Questionnaires completed by Australian preservice teachers before and after practical experiences in isolated rural settings revealed the value of these experiences in developing positive attitudes toward teaching in rural schools and in sensitizing teachers to the culture and conditions associated with teaching in rural areas. (LP)

Analyzes interactions between university tutors, cooperating teachers, and student teachers in practicums, focusing on modes of interaction and the nature of messages transmitted. Researchers observed lessons and conferences and found a lack of in-depth professional reciprocal reflection in postlesson conferences. The paper recommends focusing on…

Suggestions are offered to improve the educational experience of international students in North American library and information science programs. Reevaluation of course content, improved communication of program information to students, consideration of foreign realities and governmental practices, improved English language and keyboarding…

In contextual supervision (CS) (an adaptation of situational leadership), the student teacher's (supervisee's) level of confidence and competence determines level of supervisory support and task orientation. CS also encourages a global view of all contextual variables. Observation of 49 untrained pairs of practicum students and cooperating…

Describes the creation and implementation of the School University Partnership Providing Opportunities for Real Teaching in Physical Education at Adelphi University (New York), a field-based collaboration between preservice teachers and 20 school districts. (SM)

A study examined how academic staff involved in workplace supervision of students conceive of the workplace experience in four professional areas: engineering, business administration, health sciences, and social science. Five concepts are identified, and a relationship is seen between the conceptions and the quality of student learning. Staff…

Reports on studies that examine reasons and justifications trainee science teachers give for the ways they conduct practical work. A case for the reevaluation of practical work in science education is made and it is argued that science teacher behavior is best understood anthropologically. Implications for mentoring and school-based training are…

A West Virginia preservice program prepares professionals in a variety of fields to work with rural children with swallowing disorders. Program features include graduate assistantships, interdisciplinary academic coursework, a practicum in a swallowing disorders clinic under supervision of a faculty mentor, and a technology project related to…

The standards movement seeks to bridge the gap between universities and schools, smoothing the transition for student teachers from novice to professional. The imposition of standards and close monitoring of learning outcomes potentially violates the affective bond between student and teacher and the teacher's commitment to education. Resolving…

The study examined the integration of science and mathematics methods courses and preservice teachers' understanding of constructivism. The participants were 50 preservice teachers who were enrolled in early childhood education mathematics and science methods courses, and an early childhood practicum. The two methods courses were integrated and…

Mathematics teacher education programs are designed with an intention, explicit or implicit, to produce graduates who are competent in both pedagogic knowledge and discipline knowledge. This paper explores students' experiences in coming to learn mathematics and mathematics education. Using an example from a quiz question, supplemented with…

Preservice elementary teachers enrolled in a reading methods course learn how literacy instruction is a political act that can affect children's opportunities. Through discussions and readings, they learn how the ways in which they teach reading to children make a difference in their subsequent access to knowledge. Through a practicum experience…

To gather curriculum planning information, the Research, Planning and Development Division of Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC) conducts student surveys biennially. Responses of 579 MATC students enrolled in consumer and hospitality services division (CHSD) programs to the 1994 survey were compared with those of the 5,071 students…

This program was developed and implemented to deal with the high percentage of Title I parents who lacked involvement with children's educational process. Problems were addressed by the implementation of a quality parental involvement program. Twenty-five elementary school Title I parents with no previous contact with the target site served as…

Based on a longer report with the same title, this digest summarizes research on the use of experiential learning in higher education, focusing on classroom-community linkages. While the literature suggests that experiential learning is a necessary and vital component of formal instruction in colleges and universities, controversy exists among…