High-leverage practices (HLPs) are pedagogical strategies used across content areas to effectively impact student learning. HLPs are a critical component for pre-service teachers (PTs) to practice during clinical experiences in their teacher education programs. Historically, HLPs have been practiced directly in K-12 classrooms as isolated one-time teaching experiences. Oftentimes, these experiences are spread across multiple methods courses with limited opportunity to review the PT's performance and even greater limitations for the PT to repeat their practice and make necessary improvements. This study uses a mixed-method approach to implement repeated teaching experiences in two methods courses using virtual classroom simulations. The virtual simulations allow PTs to practice selected HLPs, review and reflect on their performance before attempting the same simulation for a second time. The use of virtual classroom simulations, allows PTs to re-create the same teaching environment, in order to focus and improve practice.
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/michelle_bacchiocchi/4/