This study presents a rollercoaster activity including virtual reality and following the six-steps engineering design process. In the study, a real-life problem involving a rollercoaster accident was given to 12 pre-service science teachers first. The participants were then asked to imagine, plan, create, and test a rollercoaster without an…

It is critical that pre-service teachers have exposure to practice in order to be successful in their future classrooms. This article describes a step-by-step process of implementing mixed-reality simulation (real-time interaction with avatars, similar to what one would find in a video game) in teacher preparation courses in order to provide…

Teacher preparation programs have acknowledged the need to address the topic of collaboration in coursework; however, few educator preparation programs require collaboration courses or address the interpersonal aspects involved in teaching in other required courses. Working with families is essential in the field of special education, and…

Practice makes perfect…this saying is a popular cliché, but it has validity when referencing the abundance of practice necessary to learn and master a new technique or skill. Like playing a game, honing a skill, or using a new technique, teaching requires practice to learn and improve. Working with preservice STEM teachers (PSTs), my goal was to…

Mixed-reality teaching simulations can provide preservice special educators with targeted practice on instructional skills. The last decade of research indicates participation in a simulated classroom produced gains in preservice teachers' use of evidence-based teaching practices and increased their confidence in working with students with…

Purpose: This work aligns with two of the following NAPDS Essentials: Clinical Preparation and Learning and Leading. The authors collaborated with district partners to determine how to best meet their needs. Additionally, our institution continues to develop a reciprocal relationship; pre-service teachers can hone skills during the clinical field…

There is a notable lack of opportunity for students in pre-service professional training programs and faculty in higher education to collaborate and work together, across disciplines within a common area of professional expertise. In this case, a faculty learning community (FLC) was formed to create a set of video-based simulations based on…

An emerging issue in many physical education teacher education programs across the country is the limited pedagogical knowledge and hands on teaching experience of pre-service teachers going into any early clinical setting. Due to the lack of experience and knowledge, pre-service teachers may not be successful when given the opportunity to provide…

Aim/Purpose: This paper describes a technologies education model for introducing Simulation Learning and Extended Reality (XR) solution creation skills and knowledge to students at the tertiary education level, which is broadly applicable to higher education-based contexts of teaching and learning. Background: This work is made possible via the…

Virtual reality (VR) is no longer a surprisingly novel technology. Most art educators have heard about VR, although they may not have a detailed knowledge of or experience with it. However, as VR has become commercialized, education researchers have also looked at using VR for teaching, and they have discussed its effects on students' learning.…

The global COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted normal face-to-face classes across institutions. This has significantly impacted methods courses where preservice teachers (PSTs) practice pedagogy in the field (e.g., in the PreK-12 classroom). In this paper, we describe efforts to adapt an assignment originally situated in a face-to-face school…

Teacher Moments is an open source resource for teacher educators to create and use practice-based simulations in teacher education. Teacher Moments may be used to create digital clinical simulations (DCS) which are defined as opportunities for improvisational interaction with scripted character(s). During the COVID-19 crisis, we implemented an…

Game-based learning has become increasingly popular in recent years and has drawn an increasing level of attention in education. While the preliminary findings of educational gaming impact are quite promising, the current dilemma is the disconnect between what is available on the market and what is needed in the classroom. There has been an…

This article describes the collaborative journey of two elementary education instructors at a large metropolitan university in the Southeast Region of the United States as they transformed and developed an innovative, engaging, and meaningful assignment utilizing adult avatars in TeachLivE™ to simulate parent-teacher reading conferences. The…

Two professors of education discuss their experiences using a virtual reality program to help preservice teachers gain classroom management skills. They say the platform provides an authentic-and convenient--environment in which education students can develop their practice and gain confidence without making mistakes with real students.