In education, the challenge isn’t just to teach but to transform—whether in a preschool classroom or a college lecture hall. Reflecting on my time as an adjunct faculty member, I now see how two practices—microteaching and microlearning—could have significantly impacted preservice teachers, helping them to influence student outcomes positively. These micro-practices, especially when video is incorporated, can revolutionize teacher preparation by providing the focused, practical experiences that new educators need to thrive in today’s classrooms.
Microteaching, the practice of recording, analyzing, and discussing instruction to improve student learning, was introduced to me through Professor John Hattie’s research. In Visible Learning, Hattie defines microteaching as “…student-teachers conducting (mini-) lessons to a small group of students, followed by post-discussion (Hattie, 2008, 112).” His extensive research found that microteaching has an effect size of 0.88—more than double the average impact on student learning.
So, why use microteaching with preservice teachers? It works. Microteaching is hyper-focused on effective instruction, allowing preservice teachers to examine their teaching closely with time-stamped feedback. Instructors can provide targeted feedback, highlight positive practices, and suggest areas for improvement.
The following image provides a general structure for microteaching.
During the feedback phases, there’s a perfect opportunity to incorporate microlearning—short, bite-sized educational content in formats like infographics, micro-podcasts, and videos. This is an ideal moment to share a video of exemplary teaching, closing the evaluative or coaching loop. Video exemplars offer concrete examples of effective practices, helping preservice teachers translate abstract concepts into their classrooms. They promote reflection, encouraging preservice teachers to analyze their performances against expert models, fostering continuous growth.
Imagine using microteaching with a preservice teacher who records a lesson and uploads it, along with her lesson plan, to Teaching Channel’s EMPOWER Platform. She reflects on her performance using time-stamped annotations and submits the video for coaching. You review the video, highlighting effective practices and noting areas for improvement—such as her struggle with providing adequate wait time. To address this, you share a micro-learning video from the Teaching Channel’s video library that exemplifies effective wait time usage, giving her a concrete model to emulate.
By integrating microteaching and microlearning into teacher preparation, we’re not just training educators—we’re empowering them to make a lasting impact on their students. These powerful practices, especially when enhanced with video, provide the precise tools pre-service teachers need to evolve into reflective, effective educators. The future of teaching is being shaped one micro practice at a time, and with these strategies, that future looks brighter than ever.
| Use our EMPOWER Platform to implement microteaching and microlearning with your preservice teachers or all teachers. |
About the Author
Keely Keller is the Director of Professional Programs for Teaching Channel in Eagan, Minnesota. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Special Education from St. Cloud State University, a Master’s of Arts in Education from Hamline University, and additional Director of Special Education and Principal Licensures from the University of Minnesota. Before joining Teaching Channel, Keely served students with special needs as a teacher and Special Education Coordinator in a suburban Minnesota school district. Keely has years of experience working with new teachers.
Fun fact: Keely loves to go camping in her travel trailer with family and friends.
References
Hattie, J. (2008). Visible Learning: A Synthesis of Over 800 Meta-Analyses Relating to Achievement. SAGE Publications.
