ERIC Number: EJ1031976
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2014
Pages: 16
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1359-866X
EISSN: N/A
Pre-Service Teachers' Perceptions of simSchool as Preparation for Inclusive Education: A Pilot Study
Rayner, Christopher; Fluck, Andrew
Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, v42 n3 p212-227 2014
The shift towards the inclusion of students with disabilities in regular schools has meant that general classroom teachers need to be skilled in educating students with a diverse range of needs and abilities. Together with theoretical study and as a supplement to practical experience, teacher educators have begun to explore virtual and simulated classrooms to help prepare pre-service teachers for the complexity of the teaching profession. In this pilot study, we examined the perspective of pre-service teachers on a classroom simulation program called "simSchool." Two-hour-long tutorial sessions focusing on catering for student diversity and the educational needs of students with autism spectrum disorder were conducted. The pre-service teachers' responses to an 11-item questionnaire are discussed, highlighting the potential of simSchool as well as some current limitations of this approach in the context of Australian teacher education courses.
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Teacher Education, Preservice Teachers, Inclusion, Disabilities, Student Diversity, Teacher Educators, Virtual Classrooms, Computer Simulation, Pilot Projects, Autism, Pervasive Developmental Disorders, Questionnaires, Tutorial Programs, Qualitative Research, Statistical Analysis
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education; Elementary Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Australia
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A