The effects of simulation feedback and didactic discussion classroom management training on teachers' cognitive and applied knowledge

The study compared the effects of simulation feedback and didactic discussion classroom management training on teachers' differential attention to student behavior. The comparison between treatment conditions was carried across and within each group. The hypotheses were that both treatment groups would score similarly on the Cognitive test and on the use of negative consequences on the Simulation test; the simulation feedback group would have a significantly greater percentage of its students on-task on the Pla-Check and would have significantly greater gains on the following Simulation test subanalyses: overall use of teacher intervention techniques, utilization of positive consequences, use of setting events, and utilization of consequences.

For the experimental groups, didactic discussion, and simulation feedback, teacher behavior was analyzed on a cognitive knowledge test of classroom management principles, an applied skill test (Simulation test) prior to entering the field experience, and a Pla-Check analysis of the percentage of their students that were on-task and off-task during the Simulation test and in the field experience classrooms. Observers assessed teacher behavior on the Teacher Intervention Checklist during their student teaching. The Lindquist I mixed design was used in the data analysis.

The results indicated that the classroom experimental groups were comparable on the Cognitive knowledge test. The simulation feedback group had significantly higher ratings than the didactic discussion group on the following dependent measures: Pla-Check, overall use of teacher intervention techniques on the Simulation test, employment of positive consequences on the Simulation test, use of setting events on the Simulation test, and employment of consequences on the Simulation test. The didactic discussion group used significantly more negative consequences on the Simulation test than the simulation feedback group. Criterion by inspection analysis of the field experience indicated that the SF group was noticeably more successful in maintaining their students' on-task behavior (Pla-Check) in the field classrooms than the DD group.