Simulation Reimagined: Transformative Pathways in Social Science Learning

Simulation-based education (SBE) has revolutionized professional and technical training, yet its transformative potential within the social sciences remains only partially explored. This special issue in Frontiers in Education seeks to advance an interdisciplinary and international dialogue on cutting-edge SBE research, design, and implementation across social science domains. We invite contributions that investigate the mechanisms through which simulation activates cognitive, emotional, identity, and social learning processes; examine its longitudinal effects on attitudes, professional identity formation, and behavior; and open new frontiers in studying emotional labor, ethical decision-making, resilience, global citizenship, and social agency. Equally welcome are studies offering comparative analyses of live, virtual, peer-, and actor-based modalities; the development of innovative theoretical frameworks and assessment tools capturing reflection, empathy, and metacognitive-emotional integration; and inclusive, culturally responsive simulation models. Ultimately, this issue aims to highlight simulation’s growing role in nurturing civic, ethical, and intercultural competencies—bridging professional preparation and wider social learning.
This Research Topic is intended for an international audience of researchers, educators, simulation designers, curriculum specialists, trainers in professional development, and policy makers interested in advancing simulation-based learning in the social sciences. Contributions aiming at students or practitioners at various levels of expertise are welcome, provided they relate to the overarching scholarly aims.
Despite the rapid expansion of simulation-based education (SBE) in health, engineering, and technical fields, its potential to transform learning in the social sciences remains underdeveloped and unevenly studied. Current research often focuses narrowly on skill acquisition and short-term outcomes, overlooking the deeper identity, ethical, emotional, and social dimensions that are central to social science education. This Research Topic seeks to address this gap by fostering empirical, theoretical, and design-based studies that illuminate how simulation can cultivate reflective, socially aware, and ethically grounded learners. To achieve this, the collection encourages interdisciplinary and cross-cultural scholarship that examines mechanisms of learning and change, develops innovative simulation designs aligned with civic and global competencies, and proposes new frameworks and assessment tools capable of capturing complex affective and relational learning processes.
This Research Topic explores how simulation-based education (SBE) can advance learning, identity formation, and ethical practice across the social sciences. It welcomes interdisciplinary perspectives that investigate simulation’s role in developing cognitive, emotional, and social competencies essential for responsible, engaged citizenship and professional integrity. The scope includes empirical, conceptual, and design-based studies addressing diverse educational contexts—from teacher and social work preparation to intercultural, civic, and ethical learning initiatives.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Conceptual Analysis
• Curriculum, Instruction, and Pedagogy
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Original Research
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Conceptual Analysis
• Curriculum, Instruction, and Pedagogy
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Policy Brief
• Review
• Systematic Review

Keywords: Simulation-based learning, equity-focused simulation model, metacogntive development, active learning, affective competences, meta-competences

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.