This study was designed to determine the status of in-service teacher training programs for lower secondary science teachers in Japan. The investigation involved measuring the percentage of science teachers attending in-service training sessions on pure science fields, science teaching, and the use of audio-visual aids. In addition, science…

This report confirms anecdotal evidence that language teachers do find large classes to be problematic, collates data on class sizes in various parts of the world, and investigates the possibility of defining a large class, at least from the teachers'points of view. The first section is introductory. The second presents findings of a small-scale…

A study compared the English language proficiency levels of three groups of non-native English-speakers who teach English as a second language (ESL) in Egypt. The three groups were: (1) graduates of a department that was not an English department; (2) graduates of English departments; and (3) seniors in one Egyptian university's English…

Reviews the role of practical experience within preservice and inservice teacher education programs, noting the increasing importance of practical experience and examining the various forms of university-school partnerships. The paper recommends greater cooperation among European countries in promoting and providing practical experience. (SM)

Describes the development and implementation of an interdisciplinary field course in Costa Rica focused on sustainable development. The semester-long curriculum integrated sociology, political economy, and agricultural ecology. The curriculum was empirically based and involved faculty members and students working collaboratively on different…

Relies on students' and teachers' accounts to reveal a more accurate account of classroom life in England (circa 1920-39) than that of official documents. Suggests that corporal punishment was extensive and brutal. Includes many verbatim accounts of teachers' and students' reactions to this treatment. (MJP)

Provides a case study on the introduction of political education at Repton, an English public school, from 1916-1918. Discusses the origins, progress, major supporters and opponents, and eventual demise of political education at Repton. Concludes with a discussion on the relationship among political education, liberal idealism, and patriotic…

An outdoor educator reflects on the changing nature of outdoor education, including a lack of interest and excitement among children regarding the outdoors, the inability of children to sustain physical activity, government's failure to assess children's educational needs, poor government support for outdoor programs, and the effect of inferior…

A beginning teacher appointed to a remote Aboriginal school in the Northern Territory (Australia) describes experiences that led him to question his worth as a teacher, including social and professional isolation, his idealistic expectations of becoming a teacher, and difficulties in teaching students of various ages and academic levels. (LP)

Analysis of current Australian educational policy and practice and interviews with 24 teachers newly appointed to small rural schools in Australia indicates a need for specialized training for rural teachers and the development of specific rural staffing policies and selection practices. (LP)

A student teacher in a Toronto (Ontario) elementary school found that the lack of natural settings did not inhibit environmental education. When urban students explored local environmental conditions such as polluting factories and lack of species diversity, they were better able to consider how their lives were affected and how their attitudes…

Examines difficulties caused by the two-context nature of preservice teacher education, describing a Scottish program in which classroom teachers collaborate with university faculty to plan and present university classes. Interviews with participating teachers indicate that teachers feel confident about their role and believe they could share a…

This article reports the development and application of two instruments for assessing science teachers' pedagogical knowledge in the context of teaching higher-order thinking: a Likert-type research instrument, and an instrument that analyzes classroom observations. The rationale for developing these instruments and their main categories is…

In 1990, UBC signed the Talloires Declaration--an international commitment to environmental sustainability in higher education. In 1997, the University of British Columbia (UBC) adopted a Sustainable Development Policy stating the campus will adhere to sustainable practices in all of its actions and mandates and that all students will be educated…

This study attempted to explore Turkish headteachers' and teachers' burnout and job satisfaction relating to work status, gender and years work-experiences. The purpose of this study is to find out whether there is difference between headteachers' and teachers' burnout and job satisfaction in terms of work status, gender and years…