摘要：Many pre-service teachers feel under-prepared to teach students
with a diverse range of needs and abilities and continue to be concerned about
classroom behaviour management when undertaking practicum experiences. In
order to address these concerns, teacher educators have explored alternative
pedagogical approaches, including computer based simulations and immersion in
virtual worlds. This paper reports on the results of a pilot study conducted with
eight pre-service teachers who operated avatars in a virtual classroom created
within Second Life (SL)™. The pre-service teachers were able to role-play
students with a diverse range of behaviours and engage in reflective discussion
about their experiences. The results showed that the pre-service teachers
appreciated the opportunity to engage in an authentic classroom experience
without impacting on "real" students, but that the platform of SL proved limiting
in enacting certain aspects of desired teaching pedagogy. The findings of this
pilot study are discussed in relation to improving the preparation of pre-service
teachers for practicum.
关键词：Inclusive practices; practicum; pre-service teachers; Second Life; virtual classroom
