Stepping into a classroom to teach for the first time can be exciting and overwhelming. Education majors at the University of Maine have the unique opportunity to practice teaching in a lab space that provides the ability to pause and receive instant feedback from supportive classmates and peers.<\/p>\n
Students also benefit from the expertise of doctoral candidate Courtney Angelosante<\/a>, a board-certified behavior analyst (BCBA), expert in Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS), and lecturer in special education with the College of Education and Human Development, who uses 91福利\u2019s TeachLivE<\/a> lab to give students an ultimate classroom experience \u2013 with virtual student avatars.<\/p>\n Angelosante sees the benefit of preparing teachers with simulation technology before they enter the classroom. Having students encounter challenges in a safe environment helps maintain a sense of self-efficacy as they begin the first years of teaching. They can make mistakes and experiment in role-playing to build their knowledge base by putting what they\u2019ve learned from lecture and study into practice.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not just learning about it \u2013 it\u2019s doing it,\u201d said Angelosante. \u201cI\u2019m proud to say we get applied experience under the belts of teachers before they get in the field with this program.\u201d<\/p>\nVirtual students simulate the reality of a classroom<\/h3>\n