Examining the Efficacy of Simulated Professional Development in Mathematics
Great math teaching requires asking good questions and supporting student discussion. When teachers practice these routines during professional learning, they can build skill and confidence before using them in the classroom. This matters because strong instructional moves are linked to higher levels of student participation and deeper learning.
About the SIM PD Program
We enjoyed the innovation and the fact that it really did build the capacity of the coaches as well as the new teacher learning. I've not ever experienced a research study this way. It's been a game changer for my teachers and coaches, and it's been wonderful.
- District Leader
This project examines a professional learning model called Simulated Instruction in Mathematics Professional Development (SIM PD). With funding from the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation, AIR developed SIM PD to support math teachers in strengthening their questioning strategies and discussion facilitation.
In SIM PD, teachers practice leading math discussions that encourage students to share ideas, explain their reasoning, and engage with peers’ thinking. SIM PD combines interactive workshops with practice sessions in a simulated classroom environment.
Key features include:
- Practice-based learning focused on high-leverage math teaching practices;
- Simulated classroom sessions where teachers teach student avatars that respond in real time; and
- Embedded coaching, with opportunities to pause instruction, receive feedback, and try again.
Local coaches lead the professional development and are trained by AIR staff to ensure consistent, high-quality implementation. The simulation environment allows teachers to rehearse challenging instructional moments in a low-risk setting that closely mirrors real classroom dynamics.
The video below features an example of the simulated classroom environment. In this clip, AIR Technical Assistance Consultant Erin McCopp practices questioning strategies with avatars in the simulation.
Study Design and Participants
AIR is partnering with school districts to support 4th- and 5th-grade math teachers. Schools were assigned by lottery to either begin SIM PD immediately or wait until the following school year. The study includes three cohorts of schools across the 2023–24, 2024–25, and 2025–26 school years.
To understand the program’s impact on instruction and learning, AIR is collecting data through teacher surveys, classroom video observations, and student math assessment scores. These data will help us examine changes in classroom instruction and student math achievement associated with participation in SIM PD.
Next Steps
The study is completing implementation and data collection for the final cohort of participating schools. We look forward to sharing findings from this research.
