The Simulated Classroom Biology—A simulated classroom environment for capturing the action‐oriented professional knowledge of pre‐service teachers about evolution

Abstract Background The professional knowledge of pre‐service teachers is highly important for effective and successful teaching. In recent years, many research groups have been engaged in developing simulated classroom environments to capture especially the pedagogical (PK) teachers, neglecting content‐related facets such as content (PCK). Objectives present study, we describe development a environment—the Simulated Classroom Biology (SCR Bio )—and provide evidence regarding its validity assess biology teachers' action‐oriented PCK area evolution. Methods This study examined supporting using SCR investigate teachers. (1) based on test (expert ratings) (2) relation other variables (known‐groups comparison) was obtained. We tested with N = 76 German Results Conclusions Our results show successfully operationalized through explicit allocation specific misconceptions each virtual student's answer valid measurement PCK. validated environment but also in‐service future, will be developed from an assessment instrument training tool simulate teaching situations. allows complement predominantly theoretical components university‐based teacher education practice‐based environments.