Representational scaffolding in digital simulations – learning professional practices in higher education

To advance the learning of professional practices in teacher education and medical education, this conceptual paper introduces the idea of representational scaffolding for digital simulations in higher education. We outline the ideas of core practices in two important fields of higher education, namely teacher and medical education. To facilitate future professionals’ learning of relevant practices, we emphasize the role of approximation of practice through the use of digital simulations, as they offer multiple options for selecting and adjusting representations of practice situations. Furthermore, we introduce the idea of representational scaffolding to adjust the demands of the learning task in simulations by selecting and modifying representations of practice to match relevant learner characteristics. Building on research on problem-solving and scientific reasoning, we identify leverage points for employing representational scaffolding. We suggest four sets of representational scaffolds that target relevant features of practice situations in simulations: informational complexity, typicality, required agency, and situation dynamics. Representational scaffolds might be implemented in a strategy for approximating practice that involves the media design, sequencing, and adaptation of representational scaffolding. The outlined conceptualization of representational scaffolding can systematize the design and adaptation of digital simulations in higher education and might contribute to the advancement of future professionals’ learning to further engage in professional practices. This conceptual paper offers a necessary foundation and terminology for approaching related future research. https://doi.org/10.1108/ILS-06-2022-0076