Association for Behavior Analysis International

The purpose of this paper is to examine undergraduate preservice teachers' perceptions and experiences with simulated classroom exercises as a part of their regular coursework in a department of teacher education. The software program that will be used is simSchool, a simulated classroom environment that supports preservice teacher practice in pedagogy and content. These simulated classroom interactions are intended to promote effective quality learning experiences and to help the preservice teachers identify their learning needs and objectives with virtual students before they participate in actual field experiences or in student teaching. For each simulation, a series of metrics is offered by simSchool to evaluate each individual session and these metrics will be presented and discussed. The preservice teachers were also asked to write a reflection piece about their experience with each session and to describe any improvements in their experience from the first to the second simulation. The paper will contribute to the existing literature on using simulations for preprofessional and development.

Federal mandates require that teachers implement evidence-based practices (EBP) in their classrooms; however, these practices are inconsistently implemented in both general and special education settings. Although intended to address this research-to-practice gap, teacher professional development opportunities are typically delivered in ineffective, one-shot formats. To address the need for effective professional development targeting EBP implementation in schools, this study examined the effects of a treatment package on teacher use of behavior-specific praise statements (BSPS). Specifically, this study used a multiple baseline across participants design to determine whether a functional relation exists between a professional development package incorporating video modeling and teacher rate and integrity of BSPS in general education classrooms. Eight general education elementary teachers participated in a six-week training series consisting of watching video modeling clips, practicing BSPS, and receiving feedback on BSPS delivery. Data were collected on rate of BSPS and the integrity with which teachers delivered BSPS throughout typical classroom routines. Results indicated a functional relation between the training package and rate and integrity of BSPS. Implications related to effective educator professional development and video modeling as a facilitative tool for educator skill acquisition and treatment integrity are discussed.