UCF’s TeachLivE program spreads nationwide, wins national award

Five years ago, UCF's College of Education developed a new teaching program, TeachLivE, which combines elements of classroom management, content and pedagogy in order to simulate a virtual classroom for pre-service and in-service teachers.

Though it was initially created to help students within the Transition to Mathematics and Science Teaching program to develop their teaching skills, this virtual lab has since spread to 10 partner universities nationwide, to include Florida State University, Miami University and Utah State University among others, with 22 other universities on the program's "waiting list."

This virtual lab uses technology similar to Microsoft Kinect in order to create avatars, virtual students who can be manipulated with different lines of programming and code to change behavior patterns ranging from exceptionally well-behaved students to an uncooperative classroom. These avatars can also be manipulated by TeachLivE "interactors," who, through the use of an "exoskeleton" suit, can playact certain behaviors, see the reactions of the practicing teachers and respond in real-time, a first in teaching programs across the country.

Education professor Dr. Lisa Dieker, computer sciences professor Dr. Charles Hughes and mathematics professor Dr. Michael Hynes were the three main co-developers on the project and have worked together for five years to see their ideas become reality.

Dieker, an Exceptional Education Ph.D. program coordinator, saw this virtual environment as an opportunity for education students nationwide to become skilled and confident teachers in the classroom, without running the risk of hurting real students.

"I thought [this program] was needed in the country," Dieker said. "I was most interested in trying to find a way for teachers to practice that didn't impact real children. I think it allows people to really enter that classroom at a different level. Teaching is an art, not a science. You can't just say everybody needs to stand this way, say this in class, and everybody responds — teaching is much more of an art."

Stacey Hardin, a research associate also involved with the program, felt the growth of students' ability to teach, and therein their confidence in themselves, was what made the program truly special.

"Having students come in and not necessarily know what to do in front of a classroom, and then later on in their program just seeing how they grow, I think that is so awesome to me," Hardin said. "It's amazing. They step in this system and they're not hurting real students. I personally would love to see this system being used in all teacher-preparation programs. I think it would enhance the internship process of teachers going out."

The UCF-developed TeachLivE lab is currently the only teaching program in the country that combines mixed-mode reality with an avatar-based simulated environment and because of this, UCF was recently awarded the 2012 Innovative Technology Award by the American Association of Colleges of Teacher Education.

Dieker felt this major accomplishment has only been reached due to the project's goal to make a difference.

"It's really been something that I think people are impressed with over and over again, yet at the same time, we're being cautious to make sure we don't go so fast as to create something that doesn't make a difference," Dieker said. "I think that's what's most important — making a difference. The most powerful part, and what's really important in the simulator, is that within three to 30 seconds, people completely suspend their disbeliefs and believe [the avatars are] real children. I talk about our avatars like they're real all the time. When people believe they're real, they really get into being who they are as teachers and can really craft their skill."

Junior Amanda Hutton, an English secondary education major, said that the virtual program is paramount to increase UCF's prestige and technological awareness.

"UCF is a very advanced school as far as some other schools are, and I think on that level, it's very cool we're offering [technology] like that," Hutton said. "It increases our boost and interest in other students coming here, especially students who aren't that good with technology. We have so many schools and such a diverse community that having a way to interact, even if it was just interacting with one school across the county, would still be really cool to have."

Education students interested in practicing their skills in the TeachLivE lab are encouraged to contact UCFTeachLIVE@gmail.com to create a scheduled appointment time and reserve their spot in the lab. For more information, interested students and faculty can visit the TeachLivE website at http://mclserver.eecs.ucf.edu/teachlive/index.php.