Date of Graduation

2004

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

Abstract

Teachers' decision making skills during instruction represent essential components for effective teaching outcomes. These interactive decision making skills play an even greater role with preservice teachers teaching for their first time. Despite its significance, limited research was directed to assist preservice teachers in developing these interactive decision making skills. This study represents the first attempt at developing Computer Mediated Simulation (CMS) application training for the purpose of enhancing decision making skills development. The purpose of this study was: (1) to develop the CMS training application designed to enhance appropriate interactive decisions among preservice physical education teachers, and (2) to validate the CMS training application for its purpose. A Delphi technique was utilized for the purpose of validating the CMS training application among 26 physical education teacher educators on its three CMS modules representing the reception, propulsion, and deflection movement task categories. Throughout a series of three rounds of questionnaires, each of the three CMS modules was validated on organization, layout and content. Findings from this study emphasize the importance of developing the decision making skills among preservice teachers and establish the need for further examination of these skills in teacher education programs.* *This dissertation is a compound document (contains both a paper copy and a CD as part of the dissertation). The CD requires the following system requirements: Internet Browser; Adobe Acrobat; QuickTime; Shockwave Flash.

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