The article "Conversation as Inquiry: A Conversation with Instructional Designers" (Campbell, Schwier & Kenny 2006) appeared in the "Journal of Learning Design" Volume 1, Issue 3 in 2006. Nine years on, Professor Katy Campbell, Dean of the Faculty of Extension, University of Alberta, reflects upon the arguments articulated…

The purpose of this paper is to describe the Mentored-Teaching Program (MTP), an initiative in the development of graduate student teaching through discipline-based mentored-teaching practice. We begin with a brief overview of what is required to create a seminar in university teaching and the MTP from the departmental perspective. We then turn…

This article presents a model for Intercultural Teaching Competence (ITC) that instructors may use as a tool for reflection as they prepare to facilitate learning across cultures. Building on previous research on intercultural competence, culturally relevant teaching, intercultural trainer competencies, and student-centred approaches to teaching,…

Similar to faculty development offerings at other North American post-secondary institutions, the University of Alberta has delivered orientations and short programs that primarily focus on teaching techniques. While this type of professional development is an important element of enhancing teaching, the literature stresses the need for learning…

Introduction: In this study, nine pre-service teachers worked in group (three groups of two and one group of three) to deliver a series of seven lessons via desktop videoconference from a Faculty of Education to elementary students in their classroom. Method: Each group delivered 2 lessons over a 4-week period. During delivery, the lessons were…

Reflective practice is integral for developing counsellors to maintain self-awareness and to recognize influences upon ones personal theory of counselling. In this exploratory narrative inquiry research, four doctoral level counselling psychologists participated to uncover "What are the personal stories of developing counsellors and in what…

Instructional designers regularly engage in a process of professional and personal transformation that has the potential to transform the culture of institutions through faculty-client relationships. Instructional designers promote new ideas and understandings in social contexts that include other designers and clients, among others. This research…

In this article I have addressed the need for change from the traditional, technical skills model of the practicum in teacher-education programs, to a practicum that has a broader educative focus. Following a description of the implementation of a practicum experience with an emphasis on inquiry, I consider data from a three-year study designed…

This study explored the applicability of Schon's notion of reflective practice for student teachers in practicum settings. Case studies of student teachers in a practicum found 15 reflective themes and up to 4 precipitants per theme, with 47 factors that enhanced or constrained reflection. Four strategies for promoting student teacher reflection…

The reflective practices of four student teachers in a Canadian suburb were studied as they undertook an extended practicum. The experiences of one of these students illustrate an alternative way of thinking about the nature of knowledge construction. Central to this alternative is the difference between an incidental and a thematic rendering of…

This self-study was designed to explore problem-based learning (PBL) as an instructional approach in the context of a pre-service science education methods course. Through the development and implementation of PBL curriculum, the author's goals were to improve her classroom practice and her understanding of that practice, to contribute to the…

Cultural reciprocity refers to the dynamic and material exchange of knowledge, values, and perspectives between two or more individuals of different cultural (e.g., racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, religious) backgrounds. In this paper, cultural reciprocity is discussed as it pertains to professors of education and their students, based on the…

This study explored secondary preservice science teachers' attempts to implement a constructivist approach to science teaching in a practicum setting. Described is the secondary science education program at St. Francis Xavier University. Interview excerpts are presented as data. Results indicated: (1) student teachers went through two…

This collection of papers focuses on collaboration in two interconnected themes: the improvement of teaching practice through collaborative research and reflection on the role of collaboration in educational change. The 19 papers are: (1) "The Collaborative Lens: A New Look at an Old Research Study" (Phyllis Kapuscinski); (2)…

An Alberta teacher education program built around "teacher knowledge" begins with what preservice teachers already know rather than programmed knowledge and skills. Learning to teach becomes a process of expressing one's knowledge in practice, reflecting on that practice using personal and theoretical resources, and then trying out…