The arrival of the Common Core State Standards changed the landscape of teacher preparation for many teacher education programs by highlighting the importance of growing students as readers, writers, and communicators. This study focuses on the instructional literacy practices of preservice teachers enrolled in a co-taught course with a literacy…

This study applied an Integrated Triadic Model (ITM) to a social studies methods course and measured the extent that preservice teachers' TPACK changed. The study also gathered beliefs about the effectiveness of course activities for developing TPACK. Data collected and analyzed from self-assessment surveys and reflective writings indicated an…

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine the disability discourses of ten pre-service teachers enrolled in a one-semester undergraduate social studies and language arts methods course. This undergraduate course drew on a disability studies approach that advocated a social model rather than a traditional medical approach to…

Research regarding rubrics in K-12 classrooms and in higher education has focused on teachers' perceptions and use of them. Rubrics have been found to objectify subjective assignments, ensure accountability, and improve student understanding of teacher expectations (Andrade, 2000; Hall & Salmon, 2003; Walvoord & Anderson, 1998). This study focuses…

Deals with a survey undertaken among 16 higher education institutions in Arkansas. Findings indicated that over 50 percent of Arkansas social studies teachers received their initial certification in another field, 25 percent took no social studies methods courses, and more than 50 percent of social studies instructors expressed dissatisfaction…

Describes the development of the Teacher Technology Portfolio Program at Elmhurst College in Chicago, Illinois, that integrates instruction on technology and modeling of instruction in technology into the teacher training programs. Discusses the evaluation and revision of the program and its current status. (CMK)

This study investigates the social studies teaching practices of sixty-seven elementary teachers who are part of an alternative master's degree program in New York City. The respondents' program emphasizes constructivist and inquiry based teaching practices in its social studies methods courses. The findings are from an exit survey that was…

Results of a survey of social studies methods professors regarding educational practices are presented. Questions were asked regarding class size, program interrelationships (position of the course in relation to the sequence in education offerings), course content, teaching methods, instructional materials, and how the methods instructors viewed…

This study considers the enrichment of social studies methods through the integration of videoconferencing in a telecollaborative format. The purpose in developing this study was threefold: (a) to describe the perspectives of teacher candidates while participating in a telecollaborative social studies methods course experience, (b) to determine in…

This paper explores perceptions of teacher education students regarding the relative value of four methods-course components--experiences with children, methods, content, and theory. The objective is to provide information to educators in teacher training programs as they determine how various components of the teacher education process influence…

This comparative study was undertaken to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the social studies programs in the training of primary school teachers in the Asian countries. A detailed questionnaire was sent to selected associated institutions of the Asian Institute for Teacher Educators in each of the member states of UNESCO, except Mongolia;…

This study assesses the degree of influence that the elementary curriculum project "Man: A Course of Study" (MACOS) and its process approach has on the use of teaching strategies of first and second year elementary teachers. The sample teachers had been enrolled in an undergraduate social studies methods course that used MACOS. Of the 17…

A survey was conducted concerning teacher attitudes and knowledge regarding social studies goals, content, and curriculum development. The research involved 301 undergraduate social studies methods professors in 13 western and midwestern states. Indexes based upon responses to a questionnaire were created to reflect teacher orientation toward…