Previous research studies have indicated that some educators do not advocate Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) because of their misunderstanding of the methodology. This article explores the relationship between college-level second language (L2) educators' perceptions and their implementations of CLT. The results of this study show that the…

Teacher beliefs are mediated and lived in the dialectic of teacher education and teacher practice. We reframe this dialectic of "teacher" preparation as "faculty" preparation, as many faculty are not prepared for the rigors of teaching, and most are not trained in the ethics of their profession. We propose a critical model of faculty development…

In the last fifty years, the use of stories in education has included vignettes as an effective stimulus for discussion of real-life contexts and problems. However, vignettes have rarely been used as an assessment tool and there is no reported consensus on their definition and design. This article documents the use of vignettes as an effective…

This paper presents a model of a teacher needs-based (TNB) professional development program. The TNB model formed the foundation of three externally funded professional development programs. The objectives of this model are to maximize the effects of a professional development program, and to help participants sustain their learning over the long…

Describes how one high school teacher's conceptions changed over 2 years as he implemented an innovative curricular approach to mathematical functions. Interview and observation data indicated that he developed new pedagogical content conceptions based on his classroom experiences with the innovation. Results illustrate what it means for teacher…

Investigated middle school mathematics teachers' reports of the effectiveness of various professional development activities influencing their attention to students' thinking. Teacher surveys indicated that teachers' years of experience, views of learning, and mathematics background correlated with their ratings of various activities. (SM)

Examined the effectiveness of collaborative action research teaming as a professional development mechanism to address the demands of contemporary classrooms through formalized sharing between groups of inservice and preservice teachers. Data from observations, interviews, and student artifacts indicated that effective teaming depended…

Student teachers, student teacher supervisors, and cooperating teachers gave advice to a hypothetical student teacher, then researchers compared responses to determine patterns of similarity and difference. Results revealed differences (though not troubling differences) in the proportions of advice given in the areas of professionalism,…

Investigated the benefits of Professional Development School (PDS) endeavors as perceived by university faculty participating in the Holmes Group. Data from open-ended surveys identified four themes related to PDS benefits: (1) improved teaching/learning environments; (2) improved collegiality in professional relationships; (3) personal and…

Used case studies to examine teachers' motivation and instructional style in relationship to their progress in Professional Development School staff development. Field observations of teachers examined the effectiveness of the Teacher Instructional Orientation and Motivation model in predicting teachers' responses to staff development. Data…

Describes a summer institute, created through an urban university and urban Professional Development School partnership, that benefited second through fifth-grade students, but most notably influenced the professional development of their teachers. Analysis of teachers' journals indicate that teachers perceived their involvement in the supportive,…