Simulation-based learning offers a wide range of opportunities to practice complex skills in higher education and to implement different types of scaffolding to facilitate effective learning. This meta-analysis includes 145 empirical studies and investigates the effectiveness of different scaffolding types and technology in simulation-based learning environments to facilitate complex skills. The simulations had a large positive overall effect: g = 0.85, SE = 0.08; CIs [0.69, 1.02]. Technology use and scaffolding had positive effects on learning. Learners with high prior knowledge benefited more from reflection phases; learners with low prior knowledge learned better when supported by examples. Findings were robust across different higher education domains (e.g., medical and teacher education, management). We conclude that (1) simulations are among the most effective means to facilitate learning of complex skills across domains and (2) different scaffolding types can facilitate simulation-based learning during different phases of the development of knowledge and skills.

中文翻译：

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高等教育中基于模拟的学习：元分析

基于模拟的学习提供了广泛的机会来练习高等教育中的复杂技能，并实施不同类型的脚手架以促进有效学习。该元分析包括 145 项实证研究，并调查了不同支架类型和技术在基于模拟的学习环境中促进复杂技能的有效性。模拟具有很大的积极整体效果：g = 0.85，SE = 0.08；CI [0.69, 1.02]。技术使用和脚手架对学习有积极的影响。具有高先验知识的学习者从反思阶段受益更多；在示例的支持下，先验知识较少的学习者学习得更好。在不同的高等教育领域（例如，医学和教师教育、管理），调查结果是可靠的。