How Preservice Teachers Respond to Representations of Practice: A Comparison of Animations and Video

Abstract

We compared effects of video and animated representations of teaching practice among teacher candidates. Sixty-one participants completed a questionnaire rating the representation in terms of its genuineness and its effectiveness enabling users to project to it their own experiences, to reflect, to conceive of alternative actions, and to notice aspects of subject matter and pedagogy. While participants significantly rated video as more genuine than animations, no significant differences were found in any of the other measures. The study thus raises no learning concerns about developing representations of practice with nondescript cartoon characters and using these in professional education.