Simulation-Based Mathematics Teacher Education: Mapping the Pedagogical Landscape Using the MIX-SYN Review Framework

Simulation-based environments are increasingly used in mathematics teacher education to provide authentic opportunities for instructional practice, experimentation, and reflection. However, the pedagogical intentions and learning theories underpinning these simulations remain unevenly articulated. This scoping review examines studies published between 2020 and 2025 to investigate the pedagogical structures embedded within virtual and mixed-reality simulations used in mathematics teacher education. To support both structural and conceptual analysis, we developed the Mixed-Methods Mapping and Interpretive Synthesis (MIX-SYN) Review Framework, which integrates systematic quantitative mapping, co-occurrence analysis, and qualitative interpretive synthesis within a unified review workflow. Following PRISMA-ScR principles, 16 eligible studies were identified from Scopus, Web of Science, and ERIC databases and subsequently analysed using the MIX-SYN framework. Applying this framework revealed that most studies emphasise simulation usefulness and perceived effectiveness, whereas pedagogical constructs such as discourse, mathematical questioning, noticing, reflective reasoning, and problem-solving remain substantially underrepresented. This study argues that more explicit and theoretically grounded pedagogical frameworks are needed to ensure that virtual simulations function not merely as technological training tools but as environments that cultivate conceptually rich and adaptive mathematics teaching practices. Suggestions are provided to guide future research and implementation aligned with this pedagogical focus.