In this study, we explored how the use of an online digital teaching simulation impacts preservice teacher (PST) learning. We describe the overall implementation of an online practice suite of digital teaching simulations into five teacher education courses. Specifically, we detail the avatar-based simulation activity in which PSTs facilitate a discussion focused on argumentation with five student avatars controlled by a trained actor in the Mursion simulated classroom environment. The present study examines PSTs’ self-assessment of their performance facilitating a discussion in this simulated classroom compared to rubric-level scores assigned by trained raters. We share findings from our analysis of survey data regarding 47 PSTs’ perceptions about their experience with the simulated classroom, specifically how successful they thought they were across five dimensions of facilitating argumentation-focused discussions. Findings suggest that the PSTs’ self-assessment tended to align with the scores assigned from trained raters. However, when the PSTs’ self-assessment did not align with the raters’ scoring, PSTs tended to perceive their discussion facilitation more positively than the raters’ scores indicated, which suggests the need for additional support to help PSTs identify and attend to specific areas for improvement. Findings provide support for the use of both self-assessment and scoring from trained raters to optimize PST learning with digital teaching simulations.
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This content will become publicly available on May 29, 2025
Examining What and How Secondary Science Preservice Teachers Learn from Using a Suite of Online Simulations
Preservice teachers (PSTs) need to be able to use ambitious teaching practices to help support their students’ productive engagement in scientific practices such as analyzing and interpreting data or using evidence-based reasoning to support their claims. Approximations of practice are one way in which teacher educators can support their PSTs to develop their skills in enacting ambitious teaching practices. In this study, we report on the use of a suite of three online, simulated approximations of practice where secondary PSTs practiced facilitating discussions focused on engaging students in argumentation. Using information from both PSTs’ and teacher educators’ perspectives, we examined their main takeaways from each simulation experience, how learning from one simulation was used to prepare for the next simulation, PSTs’ perception of the simulations’ authenticity, and their views about whether they would recommend using this online suite of simulations in future teacher preparation courses. Findings suggested that teacher educators and PSTs alike noted a variety of main takeaways, including understanding the importance of planning and asking good questions. Furthermore, they recommended the suite for use in future teacher education courses. Implications of the work for productively integrating online simulations into teacher education settings are discussed.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2037983
- NSF-PAR ID:
- 10530779
- Publisher / Repository:
- Taylor
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Journal of Science Teacher Education
- ISSN:
- 1046-560X
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 1 to 25
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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