Abstract Teacher education programs increasingly use simulations as a teaching method for pre-ser... more Abstract Teacher education programs increasingly use simulations as a teaching method for pre-service teachers. Simulations provide opportunities for authentic practice in a controlled environment with reduced risk of harm. This instrumental case study examines the experiences of 13 pre-service teachers who participated in a session with the mixed reality simulation Mursion®, which emerged from TLE TeachLivE™, while enrolled in at least one teacher education course with a field experience. The researchers analyzed interview data with a variety of coding techniques and then drew assertions from codes and derivative themes. From data analysis, four themes emerged: opportunity for authentic practice, perceived transfer of learning, perceived confidence, and challenges of using the mixed reality simulation. The researchers drew the following conclusions from these themes. Participants considered the mixed reality simulation a more authentic form of practice than what their observations during field experiences afforded. Participants perceived transfer of learning from observations of peers during sessions with the mixed reality simulation to performance during their own sessions. Some participants perceived increased confidence in applying skills practiced during the simulation to work with live students and parents. Using the mixed reality simulation posed challenges including suspension of disbelief, meeting candidates' needs, and the presence of a peer audience. This study has implications for future use of mixed reality simulations for teacher preparation.
The Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework describes online learning as a collaborative process sup... more The Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework describes online learning as a collaborative process supported by social presence, teaching presence, and cognitive presence, which work together to facilitate critical thinking and learning. The technology used in an online class can facilitate a CoI when its features support, rather than constrain, activities that promote these three elements. Affordance theory provides a starting place for matching technology features to teaching and learning goals. Based on affordances and constraints, we analyzed the use of technology in our online and hybrid courses to evaluate how well our chosen tools supported each CoI element, noting ways in which we might better capitalize on a tool’s affordances in future iterations of the course. By sharing our reflections, we provide instructors with an example of how they might apply a research-based framework to their own use of technology in the online environment for more effective course design that better supports student learning.
Use of flipped learning environments, where content is delivered online outside of class and clas... more Use of flipped learning environments, where content is delivered online outside of class and class time features student-centered activities, is an increasingly popular way to facilitate active learning. The success of classroom activities, however, depends on students’ willingness to complete the out-of-class work and come to class well prepared. Therefore, it is important for instructors to understand students’ attitudes towards required pre-class preparation. This study used an online questionnaire, featuring both Likert-type and open-ended questions, to explore students’ attitudes towards the online video used in a flipped undergraduate science class. Results showed moderately positive attitudes toward the pre-class video lecture, but also some strongly negative attitudes. Results of this study can help instructors understand both the benefits of flipped learning from the student perspective and the likely sources of resistance. This understanding can help instructors anticipate students’ concerns and provide effective orientation when introducing the flipped learning model in undergraduate courses.
Abstract Teacher education programs increasingly use simulations as a teaching method for pre-ser... more Abstract Teacher education programs increasingly use simulations as a teaching method for pre-service teachers. Simulations provide opportunities for authentic practice in a controlled environment with reduced risk of harm. This instrumental case study examines the experiences of 13 pre-service teachers who participated in a session with the mixed reality simulation Mursion®, which emerged from TLE TeachLivE™, while enrolled in at least one teacher education course with a field experience. The researchers analyzed interview data with a variety of coding techniques and then drew assertions from codes and derivative themes. From data analysis, four themes emerged: opportunity for authentic practice, perceived transfer of learning, perceived confidence, and challenges of using the mixed reality simulation. The researchers drew the following conclusions from these themes. Participants considered the mixed reality simulation a more authentic form of practice than what their observations during field experiences afforded. Participants perceived transfer of learning from observations of peers during sessions with the mixed reality simulation to performance during their own sessions. Some participants perceived increased confidence in applying skills practiced during the simulation to work with live students and parents. Using the mixed reality simulation posed challenges including suspension of disbelief, meeting candidates' needs, and the presence of a peer audience. This study has implications for future use of mixed reality simulations for teacher preparation.
The Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework describes online learning as a collaborative process sup... more The Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework describes online learning as a collaborative process supported by social presence, teaching presence, and cognitive presence, which work together to facilitate critical thinking and learning. The technology used in an online class can facilitate a CoI when its features support, rather than constrain, activities that promote these three elements. Affordance theory provides a starting place for matching technology features to teaching and learning goals. Based on affordances and constraints, we analyzed the use of technology in our online and hybrid courses to evaluate how well our chosen tools supported each CoI element, noting ways in which we might better capitalize on a tool’s affordances in future iterations of the course. By sharing our reflections, we provide instructors with an example of how they might apply a research-based framework to their own use of technology in the online environment for more effective course design that better supports student learning.
Use of flipped learning environments, where content is delivered online outside of class and clas... more Use of flipped learning environments, where content is delivered online outside of class and class time features student-centered activities, is an increasingly popular way to facilitate active learning. The success of classroom activities, however, depends on students’ willingness to complete the out-of-class work and come to class well prepared. Therefore, it is important for instructors to understand students’ attitudes towards required pre-class preparation. This study used an online questionnaire, featuring both Likert-type and open-ended questions, to explore students’ attitudes towards the online video used in a flipped undergraduate science class. Results showed moderately positive attitudes toward the pre-class video lecture, but also some strongly negative attitudes. Results of this study can help instructors understand both the benefits of flipped learning from the student perspective and the likely sources of resistance. This understanding can help instructors anticipate students’ concerns and provide effective orientation when introducing the flipped learning model in undergraduate courses.
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