Is There a Role for Microteaching in the 1990s?

Abstract

Microteaching, once considered a major advance in teacher education, has largely fallen from favour. The reasons why this has occurred are considered here. The approaches adopted in recent research to establish successful skill development, durability, generalization and transfer are examined, and the importance of self-instruction strategy and problem-solving components is highlighted. Problems associated with teaching-skill development in the natural classroom are explored. Advances in microteaching research and technology and the problems encountered in teaching-skill development in the natural classroom together provide good reasons for the serious re-deployment of microteaching processes in teaching-skill development. A case study is used to illustrate the ways in which microteaching processes may be employed with modem video technology. It is concluded that the two empirically validated microteaching models possess elements which reflect a number of current research concerns and that they have the potential to produce more thoughtful, critical and skilled teachers.

Developing communication competence using an online Video Reflection system: pre-service teachers' experiences

“…The students developed the confidence to experiment with new approaches and expand their repertoire of presentation skills. Thus the Video Reflection approach directly responds to Cornford's (1996) appeal for investigation into effective ways to use technology to enhance microteaching.…”

“…In particular, the use of video recording in microteaching has been shown to improve the communication competence of pre-service teachers specifically by providing them with the opportunity to reflect upon their performance (Borg, Kallenbach, Morris, & Friebel, 1968;Holodick, Scappaticci, & Drazdowski, 1999). However, Cornford (1996) noted, 'determination of the most effective use of this form of technology lies in the future . .…”