Dr. John L Pecore

Formative research is used to explore designing a holistic virtual learning experience for pre-service teachers. Experiential deliberate practice is used as a framework for designing and implementing instruction through asynchronous and synchronous learning platforms. Data were gathered through surveys, focus-group interviews, observations, and meeting minutes of discussions on the development and implementation of the program. Themes that emerged to guide the design of the virtual program using experiential deliberate practice included feedback, discrete skill practice, distributed and repeated practice, authentic scenarios, thoroughly designed self-learning modules, and the use of a rubric for feedback and reflection. The holistic program design fostered practice-based experiences with skill development to prepare pre-service teachers for real classroom experiences.

This study explores the use of a holistic virtual simulation platform to develop preservice teachers’ questioning and discussion skills. Asking effective questions and facilitating discussions are fundamental yet challenging skills for pre-service teachers to master. Robust experiences for pre-service teachers to practice questioning and discussion skills in a COVID-19 free environment are needed. Kolb’s (1984) experiential learning theory combined with Ericsson’s (2007) deliberate practice was used as a theoretical framework to design the holistic virtual simulation platform. The platform combines a synchronous experience using a virtual simulation where participants interact with avatar students, and an asynchronous experience using a learning management system for skill development. Mentor feedback based on the Danielson (2013) rubric was provided throughout both the synchronous and asynchronous events. Using a mixed-method approach, pre-service teachers’ questioning and discussion skill development and their experience of using the holistic virtual simulation platform were explored.