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Teacher residency programs have emerged in recent years as an alternative to traditional teacher preparation. These programs place pre-service teachers, known as residents, in the classroom of a trained mentor who guides their development over the course of a school year. This resident-mentor match is a major component of the residency experience and understanding how this match influences teacher development is an important line of research. The purpose of this work was to understand how the mentor-resident match influences teacher development in a teacher residency program. We explore this topic through the triangulation of multiple data sources from a longitudinal evaluation study examining the development of secondary residents in one urban teacher residency program. Consistent with findings from previous research, we found through the examination of three resident-mentor matches that the relationship between the resident and mentor plays a critical role in the resident's development throughout the residency year and beyond. The quality of the relationship influences the resident's ability to engage in reflective practice and move from novice to expert in various domains of the teaching profession.

Purpose: Teacher residency programs (TRPs) offer an alternative to traditional models of teacher preparation with the aim of developing teachers to work and stay in hard-to-staff schools. Research on these extended field placement programs is limited and typically examines program outcomes or the experiences and development of the pre-service teachers, or residents. This study focuses on a relatively unexamined area of TRPs to explore how providing mentoring and coaching supports the professional development of the in-service TRP coaches. Design/methodology/approach: This study employed a qualitative case study design. Fourteen coaches in an urban teacher residency program were interviewed over a three-year period. Using a semi-structured protocol, participants' experiences and the influence of program participation were explored. Findings: Findings revealed that coaches experienced professional growth in their instructional practices and deepened or renewed their commitment to teaching. Program components such as evidence-based observational tools and protocols encouraged reflective practice and (re)evaluation of teaching that contributed to beliefs about improved practice. Practical implications: In-service teachers experience development in their pedagogical practices and may feel a renewed sense of professional engagement through serving as a coach for a pre-service teacher. Additionally, hard-to-staff schools that partner with TRPs to recruit and develop new teachers may find an added benefit in retaining a greater number of veteran teachers who participate as coaches in residency pre-service education programs. Originality/value: Much of the teacher residency literature explores the outcomes and experiences of pre-service teacher residents and has little focus on how these programs may benefit TRP coaches. Coaches have an essential role in the implementation and influence of residency programs on pre-service teachers, yet little is understood about how the act of coaching impacts the in-service teacher coach. This article suggests that coaches experience meaningful professional benefits of participation in TRPs and has implications for effective residency program design.

Inquiry-based instructional approaches are an effective means to actively engage students with science content and skills. This article examines the effects of an ongoing professional development program on middle and high school teachers' efficacy beliefs, confidence to teach research concepts and skills, and science content knowledge. Professional development activities included participation in a week long summer academy, designing and implementing inquiry-based lessons within the classroom, examining and reflecting upon practices, and documenting ways in which instruction was modified. Teacher beliefs were assessed at three time points, pre-, post-, and six months following the summer academy. Results indicate significant gains in reported teaching efficacy, confidence, and content knowledge from pre- to post-test. These gains were maintained at the six month follow-up. Findings across the three different time points suggest that participation in the professional development program strongly influenced participants' fundamental beliefs about their capacity to provide effective instruction in ways that are closely connected to the features of inquiry-based instruction. [This article is available as a Grantee Submission, ED564044.]

The measurement of treatment integrity is critical to evaluate the efficacy and effectiveness of evidence-based programs (EBPs) designed to improve the developmental outcomes of young children at risk of emotional/behavioral disorders. Unfortunately, the science of treatment integrity measurement lags behind the development and evaluation of EBP for young, high-risk children. This article describes the development and preliminary psychometric properties of the BEST in CLASS Adherence and Competence Scale (BiCACS), designed to measure the adherence and competence of delivery of the BEST in CLASS prevention program. Independent observers coded videotaped (n = 116) and live (n = 289) observations of teachers delivering the BEST in CLASS program. The BiCACS showed good interrater reliability and analyses provided some support for the validity of the measure. Implications for future research and integrity measurement work are discussed. [This paper was published in "Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders" (EJ1044702).]

Increased efforts to promote 21st century learning emphasize the central role of technology in instructional delivery in order to advance the multifaceted abilities and skills required for student success in an increasingly technology-rich learning and work environment. A qualitative study was conducted in a large, economically diverse, mid-Atlantic school district to examine the implementation of six technology devices in 18 elementary, middle, and high school classrooms. The purpose was to understand teachers' and students' experiences related to the instructional implications of each device to inform long term, one-to-one implementation of an appropriate technology device to meet the district's strategic goals for a 21st century learning environment. Teacher interviews and student focus groups revealed several themes related to technology integration, factors influencing implementation, impact on instruction, and impact on student motivation and engagement. Findings are discussed in relation to the district infrastructure and other considerations to support a one-to-one teaching and learning environment and how each of the six devices support the establishment of 21st century learning environments.

In response to US accountability policies and yearly performance targets, school districts are implementing periodic or benchmark assessments to provide teachers with data to improve instruction and student achievement. The tests are typically given quarterly to track student progress toward yearly accountability goals, as well as to inform teaching and identify individualized instructional enhancements to foster student achievement. Fifteen focus group sessions were conducted with 67 elementary and middle school teachers from several school districts surrounding an urban metropolitan area in Virginia to explore and better understand the ways in which benchmark testing can be used effectively as formative assessment. Participants had a range of experience from 1 to 3 to over 20 years in the classroom. The perceived quality of test items, timeliness in receiving results, accessibility of the data, and opportunities to review and discuss the results with others clearly influenced how teachers' used the assessment results. Teachers described using benchmark test results formatively to make a variety of instructional adjustments, including modifications to whole class instruction, working with students in small groups, and providing individualized support, though important factors influenced the extent of use. The findings of this study suggest that under appropriate conditions, including having valid and transparent test items, support, immediacy of results, and time to discuss with others, benchmark testing programs have the potential of providing meaningful formative assessment.

Project BEST (Basic Educational Skills and Training) is a mentoring program involving Virginia Commonwealth University students and area middle school students. In the two-tiered program, VCU faculty mentor the Project BEST college students who, in turn, serve as mentors to the middle school students. Activities include Saturday mathematics and science enrichment seminars, after-school tutoring, and a week-long mathematics and science summer camp. Outcomes of the program show that Project BEST has positively impacted students' academic achievement and achievement responsibility.

Spending a sizable amount of time may not prepare students for their state tests and hence there is a need to enhance the state-testing program by including measures of student achievement. Seven principles are presented during the high-stakes testing program that still hold true for contemporary statewide testing efforts.

Campbell, Dorothy M., Melenyzer, Beverly J., Nettles, Diane H., Wyman, Jr., Richard M. (1999). Portfolio and Performance Assessment in Teacher Education. (154 pages). Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon. $35.75. [...]

The opportunity to partake in an international technical experience is rare for undergraduate engineering students. While these programs are not common, this international exposure provides highly valuable educational experiences for students. This work highlights the approach, goals, outcomes, and improvements of year one in a three-year program where students applied engineering methods in a developing country to improve the design and fabrication of a low cost prosthetic limb known as the Jaipur Foot. Specifically, six students travelled to Jaipur, India to partake in not only technical work, but to also gain insight into how cultural differences affect engineering practice and to learn about the appropriate use of technology in the developing world. In summary, students developed important practical skills, but perhaps more importantly they acquired valuable communication skills and an understanding of the greater clinical impact of their work. This work supports the notion that global competency for engineers should be obtained through direct experiences in a different culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents abstracts of papers related to education including "An Investigation of School Leadership Priorities," and "A Qualitative Investigation of the Impact of Early-Career Experience on Teachers with Alternative Certification."