A methods course was designed with the specific objectives of broadening the future mathematics teachers' perspective of the role of a teacher, and teaching by example what "methods" means. A detailed description of the course is provided. (SD)

Describes a study in which the attitudes of preservice elementary school teachers are measured before and after their enrollment in an elementary science methods course. Students were found to have significantly higher attitudes toward inquiry strategies after completion of the course. (CP)

Results of a study concerning the preservice education of junior and senior high school teachers indicate that, in the institutions surveyed, the area of applications is given the least recognition in mathematics requirements. (MN)

The results of this study of pre-service elementary teachers show that the majority of teachers studied preferred to use partition as opposed to measurement division word problems, were able to distinguish between the two, and actually used partition to introduce division of whole numbers. (MN)

A concrete, intuitive means of representing division by fractions is presented. (CP)

Eighteen computational skill exercises from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) were given to 117 prospective elementary teachers. The percentage of subjects answering each item correctly is compared with NAEP's findings for 13-, 17-, and 26-35-year-olds. (CP) Aspect of National Assessment (NAEP) dealt with in this document:…

The paper describes cooperative school/university science teacher training program that is evolving at Indiana University. It requires approximately four to five semesters of study. (Author/CP)

Discusses the claims that experiences in computer programming enhance performance on conditional reasoning tasks. Describes three experimental studies designed to address that hypothesis using three different populations of students. Results of all three studies indicate nonsignificant treatment effects. (TW)

Reports findings of a study designed to explore teacher incentive programs throughout the United States and the District of Columbia. Survey results indicate that over 50 percent of the states and the District of Columbia have some form of incentive program as a response to the shortage of science and mathematics teachers. (ML)

Defies the assumption that laboratory teaching skills are gained by preservice secondary science education majors through their undergraduate science programs, and presents expertise areas which every teacher should possess. Outlines activities for each skill which can become part of a methods course under the direction of science educators. (DH)

This study was designed to determine the effectiveness of two microcomputer instructional games in teaching probability and measurement estimation to 78 preservice elementary school teachers. The probability game did not seem effective, and the estimation game was only marginally effective. Patterns of change are discussed. (MNS)

The Science Attitude Scale, published in 1974, was revised to attain a better estimate of its validity. Six principles adhered to in the revision are discussed, and data from 83 preservice elementary teachers explained. (MNS)

Examined how preservice elementary teachers' (N=38) mathematical knowledge and mathematics anxiety affect their success in a mathematics methods course. Also examined the hypothesis that a mathematics methods course can reduce the mathematics anxiety of these teachers. One finding is that mathematics anxiety does not inhibit their learning of…

The Nature of Science Scale (NOSS) was administered to 21 preservice students in a science teaching methods course. Their performance was compared to that of 24 preservice teachers who took the NOSS in 1969. Results show that the 1984 group was significantly higher than the 1969 group. (JN)

Discusses topics and issues related to the preservice and inservice training of mathematics teachers in England. The role and uses of teacher centers are included, noting differences between the use of centers by elementary and secondary teachers. (JN)