Content area
Full text
Abstract: National research that is a collaborative between universities and school districts is critical to ensure innovative ideas are created to directly impact teacher performance in the classroom. This paper describes a national research study on using simulation in teacher professional development to impact teacher practice. A quasi-experimental, pre-post group design was used to examine the effects of the simulator on middle school teachers' practices in mathematics. Teachers were observed in the TLE TeachLivE™ (TeachLivE) classroom simulator and in their regular classrooms to determine the effects of treatment. Trained observers (a) collected pre-post frequency counts of teacher behavior on questioning, wait time, and feedback; (b) scored teacher classroom practice on modified subconstructs of the Danielson Framework for Teaching; and (c) took qualitative field notes. Results from this study validate emerging research in the field of teacher professional development and simulation that suggests that professional learning in mixed-reality simulated classrooms can be effective in impacting teacher practice.
KEYWORDS: Danielson Framework for Teaching, preservice teachers, Professional Development Schools, High Leverage Practices, simulations, TeachLivE, teacher performance, teacher preparation, virtual environments
NAPDS NINE ESSENTIALS ADDRESSED:
2. A school-university culture committed to the preparation of future educators that embraces their active engagement in the school community;
3. Ongoing and reciprocal professional development for all participants guided by need; and
4. A shared commitment to innovative and reflective practice by all participants
Teachers are the single most important factor to influence student learning and academic outcomes, aside from the students themselves (Darling-Hammond, 2003; Kane & Staiger, 2008). High quality professional development (PD) is crucial for teachers to meet the new levels of standards in today's classrooms. The ultimate outcome of any PD is to make a positive impact on teacher practice and student academic outcomes. Due to the complex nature of collecting student data in schools (Guskey & Sparks, 2002), research on PD using the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) standards on student achievement is limited (Guskey & Yoon, 2009; U.S. Department of Education, 2008; Yoon, Duncan, Wen-Yu Lee, Scarloss, & Shapley, 2007). Yoon and colleagues (2007) reported a lack of rigorous research regarding the effects of teacher PD on student achievement, identifying over 1,300 studies between 1986 and 2003 of which only nine met the WWC evidence standards and all...