TeachLivE™, a partnership of the University of Central Florida and 10 research institutions, including West Virginia University, received the 2012 Best Practice Award from the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education at the group’s annual meeting in Chicago Feb. 19.

WVU’s College of Human Resources and Education was honored for its role in the partnership and its innovative use of technology. It is one of 11 beta sites selected to assist with further development of the TeachLivE™ system and the creation of a long-term research agenda. Other sites include Clemson University, Florida State University, Miami University, Old Dominion University, Pace University, South Carolina State Upstate, University of Kansas, University of Western Michigan, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Utah State University.

TeachLive™, created four years ago by an interdisciplinary team from the UCF, provides opportunities for students to develop the skills and learn the craft of teaching in a virtual education environment.

“This recognition shows that the College of Human Resources and Education is a leader in advanced technology,” said Dr. Barbara Ludlow, Department of Special Education chair and professor. “The award lends support to the value of this technology and will encourage more programs to utilize it. The TeachLivE™ Simulation Lab has the potential to provide leverage for continuing to develop technological resources at the college and expand the use of other emerging technologies in teaching, research and service.”

Using TeachLive™, teachers and students can correct errors as they master routines, experiment with new teaching ideas and develop content area and pedagogical skills in a way that will transfer to a real classroom situation without negatively impacting the learning of real students.

“The TeachLivE Lab is designed as a classroom management exercise and but also can be used to practice instruction and other interventions with small groups and individual tutoring,” Ludlow said.

“We were fortunate to become a partner early on in TeachLivE™. The partnership provides collaborative cross-site research opportunities and a larger platform to test the uses of this virtual reality experience.”

-WVU-

02/21/12

CONTACT: Christie Zachary, Human Resources and Education
304-293-5703, christie.zachary@mail.wvu.edu