Learning the Learning Stages: An Examination of an Online Module for Training Pre-service Teachers

Abstract

Teachers of students with disabilities require a vast set of knowledge and skills for effective practice. While preparation programs provide a broad array of content and experiences through course work and guided practice, the wide scope of knowledge and skills required for beginning teachers, in conjunction with increased accessibility to online learning tools, creates an opportunity to enhance and augment teacher education beyond traditional delivery. We investigated an online module using practice-based videos with embedded training and assessment on learning stages in special education. We assessed the skills of pre-service students from three universities in the United States and Canada before and after online training in the stages of learning, specifically in self-appraisal and accuracy of identification related to instructional planning and assessment. Participants’ high self-assessment of their knowledge and skills did not match their skills in identifying the learning stages or appropriate instructional approaches.