Technological Integration of a Plato Simulation and Related Variables into Preservice Teacher Education

Abstract

This study was designed to investigate the influence of a PLATO Simulation and related variables upon the performance of preservice early childhood education majors. Subjects in the study were seventy third- and fourth-quarter seniors. Results showed that students receiving a repeated measure of the simulation performed much better after teaching in K-5 classrooms. Responses to a survey on the use of computers in teacher education using ANOVA revealed a significant difference between experimental and control groups on three subscales and the overall scale values (p < 0.0001). Experimental also showed more improved performance on unit portfolio products (p < 0.0013) and cumulative learning tests (p < 0.0001) than their counterparts. Important implications of this study are that computerized simulation can improve the performance of undergraduate early childhood majors and their response to a survey on the importance and knowledge of computers and attitude toward using them.

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