SchoolSims Simulations Reviews & Product Details

What I have come to appreciate most about SchoolSims over the almost seven years of using them is that they perfectly complement principal preparation courses and allow for pedagogical creativity in supporting competence development. Pedagogically, the simulations foster opportunities to engage students in course content while navigating realistic leadership dilemmas. These learning experiences make students' learning visible, providing opportunities for self-reflection, as well as instructor feedback or intervention when needed. SchoolSims continues to update its library, which means we are able to embed at least one simulation in each of our courses and multiple in our internship practicums. As we did this semester, we are also able to switch simulations in out of courses as our foci or objectives change. Our students love the simulations (they repeatedly ask for more), and the instructors in my program are committed to their continued use, particularly as we acknowledge that the role of school leaders continues to evolve (dare I say, grow) and time with aspiring leaders is limited. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Beyond the cost, which presents challenges for educational leadership preparation programs, there is nothing I dislike about SchoolSims simulations. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

As an instructor for school leadership preparation, it is my mission to prepare my students as leaders who are collaborative, reflective, and empowered to co-create responsive and supportive school communities. As such, I believe it is imperative to utilize experiential learning to the fullest extent. Although Educator Preparation Programs typically have a practicum/capstone experience, I want my students to continuously gain tangible experience through every course and concept. Do medical professionals or pilots wait until the end of their studies to start gaining experience? No. So, I do not believe educators should wait for a capstone experience either. Insert SchoolSims here! Their extensive library provides opportunities for students to be in the driver's seat to navigate the multi-faceted demands of school leadership. Here, they gain experience in a safe, risk-free environment as they conceptualize moving from theory to practice.

From the stylistic perspective, SchoolSims Simulation offers a transformative learning experience through a choose-your-own-adventure format. They are authentic, applicable, and robust both in style and cognitive demand. To say my students love it is an understatement! Graduate students are busy juggling their educator careers/work, home life, outside obligations, and then grad school. It is rare they will ask for anything extra, but every time I do the sims with them, I get extensive requests for more sims to practice with.

In short, having SchoolSims has been an invaluable resource and has taken my instruction to another level. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

I honestly can not note a downside. My students love them and ask for more. I appreciate how they stretch me as an instructor to explore various ways to prepare my students based upon their reflections and leadership take-aways. The team at SchoolSims continuously works to add more sims to the library. Through this, they work with educators and experts in the field to ensure that the sims are authentic and robust. There are other simulations on the market, but I do not believe they meet the level of expectations I now have from utilizing SchoolSims. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

I frequently use SchoolSims in my undergraduate and graduate courses to engage students in collaborative decision-making. The sims contextualize the realities of teaching and leadership and prompt students to ask, "What will I do and why?" The soft competition within a class engenders discussion, debate, and deliberation -- the ingredients of thinking by doing. The sims are easy to use in both campus-based and online courses. All you need is a link that is easy to access via the SchoolSims platform. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

There are no downsides to using simulations in general; however, if the simulation is not of high quality, then it loses student engagement and commitment. Simulations produced by SchoolSims rarely lack authenticity, real-world application, or a rich contextual milieu. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

We worked closely with SchoolSims to incorporate simulations into a professional learning community for educational leaders working across Indiana. Our participants participated in a few simulations where they discussed their decison-making and thought processes. This was an invaluable experience for them to help them work through decision-making in their own work. They were able to walk away with new approaches to challenges in their own work, and enjoyed the time they spent in small group discussions with their peers. The simulations worked perfectly for our group as our participants were facing all sorts of issues in their different positions yet the issues posed in the simulations touched on issues that all educational leaders have faced or need to face in their careers. It's also nice to be able to go through them with others and also asynchronously. This is a great resource for both growing and experienced teachers and leaders. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

I would keep this section blank if I could - Any issues I experienced were more user-error technical issues that were quickly resolved by the SchoolSims team. They were very responsive to all of our needs. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

The simulations are very practical and innovative. Students really enjoy engaging in the simulations. I'm confident my students will be better prepared as school leaders because of the sims. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Sometimes the links to simulations seem to break and you have to update them. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

SchoolSims is not just another tool. It offers transformative learning experiences for school leaders, presenting a rich library of real-world scenarios—from addressing school absenteeism to driving curriculum improvement. The immersive nature of SchoolSims provides deep insights into leadership strategies that are often challenging to fully grasp through traditional learning methods.

The available simulations reflect the complex dynamics of school leadership, including time-sensitive decision-making and stakeholder management. They allow users to think critically and adapt quickly, sharpening their leadership skills in a safe yet challenging environment.

I highly recommend SchoolSims to any school leader looking to hone their decision-making and problem-solving capabilities, as well as to Education Preparation Providers who support their growth. SchoolSims delivers a hands-on approach to leadership development that equips leaders to meet the real demands of their role. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Opportunity for wider availability to individual users. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

I am using this with new administrators and their coaches. The conversation that these simulations triggers really helps our new administrators consider the ramifications of their decisions and helps them look at situations more broadly. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

I have not yet encountered any downsides. It is easy to navigate and the administrators find the situations very realistic. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

SchoolSims offers graduate students to learn from interactive real world siimulations. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

While only a minor dislike it would be great if SchoolSims could employ AI to provide real time feedback as every point throughout the simulation where students have to make a decision. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

School Sims are video-based, choose-your-own-adventure storylines for teachers, principals, counselors, and superintendents. After each decision point, the participants have a natural opportunity to discuss why they made the decision that they did. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

They are expensive and can be cost-prohibitive for some potential customers. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.