JTATE Special Issue: Digital Games and Simulations in Teacher Preparation
Abstract: Today’s pre-service teachers have grown up with ubiquitous access to computers and the Internet, which has changed how they learn and how they will teach (Prensky, 20011). Virtual worlds, games and simulations are not new to pre-service teachers and can provide pre-service, in-service teachers and teacher educators an opportunity to “engage learners in immersive and interactive environments that require knowledge, critical thinking and decision making skills” (Educause Learning Initiative, 2010, para. 12) for successful accomplishment of learning outcomes. The Educause Learning Initiative suggests “immersive environments can play a significant role in facilitating learning through engagement, group participation, immediate feedback, and providing real-world contexts” (Educause Learning Initiative, 2010, para. 2).