This thesis reports research which employed quantitative data collection methods to investigate pre-service teacher perceptions of extended practicum learning environments of pre-service teachers at a Catholic university and their self-efficacy for future teaching. By drawing on learning environment research, practicum in teacher education literature, student teacher practicum evaluation data and stakeholder perceptions of dimensions of the ACU extended practicum learning environment, an instrument, a 72-item questionnaire, the Extended Practicum Learning Environment Inventory (EPLEI) was developed and validated. To establish relationships between student teacher perceptions of the extended practicum learning environment and their self-efficacy for future teaching, a Student Teacher Efficacy Instrument (STEI) was also developed. Data were collected from student teachers using the EPLEI and the STEI. In 2001, the total sample consisted of 64 students. Recognising that there are a number of dimensions to the learning environments of the extended practicum and to assess differences in student teacher and supervising teacher perceptions of the same extended practicum learning environment, supervising teachers responded to an analogous form of the EPLEI. In 2002, the sample consisted of 57 student teachers and their supervising teachers. Statistical analyses were performed on the quantitative data and revealed some statistically significant differences in the way student teachers and supervising teachers perceive the same environment. Statistical analyses also revealed significant differences in student teachers perceptions of extended practicum environments in relation to school type. Student teachers who participated in the extended practicum in Catholic schools perceived the learning environments more positively than student teachers in State and Other Christian schools. The analyses revealed significant associations between student teacher perceptions of the extended practicum learning environments and their self-efficacy for future teaching. This research clearly demonstrates that extended practicum experiences of student teachers at a Catholic university are affected by features at both classroom and school levels

The main purposes of this study were to explore teacher participate school-based in-service teacher education and professional development in the Kaohsiung Elementary school. This study adopted the questionnaire-survey approach. 327 sample from forty-four Kaohsiungs¡¦ elementary schools. The instrument for the study: ¡§the Questionnaire of School-Based in-service Teacher Education and Professional Development¡¦¡¦ were developed by the researcher and included two scales, one was ¡§the Scale of School-Based in-service Teacher Education Present Situation¡¦¡¦ and the other was ¡§the Scale of Professional Development¡¦¡¦. The methods for data analysis were descriptive statistics, t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson-moment correlation. The following four were concluded: 1.The concept of school-based in-service teacher education is one kind from bottom to top, activity that relying mainly on school to in-service teacher education. 2.The teachers¡¦ of Kaohsiung will participate in school-based in-service education present situation of differed in terms respondents¡¦ background variables. 3.The teachers¡¦ of Kaohsiung professional development of differed in terms respondents background variables. 4.There was significant correlation between school-based in-service teacher education and professional development. Finally, some suggestions were raised to the teacher of elementary school, the administration of elementary school, and future research.

This thesis explores the relationships between pre-service teacher training, peace education, anti-racism education, gender equity education and conflict resolution. Specifically, this study investigates the mandatory School and Society course within the Initial Teacher Education Program at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto, to explore peace education training within the pre-service teacher education program. The methodology employed involves the combination of a curriculum analysis and reflective case study; both are utilized to illustrate the author’s experiences as a pre-service student, and the training received during this program. The findings illustrate that components of a peace education curriculum are observable in the Initial Teacher Education program. There is however, no formal requirement for delivering peace education within the program. As a result, this thesis offers recommendations for the development of formal peace education training in OISE/UT’s pre-service program.

This study explores one aspect of the professional preparation of students graduating from teacher education institutions. A case study of one of the University of Canterbury College of Education’s initial teacher education programmes (the BTchLn (Primary) qualification) is the focus for this study. The purpose of the study is to illustrate what school employers from the Canterbury region, and BTchLn (Primary) graduates and teacher educators from the University of Canterbury, consider as important practices when preparing graduating-year students for the beginning-teacher employment process. This study addresses the lack of systematic research into the employment of beginning teachers within a New Zealand setting. The study employs a case study approach and involves two stages of data gathering. Quantitative data is collected in Stage One to identify potential participants for the case study. More substantive qualitative data are collected in Stage Two through semi-structured interviews conducted with samples of school principals, graduates and initial teacher education lecturers from the Canterbury region. The findings suggest that the decentralised system of employment in operation in New Zealand has made the employment process complex for teachers entering the profession because schools have developed their own individual practices and preferences in the employment-related area and advertise their beginning-teacher positions while students are still completing their programme of study. The findings also suggest that lecturers at the University of Canterbury perform an important and valued function when they prepare their graduating-year students for employment, although there are both strengths and weaknesses in their current employment-related programme and practices. This case study will inform course and qualification reviews planned at the University of Canterbury, and will be of interest to other teacher education organisations in New Zealand that prepare their graduating-year students for employment.

