The nature of science (NOS) has a prominent role among the national science education content standards at all grade levels, K-12. Results from a national survey of collegiate science educators indicate the perception that the greatest contributors to preservice teachers' understanding of the nature of science were science methods courses,…

Despite the apparent lack of universally accepted goals or objectives for elementary science methods courses, teacher educators nationally are autonomously designing these classes to prepare prospective teachers to teach science. It is unclear, however, whether science methods courses are preparing teachers to teach science effectively or to…

The purpose of this 2-year study was to investigate Malawian teacher educators' perspectives and dispositions toward teaching about ecological sustainability issues in Malawi, a developing country in sub-Sahara Africa. This study was embedded in a larger theoretical framework of investigating earth systems science through the understanding of…

This study utilized elementary teachers who had completed either competency-based (CBTE) or conventional teacher education programs and their principals to evaluate undergraduate preparation for classroom teaching. A 15 item questionnaire was administered and the data analyzed. Results obtained from the analysis of the teachers' data indicated…

Drawing on the examples of a successful classroom teacher who does "what works" and a former student disenchanted with the behavior modification approach to teaching exceptional children, the author encourages teacher instruction in critical thinking and a wide range of teaching theories and methodologies. (JBM)

Asks to what degree should social studies preservice teachers be prepared to deal with academic freedom issues? Argues that preparing students for citizenship can involve teachers in controversial issues and challenges to curriculum content. Reports that methods professors agreed that preservice teachers should be required to investigate academic…

For students in social studies methods courses, demonstration activities serve a twofold purpose: They help university students to become social studies teachers and they encourage elementary school children to learn social studies. In this article, the authors report on three social studies demonstration activities: (1) International Cultural…

As more children with disabilities are served in early childhood settings, preservice training programs have a responsibility to provide future early childhood educators with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to actively participate as a team member in meeting the needs of young children with disabilities. This article provides a description…

This study explored a preservice teacher educator's goals with technology in her teaching methods class at Southern Teachers University (Texas) regarding state and national teacher preparation technology mandates and possible motivational factors for including technology in current preservice education courses. Action research was selected as the…

Discusses the development of and teaching of a physics teacher education course in Iraq. Includes comments on students preparing to become physics teachers and problem/successes associated with the course. (JN)

When teacher educators approach their work in preservice methods classrooms, they may confront more than teaching and learning voices in those classrooms. The likelihood of this is increased in those contexts where the teacher educators maintain a commitment to education that addresses cultural issues. In this article, the authors introduce their…

In this self-study we examine our collaborative practice across two undergraduate early childhood education methods courses. Framed by our larger question of how teachers and teacher educators do school, we drew on multiple data sources to investigate how we were modeling teaching, listening, and learning to and with these students in our science…

This case study describes the impact of high-stakes testing on a first-year teacher's literacy instruction. Results indicated that content from literacy methods courses was often abandoned in favor of compliance to a test preparatory program. As an intervention, I began teaching in the third-grade classroom while the beginning teacher observed.…

The coeditors of the special Summit issue of English Education provide the context for the "crucial moment" that prompted the Conference on English Education (CEE) to take up the task of rethinking issues related to the preparation and continuing professional development of English language arts teachers and teacher educators. The process of…

Examines the interpretation of social studies found in 96 Egyptian teachers-in-training using the Barth/Shermis Social Studies Preference Scale. Results showed the subjects had not developed a meaning for social studies as conceptualized in the United States. Implications of this finding are discussed. (TRS)