This paper focuses on a model of delivery of professional experience courses for pre-service teachers that has been running in the author's institution for 9 years. The overall purpose of the model has been to assist the development of a reflective approach in pre-service teachers as they build their professional knowledge in schools and on…

This paper considers teaching practice in short, intensive, pre-service TESOL certificate courses, drawing upon outcomes of recent research into the experiences of participants on courses offered internationally by a UK-based provider. Qualitative methodology led to the identification of 26 critical issues, including several related to the…

As part of her Graduate Diploma in Secondary Education course, Anne Maree Lonsdale was asked to imagine how issues the Social Contexts of Secondary Education class was reading about and discussing impact upon the work of teachers. To that end, students were asked to think deeply about one of the topics addressed in the semester, and to frame a…

The focus of this article is on the learning and teaching processes of six teacher candidates, made possible by the study of a work of art in their internship placement. The interns observed and worked closely with two Lincoln Center Institute (LCI) music Teaching Artists (TAs) and six classroom teachers to provide students in kindergarten through…

This article reports on the results of a mixed method case study investigating the relationship between professional learning community (PLC) activities and teacher improvement in a first-year middle school. Data were collected from core academic sixth, seventh, and eighth grade teachers using a professional development survey, teacher interviews,…

Northern Ireland has invested heavily in the use of technology enhanced learning at all levels of education. Alongside this, radical changes to the school curriculum and the planned move away from academic selection towards a more inclusive system are challenging those involved in Initial Teacher Education to find ways to improve teaching and…

Standard-driven curriculum, evidence of learning through assessment, meaningful performance outcomes, and the growing diversity of student populations are transforming how inclusion is implemented and evaluated. To provide all students with a quality instructional program that meets individual educational needs in the context of political and…

Personal teaching efficacy is associated with a teacher's effectiveness in the classroom. To enhance this efficacy in a computer-simulated training program, both personal traits and guided practices need to be considered concurrently. In this study, it was hypothesised that the interactive effects from the coupling of personal traits with guided…

The teaching observation process in a higher education context can be underpinned by an intention to enhance learning and teaching or used as a managerial tool to ensure standards are met or maintained. In this article we examine the perceptions of observees using a model that engages educational developers as observers. We seek to examine whether…

Teaching can be understood as acting and deciding in a complex system. On that problem oriented mathematics instruction (POMI) can be characterized as very high complex particularly regarding to mathematical-cognitive aspects. To cope with resulting demands in the long run, the teacher has to be sensitive for this complexity. But what does this…

This paper focuses on the utilization of reflective teaching and thinking as a tool to engage teachers in the process of observing, examining, analyzing, and evaluating their philosophy of teaching and learning and their effectiveness as teachers. Research has indicated that reflection encourages teachers to assess critically "What am I…

Argues that time spent encouraging students to reflect about their learning is well invested. Offers four specific statements about what helps students to reflect: (1) students need relevant reasons for reflection and assurance that their reflections will be accepted; (2) students' opinions and judgments must be generally valued; (3) students need…

A teacher developing a method to teach spiritual care to nursing students over age 25 used a journal to record and reflect on experiences. The importance of a safe and open learning environment, use of adult-learning principles, and immediate recording of journal entries was underscored. (SK)

Reflective teachers look at classroom problems from many perspectives and consider others' viewpoints when they choose instructional strategies. Reflection is beginning to be treated as an essential part of a teacher's repertoire. Sidebars recount an exercise in reflection. (MLF)

In this article, the author poses the following questions: When was the last time you sat back and contemplated how effective your teaching is? What methods have you used to determine how students learn and apply their knowledge? and Have you investigated the effectiveness of your newly implemented curriculum based on Standards for Technological…