Examining Mathematics and Science Teacher Educators’ Experiences with Digital Simulations Designed to Support Pre-Service Teachers’ Facilitation of Argumentation-Focused Discussions

Abstract This study investigates the experiences of five elementary mathematics and science teacher educators as they engage pre-service teachers in facilitating argumentation-focused discussions through a series of digital simulations. The research responds to the call for more explicit documentation and sharing of the evolving practices of teacher educators (TEs), particularly those leveraging innovative digital tools in teacher education. Utilizing a framework adapted from McDonald et al.’s (2013) learning cycle, the study examines the pedagogical strategies employed by TEs during the preparation, enactment, and reflection phases of three distinct simulations. These simulations—Eliciting Learner Knowledge (ELK), Avatar-Based Simulation (ABS), and Virtual Teaching Simulator (VTS)—are designed to progressively build pre-service teachers' (PSTs') skills in facilitating argumentation-focused discussions. Data was collected through classroom observations, instructional artifacts, and end-of-semester interviews. Findings reveal a predominance of teacher-led discussions and small group activities, with a strong focus on content knowledge and discussion organization. TEs also highlighted the importance of video analysis and modeling in enhancing PSTs' learning experiences. This study contributes to the understanding of TE pedagogies in the use of digital simulations, offering insights on what the TEs deemed useful from the experiences, and from these insights, recommendations for future research.