The study discussed in this article examines the experiences of teachers participating in a district-wide Educational Design Research (EDR) initiative, with a particular focus on any perceived changes in teacher practices. McKenney and Reeves (2013) claimed that one of the two main goals of EDR is to benefit practice, but to date this claim has…

Providing teachers with data-driven feedback, aligned professional development and opportunities for advancement may help limit attrition, contribute to more effective teaching, and improve student learning. However, research shows that much of the professional development teachers currently receive does not improve either teacher or student…

As teachers who care deeply about the quality of their own teaching and the development of teaching as a profession, the authors write this article from their conviction that performance assessments in teaching are a critical strategy for developing teachers' expertise and for improving the quality of teacher preparation. They note that the…

Teacher quality has received increasing focus over the past decade, yet, by some measures, teachers rarely improve after their first few years of teaching, and not all teachers seem driven to improve. Traditional models of professional learning have emphasized the processes that teachers take part in as a facilitator of their improvement. Research…

The 2009 "State Teacher Policy Yearbook" provided a comprehensive review of states' policies that impact the teaching profession. As a companion to last year's comprehensive state-by-state analysis, the 2010 edition provides each state with an individualized "Blueprint for Change," building off last year's "Yearbook"…

Mathematics teaching and learning are inherently complex practices, and reports suggest that American teachers are not as successful at teaching mathematics as the authors might hope. In this article, the authors explore how a seemingly ubiquitous new technology--the personal audio/video player--just might help teachers improve mathematics…

This report explores issues surrounding the present governance structure of teacher credentialing in California and considers alternative structures to improve governance in the teaching profession. The study discusses the present credentialing structure, credentialing problems, and criticisms of the Commission on Teacher Credentialing, a body…

TO ASCERTAIN THE PROFESSIONAL PREPARATION AND COMPETENCE OF JUNIOR COLLEGE ENGLISH TEACHERS, ANALYZE THE NUMBER AND NATURE OF ENGLISH COURSES BEING OFFERED, AND DETERMINE WHAT CONSTITUTES A TYPICAL ASSIGNMENT FOR BEGINNING TEACHERS, A QUESTIONNAIRE WAS SENT TO THE DEANS OF INSTRUCTION AT 71 CALIFORNIA PUBLIC JUNIOR COLLEGES. THE DATA PRESENTED ARE…

For five years running, the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) has tracked states' teacher policies, preparing a detailed and thorough compendium of teacher policy in the United States on topics related to teacher preparation, licensure, evaluation, career advancement, tenure, compensation, pensions and dismissal. The "2011 State…

The study presented here examines whether an ethnographic approach to the study of teaching yields new insight into the teaching-learning process. Two-hundred teachers, who differed in measured effectiveness, were recruited from thirteen school districts in the state of California. Each teacher taught two experimental teaching units (ETU's) of…

STUDY OBJECTIVES WERE DEVELOPED AROUND THE IDEA THAT DELIBERATE AND PLANNED TEACHING OF FORMAL SYMBOLIC LOGIC WILL BENEFIT THE STUDENT AT ANY AGE BY ENLARGING HIS SCOPE AND PROVIDING FOR A DEEPER AND MORE PENETRATING STUDY OF MATHEMATICS AND OTHER DEDUCTIVELY FORMULATED DISCIPLINES. IT WAS HYPOTHESIZED THAT THE ABLE STUDENT IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS…

The Marin County (California) Regional Occupational Program (Marin ROP) was charged with increasing the vocational education opportunities for youth and adults so that they may acquire occupational skills. While the Marin ROP was jointly sponsored by three secondary school districts and a two-campus community college, the ROP was administered by…

Advocates teaching constitutional history and principles to middle school students in accordance with the 1988 California History-Social Science Framework. Reports findings of a survey of 118 California middle school and high school teachers that revealed a need for improved teacher knowledge about the U.S. Constitution. Recommends steps to ensure…