In the current political context, researchers have, as Ivor Goodson (1992) earlier argued, a special obligation: "to assure that "the teachers' voice" is heard, heard loudly, heard articulately." But not just any "voice" will do--teacher troubles need to be tightly linked to issues, biography to history. On every front, directly and indirectly,…

Teachers of elementary and secondary mathematics and science have been the focus of increased attention in recent years. The Schools and Staffing Survey, conducted by the National Center for Educational Statistics in school year 1987-88, provides an opportunity to look at the characteristics of the professional men and women currently responsible…

This study was designed to test the effects of a teaching candidate's age and the effect of the type of position under consideration on candidate ratings as assessed from a videotaped interview simulation. Independent variables manipulated were (1) candidate age in the taped interview (27 or 43 years old) and (2) the type of position under…

Previous studies on characteristics of social studies students have been mostly limited to heavily populated areas. This study attempts to identify the characteristics of public school Social Studies teachers (grades 7-12) in a rural, upstate New York county. Anne Ochoa's 1981 study, "A Profile of Social Studies Teachers," was used as a…

This study describes how elementary and secondary California teachers nominated as successful in their microcomputer-based instruction teach science and mathematics, and how their computer usage varies in relation to (1) teacher characteristics (computer and subject matter knowledge, and attitudes toward computers); and (2) district, school, and…

A statewide study was conducted to collect demographic data on teachers of non-credit community college courses; to determine the reasons for their part-time employment in continuing education programs; and to ascertain differences in reasons for teaching based on age, sex, length of time engaged in teaching, satisfaction with teaching, and…

Asserts that there is little research about preservice art specialist education. Reviews literature and questionnaire results and offers suggestions about research and practices for preservice art education programs. Recommends a carefully constructed research agenda on art teachers' knowledge about subject matter content. (CFR)

Education researchers and policymakers agree that teachers differ in terms of quality and that quality matters for student achievement. Despite prodigious amounts of research, however, debate still persists about the causal relationship between specific teacher credentials and student achievement. In this paper, we use a rich administrative data…

This report on regular and special education teachers in public schools presents data on personal characteristics (gender, age, race/ethnicity, and marital status); professional characteristics (educational background, years of experience, certification); geographic region; income (salary and incentives, nonschool employment); and opinions about…

Reports on the responses of headteachers and teachers in 570 primary schools in England and Wales to the introduction of the national curriculum in art. Finds that a significant majority of the respondents welcomed the national curriculum. (CFR)

Reports on a study of 18 social studies teachers' concepts of justice. Finds that three dominant themes emerged: (1) justice as right and wrong; (2) justice as fairness; and (3) justice as an ideal or standard. Concludes that responses suggest that social studies teachers' education in political theory may be insufficient. (CFR)

This paper describes an ongoing comprehensive model of program evaluation which has as its major goal the improvement of teacher education. This project, developed at the University of Lethbridge (Alberta, Canada), is presented in four parts: (1) the process--how and why the project developed or is developing as it is; (2) the conceptual…

This study compares the criteria utilized by private and public school officials in the selection of beginning teachers. A similar study undertaken in Oregon (Webb 1980) was extended by incorporating private schools. Of the 117 California school districts sent questionnaires, 88 responded--a return rate of 75 percent. Twenty-nine of the private…

Contends that knowledge and its representation in the scholarly community has undergone changes in the past two decades. Examines the nature and contributions of teacher knowledge in the scholarly literature of music teaching. Reflects on the contribution of teacher knowledge to existing university-based literature. (CFR)

This paper analyzes the effectiveness of teacher selection practices with reference to literature sources and recommends experimentation with a structured interview approach based on life style themes. The first variable in selection involves identification of characteristics of effective teachers. Some agreement concerning particular teaching…