This research study investigated the use of technology tools to support constructivist learning experiences in a preservice teacher education reading methods course. Learning opportunities based on Kolb's learning styles model were used to support understanding of course content in the constructivist environment. Technology tools were used during…

Motivation is often a major concern for educators in all subject areas. Educational benefits associated with increased levels of student motivation have been well-documented within educational research. Improving student motivation can be affected by the educational environment (motivational climate), developed by the teacher. This study examined…

While case studies and narratives are often used in teacher preparation programs, the focus of these materials is usually upon the examination of effective strategies in instruction, assessment, and classroom management. The investigation described in this article examined the value of teacher stories about professional interactions for both the…

The present study examined the associations between preservice teachers' help seeking tendencies, homework beliefs and behavior, and their individual characteristics such as academic delay of gratification, self-esteem, and self-handicap behavior (N = 63). The results indicated that preservice teachers who have a positive attitude toward help…

The purpose of this paper is to explore curricular (re)visions made over the span of two semesters to a required secondary teacher education course. Specifically, we focus on our trials and triumphs in implementing the revised curricula. Our work is guided by the following question: in what ways do preservice teachers deem the diversity-focused…

Graduates of teacher education programs throughout the nation must pass state-mandated standardized paper-and-pencil exit tests to become certified teachers. This study examines the relationship between the reading levels of preservice teachers enrolled in a south Texas university and their scores on the Texas Examinations of Educator…

Bearing in mind students' misconceptions about basic concepts in astronomy, the present study conducted a series of constructivist activities aimed at changing future elementary and junior high school teachers' conceptions about the cause of seasonal changes, and several characteristics of the Sun-Earth-Moon relative movements like Moon phases,…

Several essential interactions or experiences that had an influence on preservice teachers' learning and understanding about urban education and diversity are described and discussed. In particular, the author introduces a developmental typology that was used to analyze the preservice teachers' learning and understanding as a result of a course…

This study describes the use of a metacognitive approach for self-assessment of teacher education students. The design of the study was guided by the principles of learning-oriented assessment and the centrality of reflection for teachers. The study comprised five case studies undertaken in five teacher education programmes. In each programme,…

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…

In recent years, peer assessment has been increasingly used as an alternative method of assessment in classrooms. The study described in this paper employed a 13-item Likert-scale instrument to evaluate participants' attitudes towards both general (seven items) and online peer assessment (six items). A sample of 280 pre-service teachers and 108…

This article is a description of the perceptions of pre-service teachers who have chosen to study in a teacher education program designed specifically to prepare them to work in urban elementary schools. Twelve volunteer participants were interviewed in the spring following their admission into the program. Participants and the researcher also…

This research explored students' views of geometric objects through the implementation of a curriculum module that allowed them to explore the relationships between transformational geometry and linear algebra. The majority of the students were middle and secondary mathematics education majors enrolled in a one-semester geometry course that is…

Many of the colleges and universities in the United States have developed some form of study abroad programs to enable their students to receive a learning experience outside the continental United States. The desire to give my preservice teachers a study abroad experience unlike any other led me to explore many of the contacts I have made in…

An integral part of all initial teacher education programs is the school-based practicum where pre-service teachers get an opportunity to develop their teaching skills and knowledge in a classroom setting. Many have suggested that these experiences are very powerful in shaping pre-service teachers' views of teaching because they are perceived as…