The Potential of Simulation Assessments in Professional Development

Simulations provide a unique opportunity to practice newly acquired skills in a low risk environment. For this reason, simulations have historically been used in preservice teacher education programs to enable student teachers to apply generalized pedagogical practices. This pilot study examined how simulations could be integrated with inservice teachers as an assessment of content-specific instructional practices covered in a professional development program. The study utilized two nationally recognized simulation platforms and included a preliminary investigation of validity of the simulation assessments, a comparison of participant performance on the simulation assessment to the standard module assessment, and a comparison of the usability and feasibility of each platform for future assessments. While results suggest that simulation platforms are a promising means of conducting content-specific assessments, current limitations of such platforms may challenge their large-scale usage as part of a professional development program.