Reports such as "Rising Above the Gathering Storm" and "Europe Needs More Scientists" exemplify the international community's concern about the state of public science education. With a lack of scientific literacy for all students and insufficient numbers of individuals choosing to pursue careers in science, the situation is seen as a threat to…

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine if faculty development, as measured by progression through the Stages of Concern, identified in the Concerns-Based Adoption Model, occurred as a result of teaching in a learning community (LC) cohort at a California community college, and if progression through developmental Stages of Concern is…

This study aimed to evaluate a training programme for Dutch teachers in six institutes for nursing education to support students' reflection skills. The research question was: what are the feasibility, quality and effects of the programme? The training programme focused on four competences of teachers regarding instructing, guiding, giving…

The 2012 National Survey of Science and Mathematics Education was designed to provide up-to-date information and to identify trends in the areas of teacher background and experience, curriculum and instruction, and the availability and use of instructional resources. A total of 7,752 science and mathematics teachers in schools across the United…

This article examines the impact of implementing module-based professional development for teachers (MBPDT) in the Philippines. A mixed-method study, experimental design with empirical surveys and an open-ended questionnaire revealed that the experimental group of teachers had greater professional content knowledge compared with the control group…

"The First-Year Seminar: Designing, Implementing, and Assessing Courses to Support Student Learning and Success," a five-volume series, is designed to assist educators who are interested in launching a firstyear seminar or revamping an existing program. Each volume examines a different aspect of first-year seminar design or…

Physical Education is a core component of the primary school curriculum. The primary years are perhaps the most significant period for motor development in children, a time during which basic movement competencies are developed and which offers the first opportunity for embedding physical activity as part of a healthy lifestyle. This is the first…

Despite well-intentioned professional development programs designed to improve teachers' effectiveness in the use of instructional practices that have the potential to enhance student achievement (e.g., differentiated instruction), a discrepancy exists between the promise these practices hold and their actual use by teachers in classrooms. To…

A comparative analysis of the perceptions of special education teachers in the San Antonio Independent School District (SAISD) regarding the importance, comfort, and frequency levels of educative activities to further develop their teaching skills was conducted by the researcher in order to apply findings to the development of future professional…

In the light of changing needs for the professional development (PD) of ESL teachers in Hong Kong, this study investigates current practice and future needs within the context of the implementation of educational reforms by the Hong Kong Government. A cohort of ESL teachers, members of a knowledge sharing community project, participated in a…

The main driving force of all transformations in general education is the schoolteacher. It is not by chance that one of the key areas in the initiative "Our New School" has to do with the development of the teacher potential. What is involved are the tasks of raising the qualifications of teachers and school management, strengthening…

The authors conducted a case study in four elementary schools that demonstrated consistent gains in reading achievement, despite their failure to meet Adequate Yearly Progress. By examining the professional development experiences of six teachers in these schools who reported high levels of change on a wider survey, the authors aimed to identify…

The aim of this article is twofold. First, the final results of two research projects, which investigated the impact of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) on primary schools teachers in disadvantaged areas in Brazil (BET k-12) and South Africa (MELISSA), are presented and discussed. Second, the Self-Efficacy construct is proposed as a…

Background: Teacher qualifications have been emphasized as a basis of professional development to improve classroom practices for at-risk children's school readiness. However, teacher qualifications have often not been compared to another form of professional development, in-service training. Objective: The current study attempts to investigate…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the reliability and validity of a newly developed survey instrument, the "Primary Practices Questionnaire" ("PPQ"), designed to measure first, second, and third grade teachers' perceived use of developmentally appropriate practices. The initial item pool was reviewed for content…