Presented at CELDA 2013 in Fort Worth

1. simSchool
Impacts of Teaching Virtual Students
Curtin University is a trademark of Curtin University of Technology
CRICOS Provider Code 00301J
22.10.2013

2. simSchool
 A „flight simulator‟ for
teaching
Uses a computational model of
teaching and learning
 Supports practice &
reflection re: teaching
challenges
* Classroom management
* Instructional activity design
* Psychology of learning
Curtin University is a trademark of Curtin University of Technology
CRICOS Provider Code 00301J

3. simSchool‟s „Interactive Engine‟
What
context
teachers
see
Independent
Variables
Observable
Variables
student
outcomes
Curtin University is a trademark of Curtin University of Technology
CRICOS Provider Code 00301J
What teachers do
Hidden
Variables
Dependent
Variables
How students
react

4. 3-Aspect simStudent Personality
(Hidden Variables)
 Openness to
learning
 Conscientiousness
 Extroversion or
introversion
 Agreeableness
 Neuroticism emotional stability
Curtin University is a trademark of Curtin University of Technology
CRICOS Provider Code 00301J
 Visual
 Auditory
 Kinesthetic
 Expected academic
performance

5. Interpersonal Circumplex
(Hidden Variables)
Teachers and
students
interact with
one another by
negotiating
power and
affiliation
Curtin University is a trademark of Curtin University of Technology
CRICOS Provider Code 00301J

6. Dynamically Generated Profiles
(Observable Variables)
 A text database of
personality
elements allows 5
statements per
element
 This produces 5 ^
10 or 9.7 million
written profiles
Curtin University is a trademark of Curtin University of Technology
CRICOS Provider Code 00301J

7. Student Behavior
(Observable Variables)
Body posture offers clues
“I am trying
hard to
complete my work”
Verbal responses reflect
student‟s internal state
Curtin University is a trademark of Curtin University of Technology
CRICOS Provider Code 00301J

8. What Teachers Do
(Independent Variables)
 Select Tasks
Emotional, Physical & Cognitive current states of
students interact with task requirements
A Zone of Proximal Development determines time-tosuccess on task and effects student attitudes
 Talk to simStudents
Questions, observations, or assertions about academic
or, behavioral issues
Curtin University is a trademark of Curtin University of Technology
CRICOS Provider Code 00301J

9. simSchool Theories
 Zone of Proximal Development
 OCEAN model of psychology
 Physical model of sensation-perception
 Social Expectation States Theory concerning
tasks
 Complex Systems
 System dynamics
Curtin University is a trademark of Curtin University of Technology
CRICOS Provider Code 00301J

10. Zone of Proximal Development
TASK Requirements
Time on Task
ZPD of the STUDENT
Curtin University is a trademark of Curtin University of Technology
CRICOS Provider Code 00301J

11. Dynamics of Task Completion
Sally
Task
V
A
K
Curtin University is a trademark of Curtin University of Technology
CRICOS Provider Code 00301J
O
C
E
A
N
n…

12. Dynamic Landscapes
Task
Student
Curtin University is a trademark of Curtin University of Technology
CRICOS Provider Code 00301J

13. Impacts across studies since 2006
Curtin University is a trademark of Curtin University of Technology
CRICOS Provider Code 00301J

14. Impacts across studies since 2006 show
increases in:
 Instructional Self-Efficacy (confidence in one‟s
competence),
 Learner Locus of Control (the teacher‟s sense of
responsibility for learning results)
 Teaching Skills (self-estimates)
(Knezek, Fisser, Gibson, Christensen, & Tyler-Wood, 2012)
 Pedagogical Balance (confidence viz experience)
Curtin University is a trademark of Curtin University of Technology
CRICOS Provider Code 00301J

15. Impacts in 2007
 Instructional Self-Efficacy gains were significant and
roughly twice as large as gains in the comparison group
 Learning Locus of Control movement was noted in the
direction of stronger belief that the teacher can influence a
student‟s achievement potential.
Curtin University is a trademark of Curtin University of Technology
CRICOS Provider Code 00301J

16. Impacts in 2008
 Significant gains (p < .001) in Instructional Self-Efficacy,
with an effect size of .44
 Significant gains from pre- to post-assessment in the
Teaching Skills subscale (p < .001), with an effect size of
.44
Curtin University is a trademark of Curtin University of Technology
CRICOS Provider Code 00301J

17. Impacts in 2011
 Gains in Instructional Self-Efficacy (p < .01, one-tailed
hypothesis),
 Learning Locus of Control (p < .01, one-tailed)
 Teaching Skills (p < .03, one-tailed)
…were sufficiently large (p < .05) to reject the null
hypothesis of occurrence by chance.
Curtin University is a trademark of Curtin University of Technology
CRICOS Provider Code 00301J

18. Conclusions
 Findings reported to date illustrate that simulations are
capable of modeling a wide range of student learning, and
can be envisioned as having significant impacts on
improvements in teaching.
 The findings of different gains in treatment versus
comparison group indicators can be interpreted as
evidence that the instruments work and that the simulator
is useful. Further research is needed to verify long-term
impacts of simSchool on teacher quality and K-12 student
learning.
Curtin University is a trademark of Curtin University of Technology
CRICOS Provider Code 00301J

19. simSchool
Impacts of Teaching Virtual Students
Curtin University is a trademark of Curtin University of Technology
CRICOS Provider Code 00301J
22.10.2013