Exploring Research on Simulated Learning Environments: A Review of Reviews

Abstract

Simulation-based teaching and learning (SBTL) can be understood as a dynamic educational space that enables learners to gradually move from structured, teacher-led didactic situations toward increasingly independent, self-directed forms of learning in professional practice. By exploring the research field of simulated learning environments through the questions how, what, and why, this review of reviews initiates a discussion on existing SBTL research across disciplines with a focus on educational design practices unrestrained by specific types of simulation. Such exploration is especially relevant for professional domains less experienced with SBTL. We searched through three databases for peer-reviewed reviews on SBTL conducted between 2013 and 2024 and selected 125 articles for analysis. The results show a growth in research since 2013, identifying a predominance in the health domain and a strong presence of technology-enhanced simulation in education. Moreover, the research largely focuses on students’ learning and learning outcomes, but the conclusions often exclude reflections on implications for the teachers that are responsible for the SBTL. This review of reviews provides a pedagogical lens that can guide future research across professions, through which SBTL can be positioned not only as a technological innovation and a quest for perfect techniques in teaching, but also as a mature pedagogical approach.