A Simulation Activity to Promote Flexibility and Adaptability in Secondary Education Students

Abstract

This study involved the instruction of preservice secondary education students in decision-making skills to help them improve their instructional planning for handicapped learners.

The first of two treatments was a discussion of adaptive techniques and the introduction of a case study activity requiring that students adapt their lesson plans to accommodate a particular handicapped child. The second treatment was a reaction by the course instructor to each student's adapted lesson plan which stated that the proposed modification did not work. Students were then asked to write a second adaptation. The instrument developed for this study yielded adaptation scores for the first treatment effect and flexibility scores for the second treatment effect.

Results using a one-way repeated ANOVA found that the treatments promoted both adaptability and flexibility in instructional planning. This finding appeared to hold true whether or not subjects had taught before, had been exposed to handicapped children, or had had previous coursework in special education.