The analogy of "Spaceship Earth" is used to suggest the necessary elements of a teacher education program that is future-oriented and that can be effective in changing and maintaining desired attitudes and behavior, particularly in relation to dealing with significant global issues and processes. Rationales are provided for a global education…

The factor structure and reliability of an instrument for measuring attitudes of preservice teachers toward science were studied as part of a 5-year project at the University of Wyoming (Laramie) to improve the teaching of science at the elementary school level. The Attitudes towards Science and Scientists Scale (ATSSS) of J. R. Cummings (1969)…

This study compared the demographic characteristics and career aspirations of teacher education elementary and secondary school candidates. A sample of 174 elementary education majors and 178 secondary education majors completed the "Entering Teacher Candidate Survey," a 210-item questionnaire investigating high school background and activities,…

This paper describes an intervention which was designed to: (1) provide opportunities for preservice teachers to collaborate with and network with inservice teachers; (2) create an environment which facilitated collaboration and interaction among early childhood, elementary, and special education majors; and (3) model collaborative teaching and…

Many indicators point to a crisis of confidence and credibility in the role of the teacher as a professional and moral leader. In response, many educational researchers are recommending that reflective teachers examine the moral and ethical issues embedded in their everyday thinking and behavior. A study was conducted, therefore, to identify and…

Previous studies indicate that only 6 percent of the nation's population possess the minimum level of understanding of science and technology needed to function minimally as citizens and consumers. Many educators speculate that scientific illiteracy originates in elementary school classrooms, not from intellectual inferiority, but rather from…

Evidence that elementary school children possess inadequate economic knowledge is presented, and four arguments are outlined for the importance of economics education in the public schools: (1) economic knowledge is essential to civic duty in a democracy; (2) economic knowledge is important when individuals attempt to function rationally in a…

Questionnaire responses of 155 student teachers were analyzed to develop meaningful attitude scales and to refine the instrument. Attitude scales identified in the analysis and built into the final form of the questionnaire were (1) anxiety; (2) confidence and enjoyment, (3) desire for recognition; and (4) pressure to conform. Includes a copy of…

The degree to which between-group differences in performance on individual questions on the NTE Professional Knowledge Test conform to expectations was studied for 19,307 examinees who had taken the NTE Core Battery. Some items are quite consistent with the intended test interpretation test, whereas others are less consistent. (SLD)

A survey of 781 elementary school teacher trainees at the University of Waikato (New Zealand) was undertaken to examine students' language background and indicators of language knowledge and language awareness, including: fluency in a language other than English; students' perceptions of their own second language fluency; exposure to foreign and…

A survey was conducted to establish the content validity of the material presented during a diagnostic and evaluative procedures course for elementary education majors. Although the content was consistent with information typical of the course, validation through the opinions of practicing teachers could strengthen its validity with the students.…

A pentagonal model, based on the star model of function understanding of C. Janvier (1987), is presented as a framework for the design and interpretation of research in the area of learning the concept of mathematical function. The five vertices of the pentagon correspond to five common representations of mathematical function: (1) graph; (2)…

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.…

A rating scale was designed to measure college classroom climate in Primary Teacher Training Colleges in Spain, as well as to describe and compare college classroom environments. Data were gathered from 33 classes of students training to be public or private primary school teachers at colleges in Sevilla and Huelva. Participant observation and…

Mathematics anxiety and its relationship to other constructs was studied in 138 preservice elementary and special education teachers. The students, primarily women, were enrolled in a variety of professional courses and field experiences. Five instruments were administered, their factor structures were determined, and intercorrelations among the…