Field Observation

There are opportunities within Driver Education for students to find and use community resources. Observations and experience in the field provide valuable feedback to the students on how the knowledge, skills, processes and attitudes learned in the classroom can be applied to real-life situations. All field visits should be prearranged and the purpose of the visit made clear to the students. The valuable contribution of the community could be acknowledged by students processing and distributing follow-up or thank you letters.

Because field observation and interaction with the community may be used in Driver Education classes, the instructor/teacher may make arrangements with various organizations to accommodate students throughout the school year. The purpose of assignments should be clearly explained to all parties involved so that the intent of the exercises is clear.

Simulation

The simulation may be used at the end of a lesson or to bond together several areas within Driver Education. The simulation may be utilized in many ways.

The students will be able to see:

• that the purpose of the simulation is to incorporate various ideas of Driver Education while using realistic source documents;
• an overview of the simulation before starting a project;
• the rules, evaluation schemes, group procedures, and time requirements before the simulation begins. To encourage independent learning, students may develop the evaluation criteria;
• the instructor/teacher as a facilitator of the process;
• members of the group as being supportive and encouraging as the task proceeds;
• themselves developing self-esteem and confidence by the end of the simulation; and,
• how the steps and processes of learning to drive work together to produce desirable behaviours.

In some situations, a driver simulation machine or software may be used (TL).