Enhancing Classroom Management Skills: Efficacy of a Supplemental Multi-Platform Intervention for Preservice Teachers

Michael Rosenberg,Art Gould,Kate Ingraham,Sunny Duerr,Karen Bell

doi:10.14305/jn.19440413.2021.14.1.01

Abstract

Many teachers are ill-prepared to apply practices that can both preempt and address challenging behaviors that interfere with academic instruction. We evaluated the efficacy of a supplemental multi-platform (direct instruction, guided practice, and mixed reality simulations) intervention designed for preservice teachers who do not have opportunities to participate in formal classroom management courses. Efficacy of the intervention was assessed through the quality of classroom management plans, the presentation and implementation of the plan in the virtual classroom, and classroom management self-efficacy. Results indicated that preservice teachers successfully developed quality proactive classroom management plans but struggled to present and implement their plans. However, self-efficacy increased indicating that participants believed they were better able to manage classroom behavior than they did prior to the intervention. Implications of these outcomes are discussed with an emphasis on how adequate opportunities to practice acquired classroom management skills are included in budget-challenged teacher preparation programs.

Highlights

Classroom management continues to be a major source of concern and anxiety for preservice and inservice teachers (Melnick & Meister, 2008; Scott, 2017; Veenman, 1984)
Effective classroom management is critical for student success (Scheuermann & Hall, 2016), many educator preparation programs (EPPs) provide prospective teachers little formal preparation in this critical area (Begeny & Martens, 2006; Mitchell et al, 2017)
The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of a multiplatform intervention to prepare preservice teachers who do not have the opportunity to participate in a specific classroom management course in evidence-based inclusive proactive classroom management practices

Summary

Introduction

Classroom management continues to be a major source of concern and anxiety for preservice and inservice teachers (Melnick & Meister, 2008; Scott, 2017; Veenman, 1984). Sometimes referred to as Tier 1 activities, focus on enhancing preventive and protective factors in ways that encourage students to meet behavioral expectations At this level, classrooms are organized by developing a mission statement (a purpose statement linking appropriate behavior to academic success), rules, procedures, and consequences for appropriate and inappropriate behavior (e.g., Lewis & Sugai, 1999; McLeskey et al, 2018; Rosenberg & Jackman, 2003). We developed and evaluated the efficacy of a 12hour instructional module made up of three components: (1) a direct instruction seminar that directly taught the inclusive or universal evidence-based classroom management concepts; (2) guided practice through on-line validated IRIS Center modules (e.g., The IRIS Center, 2021; Sayeski et al, 2015); and (3) direct application of skills with feedback through mixed reality simulations (TeachLive; e.g., Dieker et al, 2008; Pas et al, 2016). Duerr, Ingraham, Bell, & Gould developed through procedures developed by TeachLive researchers and are detailed in the methodology

Objectives

Methods

Conclusion