self-efficacy for Computer Technologies (SCT), assess preservice teachers' perceived usefulness of and comfort level with specific computer technologies. This study uses a population confirmed to be similar to that used…

This prospectus defines a senior project to be completed over three years in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the bachelor of arts degree in elementary education at Concordia College (Michigan). This senior project requires students to document achievement of four goals of a professional development plan: (1) a desire and capacity for…