Abstract
This study explores the effect of group simulations on
teacher-trainees in comparison to case study groups in
dealing with ethical dilemmas in school bullying.
Simulations (role-playing) are defined as models of
reality that provide learners with the opportunity to play
the roles of different figures involved in situations under
discussion. When faced with similar events in real-life
experiences, teacher-trainees can extract from memory
information and strategies learned from these
simulations as if they really occurred.
The population of the study comprised 90 teachertrainees in their third year of majoring in primary
school education. Two experimental groups - a teambased simulation (TBS) and a case-study group had a
meeting of 3.5 hours each month during 10-month
period (10 meetings in total), in which they analyzed the
same bullying scenarios that were based on the
participants’ real-life experiences. While both
experimental groups discussed ethical dilemmas that
arose in the scenarios, the TBS group engaged in roleplaying simulations and the case study group did not
use role-playing simulations. An additional control
group only completed the same psychological
empowerment questionnaires filled out by both other
experimental groups.
The results, based on a mixed-methods approach,
showed that the simulation group demonstrated
significantly higher psychological empowerment in selfconfidence and decision-making when dealing with
ethical dilemmas around bullying at school.
This study offers an innovative approach for training
educators to confront bullying-related ethical dilemmas
in daily school life in an active and empowering way
teacher-trainees in comparison to case study groups in
dealing with ethical dilemmas in school bullying.
Simulations (role-playing) are defined as models of
reality that provide learners with the opportunity to play
the roles of different figures involved in situations under
discussion. When faced with similar events in real-life
experiences, teacher-trainees can extract from memory
information and strategies learned from these
simulations as if they really occurred.
The population of the study comprised 90 teachertrainees in their third year of majoring in primary
school education. Two experimental groups - a teambased simulation (TBS) and a case-study group had a
meeting of 3.5 hours each month during 10-month
period (10 meetings in total), in which they analyzed the
same bullying scenarios that were based on the
participants’ real-life experiences. While both
experimental groups discussed ethical dilemmas that
arose in the scenarios, the TBS group engaged in roleplaying simulations and the case study group did not
use role-playing simulations. An additional control
group only completed the same psychological
empowerment questionnaires filled out by both other
experimental groups.
The results, based on a mixed-methods approach,
showed that the simulation group demonstrated
significantly higher psychological empowerment in selfconfidence and decision-making when dealing with
ethical dilemmas around bullying at school.
This study offers an innovative approach for training
educators to confront bullying-related ethical dilemmas
in daily school life in an active and empowering way
| Original language | American English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1419-1429 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Journal | International Journal of Technology and Inclusive Education |
| Volume | 8 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 1 Dec 2019 |