Simulations, games, and modeling tools for learning

Technologies that enable active learning, and more specifically inquiry or experiential learning, are quickly entering the educational world. These technologies concern simulations or online labs, games, and modelling tools (with which students create runnable models themselves) at different levels of interactivity or realism (also including virtual reality). These technologies are not always effective per se, but to reach sizable learning effects often need to be combined with other instructional approaches, such as direct instruction, and, additionally, they should be embedded in instructional support in the form of, for example, assignments, scaffolds, and prompts. Modern authoring platforms allow teachers to adapt these forms of support to their specific classroom, but future developments recognize individual differences between students and aim towards real-time adaptation of the support to individual student characteristics or learning trajectories.