Assessing complex skills in a Virtual Reality context: Capturing the development of pre-service teachers’ classroom management strategies

This study investigates how triangulation of self-report and observational data can give insight into the development of pre-service teachers’ (PSTs) classroom management strategies (CMS) in a Virtual Reality (VR) training setting. Twenty-four second-year PSTs practiced in a VR-kindergarten classroom during two VR-sessions with increasing scenario complexity and a reflection activity. Measures included self-efficacy, perceived competence, self-reported strategy use, and observed CM performance. Results showed significant gains in self-efficacy and perceived competence after VR practice, whereas self-reported use of strategies remained stable. Performance analyses revealed increased use of anticipation, deflection, and reaction CMS, fewer ineffective responses, and faster reactions. The partial alignment between self-reports and observations suggests that different instruments capture complementary dimensions of CM competence. Triangulating data sources can provide a more comprehensive understanding of PSTs’ professional growth and could inform the design of targeted feedback in both simulated and real teaching contexts