by Kassidy Hart–Every semester, Morningside education students are assigned to classrooms around the Siouxland area to meet practicum requirements for their degree. But due to COVID regulations, practicum placements were cancelled last fall and are anticipated to be a barrier again this spring.
To offer students the opportunity of fulfilling these requirements without falling behind on their degree, the education department has created a 0-1 credit Moodle course with teaching simulations through a program called simSchool until students can return to classrooms in–person.
“This gives the department time to schedule face–to–face experiences and allows students to practice simulations while schools are finishing up their first semester,” Associate Professor Joan Nielsen said.
Nielsen is one of the professors working specifically with a group of students through to guide them through this course. Just like for students, this program is a brand-new experience for Nielsen.
“It is a learning curve for me, but it is also an opportunity I can embrace. I appreciate being able to keep current with technology and simulations to further hone my own teaching practice,” Nielsen said.
And though students have had experience with multiple types of technology in the past, the system is challenging. The technology aspect of the simulation has a unique learning process compared to the face–to–face interactions the students are used to.
“It’s extremely different to being in–person. You are looking at a screen, trying to teach these students and there are not as many real reactions or situations you can choose from,” sophomore Olivia Draves said.
Despite the experience being new and challenging, students have found the benefits of this transformation for the semester.
“It was a good idea to have an online practicum because it keeps our community and public schools safe while still giving us the experience that we need to be successful in the future. I also think it gives us a vital lesson in how to be flexible as educators and use technology in a new way,” junior Dana Pearson said.
The course aims to enrich lesson plan composing skills and provide experience working with diverse student needs while receiving virtual coaching. Nielsen hopes this process will become more normalized for future semesters, providing support for practicum placement, application, and assessment as well as student confidence within a classroom.
“The metacognition practice is a powerful bridge to being an effective educator. We will monitor student comments and satisfactions with simSchool as well as course elements to assist us in the best direction for the new format,” Nielsen said.
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