ERIC Number: EJ1419339
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2024-Mar
Pages: 17
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0748-8491
EISSN: EISSN-1934-8924
Training Special Education Preservice Teachers: Exploring the Use of the i-PiCS Program
Shiri Ayvazo; Hagit Inbar-Furst; Hedda Meadan
Education and Treatment of Children, v47 n1 p17-33 2024
Preparing special education preservice teachers (PTs) to serve students with autism includes understanding theoretical foundations of teaching strategies and developing competency in applying the resulting knowledge and strategies within teaching settings. The current pilot study explored the Internet-Based Parent-implemented Communication Strategies (i-PiCS) program, targeting evidence-based teaching practices, as an alternative training method in an autism field-experience course conducted online during the COVID-19 lockdown. The purpose of the pilot study was to explore changes in PTs' knowledge, confidence, and implementation of naturalistic communication teaching strategies in a pre- and postfield-experience course. The participants were nine females enrolled in a 3rd-year special education teacher preparation program. A multimethod assessment was utilized, including self-rating questions, knowledge quizzes, video-model analysis, and videotaped teaching simulations. Quantitative data were graphically displayed and compared. Teaching simulations were analyzed qualitatively. The results showed that all PTs improved the identification of instructional steps. Self-rating of knowledge and confidence level improved as well. Five PTs improved the accuracy of evaluating the instructional steps, albeit the level of fidelity of implementation improved only mildly. We conclude that i-PiCS could be useful for training PTs in a special education program. We discuss the limitations of the current application of i-PiCS and the appropriate implementation modalities that could be further explored.
Descriptors: Preservice Teacher Education, Preservice Teachers, Special Education, Special Education Teachers, Teaching Methods, Communication Strategies, Autism Spectrum Disorders, Knowledge Base for Teaching, Training Methods, Simulation, Field Instruction
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A