Using Computer-Based Technology to Determine Emergent Classroom Discipline Styles in Preservice Teacher Education

Abstract

Problems related to disruptive behaviors of children in schools continue to be a topic of public debate and empirical inquiry among teachers and researchers across America. Although this problem is historic, it has resurfaced, with momentous attention during recent years. This article focuses on a computerized simulation used as an integrated component of a curriculum course. The simulation includes discipline issues with certain situations as one of six categories of emphasis. The researchers attempted to ascertain the extent to which the simulation influenced selected disciplines styles of preservice teachers before and after field experience. Chi-square, Somers'd, Gamma, Correlation, and Regression were applied to the data using after field experience as a dependent variable. Significant difference was found on “rating of simulation on discipline before–after field experience” with Chi-square analyses (χ2 = 27.196; df = 12; p < 0.007), and with regression analyses ( b = .249). Thus, preservice teachers who experienced a computerized simulation on discipline before field experience perceived the computerized simulation on discipline as an effective tool to learn discipline after their four-week field experience. Computerized simulation is shown to be helpful to preservice early childhood teachers prior to field experience. Therefore, integrating technology-based simulations into preservice teacher education programs can potentially and effectively influence solving discipline problems in real classrooms by helping preservice teachers construct their own beliefs and philosophy about discipline. Emergent themes and direct quotes from preservice early childhood teachers are shown on the aspect of discipline.