Section archive - Instruction in Teacher Training

This collective case study focuses on two teachers who use documentary film to teach about controversial events. The goal of the study is to better understand teacher selection and use of film as part of pedagogy and the experiences of students who are engaged in deliberative activities with film. In this case, teachers utilized film to help students examine two controversial events in U.S. history. The teachers utilize film as a neutral source for students to use as evidence for taking a position, despite the value-laden perspectives included in the films. Implications for teachers, teacher educators, and especially democratic and social studies education researchers are examined.

The author reviews research related to mathematics education and cooperative learning. Furthermore, she discusses how teachers might assist students in cooperative groups to provide equitable opportunities to learn. The author concludes by considering unresolved questions in the field and proposing directions for future research.

This critical analysis of trends in the field of social emotional learning (SEL) in the United States considers how ideas concerning emotional skills and competencies have informed programmatic discourse. SEL refers to programs that attempt to enhance EI and emotional literacy and/or the development of what are perceived to be fundamental social and emotional skills and competencies. For this review, the author focuses on the practitioner-oriented literature in SEL, using both print and Internet sources. While currently stressing links between SEL and academic achievement, program literature also places emphasis on ideals of caring, community, and diversity.

This study investigated the use of video cases to teach literacy instruction to special education pre-service teachers. Results suggest that video cases did not result in greater learning of phonemic awareness or reading comprehension topics than traditional lectures with discussion teaching.