Enhancing Teacher Education with Simulations

As calls for accountability in our schools increase, teaching quality faces scrutiny and, often, criticism. These realities challenge teacher education programs to find new ways to ensure that their graduates will be effective in highly demanding work settings. In this article the authors draw on literature and practice examples to highlight ways that simulations can strengthen critical aspects of teacher preparation as teacher education programs look for ways to better equip their graduates for future challenges. Experience shows that simulations can support screening for program admission, practice for improving teaching and classroom management skills and development of teaching dispositions. Their potential is increasing as technological advances provide greater realism, distributed access and simulation applications for mobile devices.