Explores and examines the theoretical roots of supervisory practice with regard to field experiences in teacher education. Contends that most approaches to supervision are rooted in paradigms reflecting the perspectives of positivism, phenomenology, and critical theory. (MLF)

A study found that conceptual functioning level emerged as an important variable in distinguishing between effective and less effective supervisory intervention. Four supervisors, with their respective supervisees, participated in the study. Participants were videotaped and observed, and transcripts of conference dialogues and participant thought…

Organizational characteristics of two universities and two public school systems, as these characteristics related to student teaching, were compared at two levels: (1) the formal, documented guidelines, or "what's supposed to happen"; and (2) the informal, working practices, or "what's really going on" in the settings. This paper reports on…

Selected findings from a major investigation of preservice clinical teacher education are presented, focusing on the supervision of 20 student teachers by their cooperating teachers. Participants completed background questionnaires, responded to five evaluation questionnaires, kept journals, audiotaped their supervisory conferences, and…

Personal and professional characteristics of student teachers and cooperating teachers and their relation to supervision were studied. Conferences between 20 student teachers and their cooperating teachers were analyzed. Participants self-administered five instruments at the beginning, middle, and end of the student teaching experience: the…