Section archive - Trends in Teacher Education

The goal of this study was to explore the effect of Laboratory-Based (LB) and Field-Based (FB) practicum experience on pre-service teachers' efficacy levels within one Physical Education Teacher Education program. 59 undergraduate students participated in the program. The participants were placed into two groups, LB design and FB design. Both groups were administered a version of the Teacher Efficacy Scale (TES) adapted for physical education teachers at four stages of their preservice program.

In the student teaching triad model adopted in this study, pairs of pre-service teachers worked collaboratively with cooperating teachers during a 12-week field experience. The main objectives of the study were: 1. to document the benefits and challenges for pre-service teachers and cooperating teachers who participate in a triad model; 2. to describe the co-teaching models that would emerge during this experience.

The paper examines data from nine statewide administrations of the Idaho Comprehensive Literacy Assessment (ICLA) over three-years. The purpose of this paper was first to examine pre-service candidates' performance on areas of literacy knowledge. A second purpose of this paper was to highlight the challenges and benefits for faculty and programs interested in adopting a similar testing model. The article also points out the organizational and political constraints that can delay adoption and use.

Beginning teachers often identify the school principal as a key figure for support and guidance. Few teacher education conceptual models exist that significantly integrate the building principal into the clinical experiences of teacher candidates. The call for more deliberate principal involvement in preservice arises in regard to teacher attrition and retention concerns. Having the principal engage in active mentoring during preservice may positively address these issues by providing a more complete socialization and enculturation process into today’s context of schooling. A new conceptual model of collaboration (three supports for preservice teacher: mentor, university supervisor, and principal) was presented to include the principal with the preservice teacher, university supervisor, and cooperating teacher in a community of practice for teacher preparation.