Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/9331
Title: VirtualPREX: Open and Distance Learning for pre-service teachers
Contributor(s): Gregory, Sue  (author)orcid ; James, Rosalind  (author)
Publication Date: 2011
Handle Link: https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/9331
Abstract: PREX is acknowledged as essential for teacher preparation and school-based practice sessions to allow pre-service teachers to apply pedagogical theories in a realistic teaching situation. Pre-service teachers invariably enter the workforce ill equipped for their professional role. This unpreparedness contributes to the rise in attrition rates when students undertake Professional Experience (PREX). Formative assessment explicitly designed to promote effective learning is the single most powerful educational tool available for both supporting high-quality learning and empowering lifelong learners. Through a 3D virtual primary school classroom students can practice their classroom teaching skills via role-play, learning, teaching, evaluation, reflection and self/peer/educator-assessment to consolidate their learning. Access to classroom-based practical experience, whilst highly advantageous, is high-cost; can be problematic; offers limited self-review of performance and does not provide pre-service teachers with a sufficiently broad range of experiential professional learning opportunities. The emergence of new technologies to foster active experiential learning provides the potential to develop virtual professional practice environments comparable to a live classroom experience. This gives pre-service teachers extended practice opportunities through interaction in and with a virtual environment to try out skills and apply concepts in a realistic setting in their own time, at their own pace, through an open and distant learning opportunity. This paper discusses the design and implementation of a 3D immersive virtual professional experience environment, VirtualPREX, incorporating formative assessment and a constructivist approach to provide pre-service teachers with experiences that reflect the complex, diverse and multi-faceted nature of a teacher's role in classrooms.
Publication Type: Conference Publication
Conference Details: ICDE 2011: 24th ICDE World Conference on Open & Distance Learning: Expanding Horizons - New Approaches to Open and Distance Learning (ODL), Nasu Dua, Bali, 2nd - 5th October, 2011
Source of Publication: 24th ICDE World Conference Papers, p. 1-10
Publisher: International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE)
Place of Publication: Online
Fields of Research (FoR) 2008: 130212 Science, Technology and Engineering Curriculum and Pedagogy
130103 Higher Education
Socio-Economic Objective (SEO) 2008: 930202 Teacher and Instructor Development
930203 Teaching and Instruction Technologies
930102 Learner and Learning Processes
HERDC Category Description: E2 Non-Refereed Scholarly Conference Publication
Publisher/associated links: http://vid4edu.info/paper/index.php/icde/2011/paper/view/350
Appears in Collections:Conference Publication
School of Education

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