Preservice Teachers Training with Avatars: A Systematic Literature Review of “Human-in-the-Loop” Simulations in Teacher Education and Special Education

Abstract

Simulations have been introduced in teacher training in recent times to prepare preservice teachers for teaching. This review aims to search for and analyze studies on the use of human- and computer-based virtual simulations (i.e., where humans act with avatars) in teacher training, in order to better understand how the use of such simulations may support the development of preservice teachers, as well as to identify potential gaps in the literature and suggest potential routes for future research. A categorization of 26 included articles shows that 22 articles investigate rule management competence, 3 articles investigate didactic competence, and 1 article investigates relational competence. Research about preservice teachers’ experience of virtual simulations gives an overall positive picture. The studies included show several important advantages of virtual simulations. The disadvantages that are described in the studies are almost exclusively caused by technical limitations.