{"id":22672,"date":"2017-11-20T10:25:42","date_gmt":"2017-11-20T15:25:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/?p=22672"},"modified":"2022-03-16T12:21:30","modified_gmt":"2022-03-16T16:21:30","slug":"ub-virtual-reality-teacher-training","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/ub-virtual-reality-teacher-training\/","title":{"rendered":"UB\u2019s Virtual Reality Method for Teacher Training Acts as \u2018Flight Simulator for Teachers\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

Generally, teachers learn to cope with real classroom dynamics through experience, which leaves new, inexperienced teachers at a disadvantage. But that won\u2019t be the case for those with access to the virtual reality training method developed by two <\/span>University at Buffalo<\/span> education researchers, which simulates a real classroom setting showcasing difficult student behaviors.<\/span><\/p>\n

Virtual reality or VR is a technology that creates realistic representation of a real environment to simulate a user\u2019s physical presence in an imagined environment. When used as a teaching tool, VR allows new or student teachers to practice teaching as if they were present in a real classroom. <\/span><\/p>\n

This VR training program is unique in that the researchers — <\/span>Richard Lamb<\/span><\/a>, associate professor in the Department of Learning and Instruction and director of the Neurocognition Science Laboratory<\/a> at UB, <\/span>and <\/span>Elisabeth Etopio<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>director of the Teacher Education Institute and interim assistant dean for teacher education at UB — <\/span>use real students in their simulated classroom. <\/span><\/p>\n

The researchers, with the help of Crosswater Digital Media<\/span>, <\/span>used 360-degree cameras to film seventh and eighth graders at Enterprise Charter School, a local school, acting out scenarios of difficult student behaviors. <\/span><\/p>\n

The VR program functions as a \u201c<\/span>flight simulator for teachers<\/span><\/a>,\u201d according to the researchers. Just as student pilots practice flying with flight simulators, student teachers can now practice teaching with this VR training program. <\/span><\/p>\n

But the program is not limited for use by student teachers only. The program is being used by <\/span>Enterprise Charter School to train its \u201cteachers in classroom management and to assist teachers with dealing with behavior management in the classroom\u201d and has already received high praise from its teachers and administrators, <\/span>according to UBNow<\/span><\/a>. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis is meant as a training simulator for pre-service and in-service teachers to garner experience in dealing with situations such as difficult student behaviors, teaching methods, classroom management in general, and other activities as needed,\u201d Lamb <\/span>said in a statement<\/span><\/a>. <\/span>\u201cSo when the teaching student steps into the classroom, they have some idea of what to do.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The researchers see the VR training program not as a replacement, but as a supplement to the usual in-class training programs. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not meant to fully replace clinical opportunities for teaching students,\u201d Lamb said in a statement. \u201cThe virtual reality-based simulated classroom is a tool that provides students repeated practice in an environment \u2014 without consequence to actual students \u2014 where they can target skills needed for successful teaching in the classroom.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n