Innovating with in-service mathematics teachers’ professional development: The intersection among mixed-reality simulations, approximation-of-practice, and technology-acceptance

In-service teachers must be provided with high-quality professional development (PD) opportunities that not only effectively improves and develops their skills, but also engage, and motivate them to continue growing. In this project, we studied in-service teachers’ perceptions, opinions, and mindset toward the use of mixed-reality simulations (MRS) as a potential tool for PD to advance and enhance their pedagogical knowledge for mathematics. We followed a convergent parallel mixed-method approach with 49 in-service teachers who were exposed to a series of simulations sessions. We found evidence that the use and integration of technologies like MRS as a tool for PD is considered to be an approximation of practice well accepted by the teachers. In addition, the majority of participants perceived the tool as an effective-unique strategy to develop skills related to questioning, eliciting and assessing students.