The importance of reflection in supporting the continued professional learning of preservice practitioners is well recognised. This study examines one aspect of the outcomes of preservice teachers' reflection: the development of their own self-image as a teacher. In making the transition from student to teacher, preservice teachers create their…

This paper describes a teacher education effort that developed conditions for teachers to be more effective learners about teaching and encouraged teachers' development of a personal understanding of educational issues. A group of teachers in one school established the Project To Enhance Effective Learning (PEEL) as an approach to encourage more…

This description of an illuminative evaluation process as a qualitative research method focuses on a study of concerns about financial constraints in the British Open University. Interviews and open-ended discussions were used to encourage participation and input by a wide variety of individuals with differing perspectives on the problem. (LRW)

This study analyzes the reaction essays of 24 elementary preservice teachers who read and discussed the same case. The preservice teachers were in two different sections of the same special topics course. Care was taken to balance the sections as closely as possible by age, ethnicity, and major areas. Graduate discussion leaders were chosen to…

This study examined whether or not the knowledge gained by adults in a group is influenced by media employed, by discussion, and by attitudes of local and professional discussion leaders. Research results were presented to the adults (250 4-H Club leaders) by film, lecture, and bulletin, then by discussion. Phases of the project included the…

Student interaction and computer-based communication tool appropriation patterns were examined in two different communication assignments requiring active use of computer-based communication tools. University students completed either: a set of communication assignments and activities with the instructor as sole audience; or a set of communication…

Forty-four prospective supervising teachers from public schools in Kentucky, cooperating in the student teaching programs of colleges and universities, participated in this Institute funded under Title IV of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. The objectives were to provide participants with a basic experience in human relations in an inter-racial setting;…

This study evaluated differences between persisters and nonpersisters in a 3-year teacher development program. Participants were K-12 teachers from a large school district with both urban and suburban schools. They were part of a grant to help teachers implement state content standards through cognitive coaching, nonverbal classroom management,…

This paper describes the process evaluation of an organ donation education program for high school students aged 15-18 years of which the effectiveness was established. The program consisted of three components: a video with group discussion, an interactive computer-tailored program and a registration training session. A cross-sectional survey was…

Anecdotal evidence suggests that instructor performance in the online discussion portion of online courses has a major impact on learning and learner satisfaction. If this is the case, faculty development is an important component of success. This paper describes the development of a taxonomy of six categories to describe instructor postings to…

In this article, the author shares a current analysis of data that complements findings from earlier, related research that confirms the emotional aspects of reading experiences. The data from the earlier study is based upon comments by graduate students in online discussion groups, where they share their thoughts about the professional readings…

This paper describes a method of reflective practice called "critical incident" which was used to examine teacher trainees' educational assumptions. A qualitative case study of one fifth-year teaching intern (Amy) at the University of Tennessee represents the experience of seven other master's level students already practicing within the…

Four student and two faculty focus groups met to discuss interdisciplinary education at the Minnesota Center for Arts Education. The focus groups perceptions about interdisciplinary education resulted in several primary conclusions: (1) interdisciplinary education is not extensive in public education systems; (2) most students feel a primary…

A guide for group discussion leaders that may be useful for medical school teachers is presented. One objective is to help the teacher know when group discussion is appropriate. It is suggested that both the lecture method and group discussion can facilitate cognitive learning but at different levels, and that group discussions are helpful if…

Beginning teachers' learning is complex and personal: they learn about themselves as teachers; they fight with newly revealed selves endeavoring to change; and they engage in a struggle that is both emotional and intellectual. This report presents narratives, based on both journals and taped conversations, of the learning experiences of six novice…