Towards Metacognitive Development through Simulation in Teacher Education

Abstract

Several studies have collected the voices of prospective teachers regarding their lack of metacognitive knowledge about problem-solving strategies. Although the practicum has long been the official procedure for pre-service teachers to learn and practice classroom teaching, it has been demonstrated that it does not always guarantee success in terms of safe practice experiences, repetition possibilities, feedback and reflection necessary for them to gain adequate knowledge and assertiveness in decision-making. The identification of strengths and weaknesses of one’s own learning process should be a cornerstone of any educational context (Daniel et al, 2005). The virtues of simulation in education have been described at length. However, it still seems there is a long way to consider it a central part in pre-teacher practice. A qualitative study was conducted to examine three consecutive years of final reports by all pre-service teachers who have followed a teacher training module framed under simulation methodology. Results revealed three interrelated areas within the simulation context that led to the development of metacognition: the valley of despair, affective involvement and the more knowledgeable other. Pre-service teachers had high metacognitive awareness of their ability to tackle the problems posed in the scenario. Pre-service teachers’ realisation of what they could do and their limitations were the starting point for the metacognitive development based on the simulation. The learning gain extended far beyond the content. It also included affect regulation and the valley of uncertainty, re-oriented through the presence of the more knowledgeable other, with whom there was interaction and dialogue. This study adds value to the literature thanks to the collaborative nature of the pedagogical proposal. This proposal brought together academics, in-service teachers and pre- service teachers through interaction in a simulation.