Experience the School of Education: Educational Simulation Interaction Modules (eduSIMs) Demonstration

Educational Simulated Interaction Models (eduSIMs) are designed and clinically tested simulations for future teachers and school leaders. The simulations identify strengths and misconceptions in school professionals’ understanding of content and pedagogy, increase instructional capacity, and advance student achievement. Standardized patients are a key part of the pedagogy of most medical education programs, where healthy individuals who are carefully trained to present the same medical symptoms, verbalizations, and evidence in a standard, consistent manner. Students practice their diagnostic and professional interaction skills in a simulated environment. In 2007, Benjamin Dotger began adapting this practice to the context of teacher and school leader education as eduSIMS. Clinical simulations are demanding, intense opportunities of situated practice, where the teacher or school leader participant is challenged to enact their professional skills, knowledge, and decision-making capabilities to address a complex problem-of-practice.