The use of an on-line classroom simulation to enhance the decision making skills of beginning teachers

This paper describes the development and initial use of a simulation in teacher education. The simulation allows the user to take on the role of the teacher of a simulated Kindergarten classroom (children whose ages range from 5 to 6 years). As the simulation runs, the user is required to make many decisions about structuring the lesson, classroom management, and responses to individual students. The user can monitor and track the progress of three targeted students throughout the course of the simulation. Embedded tools serve as a "decision assistant" and a "thinking space" are used at decisive points in order to plan and justify new decisions, and to reflect upon the consequences of previous decisions.

Other supports include links to: textbooks; syllabus documents; inservice materials; sample artefacts collected from schools and classrooms; and other annotated online teaching resources. A pilot version of the software will be presented at the conference.