Prompted by a California State University trustee resolution in 1985 to offer an independent doctoral degree in education, this report aims to determine whether additional doctoral programs in educational administration are needed in California. It examines the history and professional uses of doctorates in education, and surveys perceptions of…

Trends in degrees conferred by Connecticut institutions of higher education from 1970-1971 to 1979-1980 are reviewed. After rising steadily to 1973-1974, the number of degrees conferred has fluctuated between 26,000 and 27,000 for the balance of the decade. The proportion of degrees awarded by institutions in the public sector rose from 52.4…

This document presents an evaluative description of the evolution of a competency based methods course in special education. The course evolved as a function of continuous process evaluation developed out of the realization that it was unnecessary to teach completely separate methods courses in special education for teacher certification in the…

An opinionnaire was administered to 122 students in the teacher education program at Western Kentucky University as part of a longitudinal study to determine student attitudes toward their professors, courses, and themselves. Eight biases were tested: (1) Education courses tend to be easier than most other college courses; (2) Education courses…

This report contains prepared statements and discussion, made before the House Committee on Education and Labor Subcommittee on Postsecondary Education, on current problems and future developments in teacher education. Members of the Committee present at the hearing were representatives Simon (chairman), Weiss, Bailey, and Coleman. Witnesses…

To indicate areas for training program improvement, 476 prospective teachers responded to questions developed around educator-identified societal and educational trends to obtain self-analysis of preparation to meet future demands of the teaching role. Less than half felt adequately prepared; most placed heavy emphasis on the practicum component…

Reviews historical trends in the academic abilities of education majors, considers the importance of such abilities in teachers, suggests factors affecting attitudes toward educational careers, discusses past proposals for attracting academically superior students to teaching, and suggests offering forgivable loans to superior students who will…

A study using 10 University of South Africa education graduates investigated how students experience two very different textbooks. Results suggest that the students' personal circumstances dictated their approaches to instructional texts. Other factors included English language proficiency; textual features (advance organizers, visual aids,…

Compares concept mapping, simulated recall, reflective journals, and discourse analysis as methods of assessing thinking of 2 cohorts of 9 and 17 undergraduate students in their senior year of an early childhood teacher education program, respectively. Methodologies yield different, but complementary, pictures of preservice teachers' knowledge.…

Study investigated whether the use of videotaped models demonstrating effective teaching strategies in an elementary science lesson would promote increased use of effective questioning strategies among preservice teachers (n=38). Results show that the use of the videotaped teaching models increased the use of high-level, divergent,…

Discusses Vee mapping, a technique to assist students in categorizing the relationship between the conceptual and procedural aspects of science. Presents a study to investigate elementary education majors' (n=27) use of the Vee heuristic and concept mapping for the construction of knowledge; attitudes toward learning science in collaborative…

Provides a framework for observing and supporting the development of students as constructivist teachers, especially during their field placements as student teachers. The instructional shift to a constructivist approach is described, and guiding principles and possible indicators of the constructivist model are presented. (SLD)

Describes a course for graduate science education students in the history, philosophy, and nature of science. Topics addressed include the course motivation and evolution; aims, topics, and goals; organization and instructional methodology; a reading list; projects; and grading and evaluation. (PR)

Examined policies and practices concerning student and alumni credential files and how these files are valued by teacher-hiring officials. Surveys were completed by 273 career services/placement professionals and by 506 chief-hiring officials in public schools. Found that maintaining and mailing credentials continued to be service provided by…

In the spring of 1995 Northern Arizona University initiated a pilot program for a new content emphasis for elementary education majors. This new emphasis, "Diversity in Educational Contexts," is designed to prepare teachers to instruct the diverse children they will encounter in their public and private classrooms. The new program…