Acquisition of Fundamental Behavior Management Skills with Microcomputer-Simulated Pupils

Experienced teachers (n = 12) and inexperienced education students (n = 20) from regular and special education participated in microcomputer-simulated spelling lessons involving four pupils who were programmed to misbehave by making off-task comments. During baseline sessions, significant differences were found between the behavior management skills of experienced teachers and those of education students. Over the course of two training sessions (each approximately 20 min. in duration), the education students made significant gains in behavior management skills as indicated by two dependent measures (number of intervention attempts per talkout and mean time per intervention attempt). After training, the education students' management of off-task behavior approximated that of experienced teachers. Gains were maintained over a period of approximately one month. Results suggest that the simulation may be an effective and efficient means of training both regular and special education students in fundamental behavior management skills. Development of more complex computer routines, more difficult and realistic simulations of misbehavior, and tests of generalization of skills to actual classrooms are under way.