Simulations as Professional Development

Simulations as Professional Development


  Professional development for teachers and school administrators is imperative for professional growth. Most professional development is delivered face to face by coaches, administrators, or teachers. Training, especially in technology use and integration, is essential to success. “Often teachers and instructional coaches are used to perform various services, such as providing professional development to  peers, planning and reviewing progress toward technology plan goals, supervising  students helping to perform support functions, providing pedagogical support to peers, and even providing direct technical support” (Frazier & Hearrington, 2024, p. 107). While this method of professional development is important, I have personally found simulations to also be effective. While participating in three simulations throughout this semester, I have participated in three school leadership simulations, one on cyberbullying, one on social media usage, and one on devising a technology integration plan. The simulations proved to be highly effective because I could not anticipate how the decisions I made would impact the outcomes. I learned a great deal about first amendment rights with regard to social media and the internet. I got to participate in a technology integration team meeting and practice considering multiple well thought out opinions. The ramifications of those choices would ultimately be revealed. Learning in this way in a low risk environment allows one to have the freedom to make mistakes. It is so often through mistakes that the best learning takes place. Experience is so often the best teacher in life, so the ability to have valuable experiences in a risk free environment is extremely valuable. "Virtual simulations offer a higher degree of immersion by facilitating interactive engagement, although this interaction is still medicated by the digital interface and constrained to a predefined set of responses. Similarly, immersive simulations further increase the level of immersion by incorporating real-time interactions with virtual avatars" (Kasperski, Levin, & Hemi, 2025, p. 5). The following video highlights how simulation training can help teachers and school leaders reach their professional development goals.




"Simulations are widely recognized as powerful pedagogical tools for bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application in teacher education. By incorporating elements of real-world complexity into controlled environments, simulations enable preservice and in-service teachers to engage in experiential learning, practice decision-making, and refine their skills in a risk-free setting" (Kasperski, Levin, & Hemi, 2025, p. 2).



           My personal take after completing three simulations as a person in a leadership position each time is that I have a new appreciation for what school leaders have to deal with. It is just as nuanced as teaching a classroom full of students with diverse needs. Balancing stakeholder feedback with fiscal responsibility and following the law can be a daunting task. The simulations helped me gain important perspective and even more respect for the people in decision-making roles in school districts. "Simulations offer educators opportunities to experiment with different strategies, receive feedback, and reflect on their actions without the immediate consequences of real-life interactions" (Kasperski, Levin, & Hemi, 2025, p. 3). The simulations in this course had the most impact on my development as a technology leader. I would like to look into using simulations in future professional development opportunities. I think they would be extremely useful in teaching faculty how to use new types of technology.






                                                                          References

Frazier N, & Hearrington, D. (2024). The technology coordinator's handbook: A guide
     

    for edtech facilitators and leaders (fourth edition). International Society for
       

    Technology in Education.


Kasperski, R., Levin, O., Hemi, M.E., Systemic literature  review of simulation-based learning

    

    for developing teacher SEL, Educ. Sci. 2025, 15(2), 129; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15020129


 

Comments

  1. Keley BarnhillApril 28, 2025 at 7:45 AM

    I loved your thoughts on Simulations being used as professional development. Sometimes we participate in professional development and it doesn't have a hands-on component that forces you to think through decisions being made. Jones and Kennedy (2023) state "according to Ed Leadership SIMS, the findings of the research show that computer-based simulations are one of the best ways for pratical and effective delivery of experiences across organizations" (p.211).
    There are many situations that Teachers may not have experienced for themselves and simulations give them the opportunity to explore the what if situations. School Simulations force teachers to experience feedback about each simulation before they can move on to the next. This allows teachers to understand the choices they made through each situation (Christensen & Knezek, 2024, p. 150).

    References:
    Christensen, R. & Knezek, G. (2024). Impacting Student Perceptions of Engagement and Student Voice through Equity-Focused Teacher Professional Development in a Simulated Teaching Environment. Journal of Interactive Learning Research, 35(2), 141-166. Waynesville, NC: Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE). Retrieved from https://www.learntechlib.org/primary/p/223855/.

    Jones, L., & Kennedy, E. (2023). Effective technology tools for school leadership: Understanding Digital and Data-Driven Strategies. Taylor & Francis.

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