Extreme-Teaching-2 (XT²) : Evaluation of an Innovative Semester-Long Intensive GTA Training Program Based on Microteaching

Microteaching techniques have been used for teacher training since the mid 1960s. Despite its usefulness, as affirmed by pre-service teachers, in-service teachers, and graduate teaching assistants (GTAs), there are numerous criticisms on the shortcomings of microteaching activities. Specifically, it (a) oversimplifies the classroom learning and teaching nature, (b) encourages skill modelling on one or only few technique(s) demonstrated during training sessions, (c) involves costly human and technical resources for implementation, and most critically, (d) fails to provide instant and reusable feedback to improve classroom teaching skills. Addressing the inadequacies of traditional microteaching practice, this paper proposes an Extreme-Teaching-2 (XT²) framework based on the computer science literature. Originating from Extreme Programming (XP) methodology, XT² preserves the agility on teaching-feedback-teaching cycles with heavy peer and instructor involvement. With strong technological support, XT² allows specific, personalized, incremental, and constructive formative feedback to be given by peers and instructors during and after two classroom observation sessions. Through the XT² framework, teacher candidates are able to reuse feedback instantly (feedforward) and rapidly improve (a) confidence in identifying their weaknesses and strengths, (b) and their facilitating skills, while the administrative workload on instructors is significantly reduced.