Examining effectiveness of online teaching modules on Developmentally Appropriate Practices (DAP) for guiding young children’s behavior: student and instructor perspectives

ABSTRACT

How can online modules be used to teach undergraduate students or pre-service teachers the principles of Developmentally Appropriate Practices (DAP) for guiding young children’s behavior? To examine this overarching question, this study developed online modules with video teaching components, and conducted both formative and summative evaluations with students and instructors using ongoing assessments and online surveys. The results of these evaluations revealed that both students and instructors were very satisfied with the implementation of these modules. Modules helped students with their learning, encouraged them to think critically, and allowed them to apply their learning and teaching strategies to real life. Instructors appreciated the real-life examples and teacher videos, as these resources made teaching difficult topics more manageable and applicable. Both students and instructors expressed their desire to have more modules incorporated into the coursework, despite occasional “technical glitches” they may have experienced while watching videos within the module. In conclusion, the researchers reflect on the findings of the study, draw implications for use of this type of online tool as a resource to enhance classroom teaching and student learning, and suggest ideas for future research.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

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Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by _East Carolina University's Dual Summer Stipends and Project Expense Grants