This paper compares conceptions of teacher quality in two education systems -- Singapore and Hong Kong -- that consistently perform well in international assessments of student achievement. Both systems constantly refresh their expectations of teacher competencies, with recent iterations, which offer a just-in-time opportunity to learn from how…

Which competences do professional adult educators need? This research note discusses the topic from a comparative perspective, finding that adult educators' required competences are wide-ranging, heterogeneous and complex. They are subject to context in terms of national and cultural environment as well as the kind of adult education concerned…

Commonsense reasoning says that quality teacher education relies on quality teacher educators. Yet, there is minimal attention to what teacher educators should know and be able to do. Unquestionably, teacher educators cannot teach what they do not know; but what "should" they know, and should they be prepared? This study of 293 teacher…

This study explored K-8 teachers' perceptions of their preparation and the challenges they encountered in delivering instruction to culturally and linguistically diverse learners. Using a mixed method research design, data were collected through a web-based survey from teachers in the state of Michigan. Researchers used chi-square tests to…

Although a great deal of attention has been given to the nature of teaching and the qualities a good teacher ought to possess, there has been little emphasis on the specific characteristics and competencies that teacher educators should have. This paper discusses whether setting explicit standards for teacher educators would help or hinder efforts…

The Disability in Sport Taskforce report examining adapted physical activity (APA) in the Irish context (Department of Education and Science, 1999) found that teachers involved in primary mainstream and specialist settings expressed a grave lack of self-confidence, due to lack of training, in the delivery of APA programmes to children with special…

In the drive to achieve universal primary education as one of the Millennium Development Goals, there is an increasing recognition of the urgency of focusing on teacher education to both meet the demand for more than one million qualified teachers required to achieve this goal within sub-Saharan Africa, as well as to combat the sometimes poor…

Educational reform movements, university teacher education accreditation requirements and federal laws have increased the emphasis on the need for beginning teacher follow-up studies. The information gained from beginning teachers is critical for university teacher preparation programs, state departments of education, and school districts in…

University English departments are failing because of unclear goals concerning writing programs, an entrenchment of literature in the departments, and the hiring of untrained writing teachers. Many writing positions are nontenure track, require instructors to teach four sections of freshman composition, or require a Ph.D. in some aspect of…

Proposes that a systems-management point of view be taken in revising present teacher education programs. (JM)

The article outlines a six-category knowledge framework for effective teachers, involving general liberal education, personal performance, subject matter, general pedagogical knowledge, subject-matter-specific pedagogical knowledge, and foundations of the teaching profession, and suggests how preservice education can incorporate some of the…

Criticizes the state of social studies education. Content is fragmented, curriculum is not continuous, and teacher attitudes are negative. Teacher education institutions do not adequately combine social studies content and skill training. Suggests improvements in teacher education and curriculum development. (AV)

Relates how inadequate teacher certification requirements and teacher education programs have been detrimental to quality public school math and science programs. (HOD)

Parental perceptions of quality preschool and school choice patterns were assessed among 51 working mothers in Zimbabwe. Quality features cited included food and diet, hygiene, and qualified teachers, and varied by income, occupation, and options. Mothers were child centered in their goals, and distribution varied by family income and child care…

The position of economics in the Oklahoma high school curriculum is a precarious one. Many of the assumptions that university economists hold about economics education in high schools are wrong. Economics, where it does exist in the high school curriculum, means not only scientific, policy-relevant economics, but also consumer education and career…