Scheeler, McKinnon, & Stout Bug in the Ear Technology

Scheeler, M. C., McKinnon, K., & Stout, J. (2009). Effects of immediate feedback delivered via Webcam and Bluetooth technology on preservice teacher performance. Presented at the annual meeting of the Pennsylvania Association of College Teacher Educators.

Design:
The study contained five subjects. They used a multiple-baseline design. They also used a survey at the end. They established baseline data. The feedback was given within three seconds of the behavior in order to comply with the notions that good feedback is immediate. They focused only on verbal feedback.

My question: To what extent, is immediate too immediate? Giving them feedback, how does that allow them to analyze data? How is it affecting the student teachers' focus? How does it allow them to grow and develop? Learning occurs through experience and some of the most powerful learning occurs through making mistakes. Are students permitted to "make mistakes" or rather learn from their experience?

They mention about interventions and intervening with student teachers. Were these student teachers struggling that they needed intervening?

The presenters mentioned that one of the benefits was the convenience. They could work from home in casual attire. Supervision should also involve modeling. The supervisor should be a participant in the room, working with children and the mentor teacher as well as the student teacher. By being absent, how does being absent impact these roles? I think that it speaks to what we think about the purposes of supervision. Is the purpose simply to correct behaviors? Or does the role include the professional development of mentor teacher, student teacher, and consequently supervisor?

Findings:
At first the students were distracted by the technology, but over time, those distractions became part of the norms. The students reported wanting to continue receiving the Bluetooth immediate feedback ("bug in the ear") through student teaching.

My wondering: How would such immediate feedback impact confidence levels? By being a "bug in the ear," it seems as if it enforces the notions of supervision as evaluation.