What is the Difference Between Micro-teaching and Simulated Teaching

The key difference between micro-teaching and simulated teaching is that micro-teaching refers to a teacher training technique for learning and practicing teaching skills in a real classroom environment, whereas simulated teaching refers to a technique that is used for teachers to practice teaching skills in a synthetic environment.

Both micro-teaching and simulated teaching are used to develop teaching skills. But there is a distinct difference between micro-teaching and simulated teaching.

CONTENT

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Micro-teaching
3. What is Simulated Teaching
4. Micro-teaching vs Simulated Teaching in Tabular Form
5. Summary – Micro-teaching vs Simulated Teaching

What is Micro-teaching?

Micro-teaching is a teaching technique used to develop the teaching skills of teachers. This is an opportunity where teachers can teach a classroom and get feedback on their skills. Teacher trainees or teacher pupils have to do their presentations for a small group of students in front of a mentor. They can do a teaching presentation for their colleagues or a small group of their own students for a short period of time.

This technique is expected to enhance the skills and abilities of the teacher trainee or teacher pupil. Since teacher trainees are able to get feedback on their presentations, they can develop their skills to a greater extent. Micro-teaching also focuses on developing skills like planning, observing, and time management.

What is Simulated Teaching?

Simulated teaching refers to a teaching technique that is used in developing the teaching skills of teacher pupils using a synthetic environment like a role-play. It can be described as a teaching activity that takes place in an artificial learning environment. This technique is basically used in the setting of teacher education. Teacher trainees are given the opportunity to enhance their skills before entering the actual classroom teaching setting.

Simulated teaching helps to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical work. At the same time, simulated teaching helps to give a real picture of the actual classroom setting for teacher trainees. Through simulated classroom interactions, trainees and pupils are able to develop their skills.

What is the Difference Between Micro-teaching and Simulated Teaching?

Both micro-teaching and simulated teaching are used as teaching techniques to develop the skills of teacher trainees. The key difference between micro-teaching and simulated teaching is that micro-teaching is done by a teacher trainee for a small group of students or colleagues in front of a mentor, while simulated teaching is done in a synthetic environment as a role play.

Moreover, teacher trainees do not get the chance to play all three roles of teacher, student, and supervisor in micro-teaching, but they get the chance to experience all three roles, teacher, student, and supervisor, in simulated teaching. Although micro-teaching gives a real classroom experience, simulated teaching does not give a hands-on experience in the real class setting.

The below infographic presents the differences between micro-teaching and simulated teaching in tabular form for side by side comparison.

Summary – Micro-teaching vs Simulated Teaching

Both micro-teaching and simulated teaching are used to develop the teaching skills and the teaching practices of teacher pupils and teacher trainees. However, the key difference between micro-teaching and simulated teaching is that micro-teaching takes place in an actual classroom setting, whereas simulated teaching takes place in an artificial classroom setting. In addition, although micro-teaching provides hands-on experience in the real classroom setting, simulated teaching does not give hands-on experience in the real classroom setting.