The qualitative study described in this document presents Virginia teachers' perceptions on 10 factors that influence their work environment: resources/instructional materials; physical facilities/class size; professional development; teacher-teacher interactions; teacher-administrator interactions; teacher-student interactions;…

Case studies are presented of the induction and professional development of five young teachers, specifically focusing on the impact of structural and policy changes (external workplace environment) on the ideas of young teachers in schools (internal workplace environment). The case studies investigate issues of continuity and change in teachers'…

This collection of four papers addresses the choices that students, teachers, and school administrators make in regard to their education and career paths. They include: (1) "Understanding Entry into the Teaching Profession" (Eric A. Hanushek and Richard R. Pace), which analyzes the characteristics of teachers in public elementary and…

This survey measured the experiences of new public school teachers who began their first year of teaching in the 1990-91 school year. It is the third of three surveys of this cohort of new teachers. The current survey focuses on teachers' experiences and attitudes 2 years into their teaching career, and includes questions which allow for…

The study reported in this book demonstrates that teachers engage in career planning as systematically as members of any other profession: career movement of teachers is patterned; status, rewards, location and working conditions matter; and the costs and benefits of vertical and horizontal mobility are carefully calculated. The book is organized…

This book, written as an extended letter to teachers, addresses the concerns teachers have for their work with students and reflects on the art of teaching. The letter is developed around 12 chapters: (1) "Toward Large Purposes" places teachers' work in a philosophical as well as a pedagogical and curricular perspective; (2)…

This National Education Association research survey forms a profile of the American public school teacher and provides information covering a 25-year period from 1961-86. The survey offers insights about trends in the composition of the teaching profession, the characteristics of teaching service, and the changing position of teachers in society.…

This paper, on the central and distinctive contribution of knowledge to teaching, combines philosophical analysis with a discussion of work in research on teaching, student conceptions, and curriculum. The hierarchical argument contains two main points: (1) that content knowledge is a logical precondition for the activities of teaching; and (2)…

The issue of faculty vitality and an institutional case study are discussed, along with implications for academic policy. The literature of faculty vitality reveals a situational, contextual dimension that makes defining the concept difficult. It is helpful to view the college as an organization in which faculty members pursue careers as scholars,…

In an effort to explore significant supply and demand variables that affect the teacher labor market in the Southeast, a qualitative research study was undertaken to examine the market patterns of initial career choice, position availability, recruitment and selection, turnover, and mobility of public school teachers. An ethnographic investigation…

Underneath teaching there lies a conceptual framework through which we view its role and purpose. Different frameworks vary in outlook and imply contrasting attitudes and values. Which one we adopt impacts on what and how we teach. This study explores what it means to think of teaching as a profession versus a vocation. Its focus is restricted to…

A followup study of perceptions held by female and male nontenured faculty concerning retention, professional development, and quality of life was conducted. The followup study included faculty hired since 1975 who were previously studied in 1979, along with faculty hired since 1979. In March 1981, questionnaires were mailed to 116 women and 189…

As part of a project at Mount Hood Community College (MHCC) to create Program Assessment Documents for instructional and student service programs, this report focuses on the medical secretary program. With an initial section narrating study findings, the document includes five sections. Part II examines program size in terms of (1)…

This final report of Project OPTION (Opening People to Increasing Opportunities Now) is also a handbook including methods used in the project and suitable for replication. The first section outlines the design of the project, whose goals were to reduce the influence of sex-role stereotyping on students' career choices, increase awareness of…

This report presents the results of the 2000-01 Status of the American Public School Teacher survey. This survey has been conducted every 5 years since 1956. In 2000-01, surveys were sent to 2,826 of the nation's approximately 2,953,000 public school teachers, with a 67.4-percent response rate. The resulting data are presented in the areas of: (1)…