The Persistent Issues in History Laboratory for Virtual Field Experience (PIH-LVFE) combines a database of video cases of authentic classroom practices with multiple resources and tools to enable pre-service social studies teachers to virtually observe teachers implementing problem-based learning activities. In this paper, we present the results of two studies designed to provide formative evaluation results from our initial implementations of PIH-LVFE resources with pre-service social studies teachers. In study A, we examined usability issues with regard to the PIH-LVFE interface with a small group of pre-service teachers. In study B, we examined pre-service teachers' perceptions of the usefulness and benefits of PIH-LVFE resources when they were integrated into a focused reflection activity utilizing one specific video case. (Contains 5 figures and 2 tables.)