Lori Olafson

This study examined differences between university students who were caught and sanctioned for cheating, students admitting to cheating but who were not caught, and students reporting that they had never cheated. Our findings showed that noncheaters are older, have better grade point averages, and have more sophisticated moral and epistemological reasoning skills. Qualitative analyses revealed that denial of responsibility and injury were the most common neutralization techniques and differed between the sanctioned and self-reported cheaters. We discuss the need to examine the extent to which reasoning skills have a causal impact on cheating behaviors.

This goal of this mixed-methods study was to examine teachers' beliefs about citizenship and citizenship education in a social studies methods course that emphasized social action. Nineteen graduate students participated in the study and completed two pre- and posttest surveys that measured three citizenship worldviews and self-reported civic knowledge. Qualitative data sources included document collection and individual interviews. Results showed increased scores on indices of justice-oriented citizenship and civic knowledge, and that the implementation of a social action project changed beliefs and practices. The participants overcame initial concerns and constraints and recognized the value of a social action project in terms of student learning and their own teaching practices.

This paper describes a university–school collaboration that resulted in the creation and implementation of a field-based teacher education program. Key features of this program included immersion in the field, integrated curriculum, supported reflection, and technology integration. After describing the development and implementation of the program, we discuss the results stemming from systematic reflection on the significance of the experience.