Sensitivity to verbal and nonverbal communication was rated in brief samples of behavior by the following groups in Israel: (1) 39 fourth graders; (2) 37 seventh graders; (3) 33 tenth graders; (4) 23 teachers-in-training; and (5) 19 experienced elementary school teachers. Both students and teachers could detect differential expectancy information.…

The combination of quantitative and qualitative methods as a way to improve research into the clinical preparation of teachers was studied using varied clinical-instruction models to quantify preservice teachers' perceptions of being prepared for inservice teaching. A traditional professional model emphasizes the idea of the teacher as leader and…

In 1986, the Florida State Legislature passed a law requiring teachers to demonstrate knowledge of their subject areas before being granted teacher certification. The state also provided funding for developing subject area examinations. The generic procedures for developing these examinations are outlined. During the first phase of the project, an…

Previous studies established that 6 hours of instruction focusing on cognitively demanding aspects of computer use were sufficient to reduce computer anxiety significantly among teacher education students. This paper reports on a study of whether or not it is possible to reduce anxiety at least as efficiently by providing a similar length computer…

Changes in confidence to perform selected evaluation activities that occurred for 45 preservice teachers majoring in elementary school education during their student teaching experience were studied. Self-confidence was measured before and after the student teaching semester using the Mississippi State University Survey of Confidence in Teaching…

The eight papers in this collection were presented at the Nebraska Library Association College and University Section spring 1991 meeting. Key note speaker Bill Kloefkorn presented poems and stories as an "essay" on literacy and today's college students. (This presentation is not included in the proceedings.) In the selected paper for…

Academic advisors want to use all available data in helping a student select a major field of study. Recent research suggests that the identification of a student's basic philosophic viewpoint is one such piece of data that is not presently used. This study examined a random sample of college students (N=347) in order to determine the relationship…

This research study was designed to assess preservice elementary education teachers' knowledge of U.S. history. The "High School Subject Tests: American History," developed by Scott, Foresman and Company for use with high school students, was administered to 139 elementary education majors enrolled in required undergraduate social studies methods…

A process theory of coping developed largely by Robert F. Peck (one of the authors), a sentence completion instrument, and data concerning the manner in which college women cope are considered. Peck proposes that a person going through optimal coping confronts the problem, attempts one or several types of activities in order to resolve the…

This study examined the possibility that not only women but also men, face a chilly classroom climate when they are students in a major that is considered nontraditional for their gender. Male and female junior and senior students (total n=426) majoring in accounting, education, engineering, or nursing at one university responded to the College…

Reports a study that investigated the effects of professional coursework and clinical experience on the development of preservice teachers' knowledge. Surveys supported the contribution of professional coursework to the development of pedagogical knowledge but showed limited support for the contribution of student teaching. (SM)

Studied whether differences exist among academic, affective, and personal characteristics of teacher education persisters and nonpersisters in a longitudinal sample of 550 education majors. Five years later, 65% had persisted through teacher training. Factors predicting persistence (i.e., higher college grade point average and positive attitude…

This paper focuses on the role of self-evaluation during self-regulated learning. After a discussion of the social cognitive theory of self-regulation, self-efficacy, and achievement goals, two studies of fourth graders who were learning fraction skills and one ongoing research project with college students enrolled in their first computer class…

A component of preservice teacher education is the methodology of teaching mathematics using manipulatives. To enhance prospective teachers' understanding of the use of manipulatives to teach mathematics, interactive video can provide an effective medium to bring the reality of the school classroom to the university classroom. Two interactive…

A study examined preservice teachers' responses to a teacher education course and explored the relationship between how the preservice teachers made sense of the coursework and the assumptions of teacher educators. Nine preservice teachers enrolled in a preservice content area reading summer course were each interviewed six times during the…