Under what conditions does simulation-based learning promote the development of complex competencies in higher education? Through which learning processes and for whom is this method effective? In his LIfBi Lecture, Prof. Dr. Frank Fischer from Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich presented findings from experimental and meta-analytic studies conducted by the DFG Research Group FOR 2385 COSIMA on this topic.
Using the example of prospective medical students and teachers, Fischer demonstrated how students can already train complex competencies during their studies that will be expected of them in their future professional lives. For prospective teachers, these are the so-called “Core Practices for Teaching,” which are also the focus of the report by the expert committee convened by the Bavarian State Government on the reorientation of teacher education (LINK to News). These include, for example, leading group discussions and group work, assessing understanding and learning objectives, or planning and preparing lesson sequences. For prospective medical students, these include, for example, skills necessary for taking a medical history and making a diagnosis, or those required when collaborating with interdisciplinary teams.
Simulated learning environments for training these complex competencies offer several advantages. For example, students’ prior knowledge can be taken into account, learning processes can be made more effective through repetition, or targeted didactic support can be provided. A particular focus of the COSIMA group’s research is on how artificial intelligence can support both data analysis and the provision of personalized guidance, for example through adaptive and responsive scaffolding and feedback in simulation-based learning.
For its work, the COSIMA research group was awarded the GEBF Prize for the Promotion of Interdisciplinarity in Educational Research in 2023.