The Education Lab is a specialized lab section of an Earth and Ocean Sciences introductory Geology lab that is geared towards teacher education candidates and uses a constructivist approach through the model of E-D-U (Explore, Discuss, Understand). The EOS120 Education Lab was started in 2005 by David Blades and Eileen Van der Flier-Keller and continues to the present. The goal of this study was to assess the lingering effects, if any, of the Education Lab on the pedagogy of those participants that had continued through their teacher education. Qualitative analysis shows that the lab has had a lasting impact on the participants of this study, including the use of hands-on inquiry and constructivist principles in their pedagogy as well as an increase in participant interest and positive attitudes towards Earth Science and science in general. / Graduate

This thesis explores the relationships between pre-service teacher training, peace education, anti-racism education, gender equity education and conflict resolution. Specifically, this study investigates the mandatory School and Society course within the Initial Teacher Education Program at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto, to explore peace education training within the pre-service teacher education program. The methodology employed involves the combination of a curriculum analysis and reflective case study; both are utilized to illustrate the author’s experiences as a pre-service student, and the training received during this program. The findings illustrate that components of a peace education curriculum are observable in the Initial Teacher Education program. There is however, no formal requirement for delivering peace education within the program. As a result, this thesis offers recommendations for the development of formal peace education training in OISE/UT’s pre-service program.

No description available.

This research study examined the most salient experiences that facilitated the multicultural understanding, development, and practices of effective teachers of diverse students. Field notes collected during four months of participant observation in addition to teacher and student interviews provided the data for this study. Critical race theory was used as a framework for exploring the factors influencing the teachers' educational philosophies and pedagogical practices. The data for this study were analyzed according to emerging themes, depicting each teacher's background experiences, instructional philosophies and practices, and their recommendations for pre-service teacher teacher education. The following themes emerged from the data analysis and interpretations: (1) Teachers' background experiences provoked an awareness of societal influences on race; (2) Teachers' understanding of the sociocultural factors of race influenced their pedagogical decisions; (3) Teachers' critical awareness promoted a comprehensive view of students and their behaviors. The implications from this study suggest that opportunities to critically examine society promote an understanding of how societal messages both implicit and explicit influence thinking which in turn affects how teachers and students participate in the process of "schooling." / Ph. D.

Dentre os muitos e bem conhecidos problemas relacionados ao ensino de Ciências, a falta de planejamento dos professores vem contribuindo para agravar ainda mais esses problemas. Na prática escolar existe grande dificuldade em compreender a necessidade de um processo de planejamento e de torná-lo real. Atualmente o planejamento é rejeitado por professores que por obrigação se limitam a elaborar seu plano burocraticamente, apenas para atender as exigências da Instituição. Esta pesquisa buscou investigar as concepções sobre planejamento e elaboração do plano de curso de sete professores de Química de escolas estaduais de São Paulo que participaram do Projeto Laboratório Didático Virtual (LabVirt) desenvolvido pela Escola do Futuro da Universidade de São Paulo. Buscou investigar também a possibilidade de uma ação de formação contínua ter efetividade prática na promoção de mudanças significativas na elaboração dos planos de curso destes professores, enfatizando não apenas os conteúdos, mas também os objetivos, os métodos, os recursos e a avaliação. Os dados desta pesquisa foram coletados na forma de questionários, entrevistas e planos de curso pré e pós-projeto e organizados em mapas cognitivos por permitem uma visão idiossincrática de cada indivíduo. Os resultados obtidos sugerem que os professores entendem o processo de planejamento como necessário para organizar os conteúdos conceituais que serão ensinados durante o ano. Seus planos de curso seguem o modelo padrão estabelecido pela maioria das escolas (objetivo, conteúdo, metodologia e avaliação) e não refletem o \"quê fazer\" do professor. As atividades desenvolvidas no LabVirt pouco contribuíram para modificações nos planos de curso, na medida que os planos elaborados pós-projeto são praticamente idênticos aos do pré-projeto. Apesar disso, todos assumem que o fato de ter um plano de aulas bem organizado, facilita e orienta a prática docente mostrando então que perceberam a importância do planejamento no seu dia-a-dia. / Among the many and well-known problems related to science education, the poor preparation of teaching plannings make these problems worse. Most in-service teachers have difficulties to understand the necessity of the planning process, and to bring it to reality. In general, teachers reject planning, for they consider it only as an imposition of the school´s bureaucratic structure. The aim of this research was to investigate the conceptions on planning and the elaboration of course plans of seven Chemistry teachers working in public schools from the state of São Paulo, and which took part in the Virtual Didactic Laboratory Project (LabVirt) developed by the \"Escola do Futuro\" of the University of São Paulo. Another aim was to investigate the effects of an in-service teacher education action designed to promote significative changes in the elaboration of course plans, which should focus not only contents, but also objectives, methods, resources and assessment. Data of this research consisted in answers to questionnaires, interviews and plannings which were collected before and after the LabVirt activities. Data were organized in cognitive maps, which allowed an idiossincratic view the participants. The results suggested that the teachers understand the planning process as necessary to organize the conceptual contents that will be taught during the year. Their annual plannings follow the established pattern in most schools, and do not properly reflects the teachers´ practices. The activities developed in the LabVirt project brought few contributions to the modification of course plans, since the plans elaborated after the project activities were practically the same those made before them. However, most teachers recognized the importance of a well-elaborated class plan. The importance of planning to their everyday practice seemed to have been assimilated by the teachers.

<p><font face="Times-Roman" size="3"><font face="Times-Roman" size="3"> <p align="left">The purpose of this study was therefore to address the following primary research question: &lsquo / What effect would a specially designed, developed, implemented and evaluated Material Science (MS) course have on serving teachers in terms of their perceptions and knowledge/understanding regarding content in MS and instructional practice in D&amp / T?&rsquo / </p> </font></font></p>