Classroom Simulations for Social–Emotional Learning and Inclusive Teacher Education: A Four-Layer Conceptual Framework in the Age of AI

Teachers work in socially and emotionally complex environments that require rapid professional decision making under conditions of uncertainty. Classroom simulations provide opportunities for preservice and in-service teachers to practice, receive feedback, and reflect without placing students or teachers at unnecessary risk. Despite their growing use, the field lacks a contemporary and inclusive definition of classroom simulation. Existing frameworks often categorize simulations by technology or immersion level, overlooking important differences in agency, responsiveness, adaptation, and instructional design. These limitations have become more significant with the emergence of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and AI agents. This conceptual paper defines classroom simulations as deliberately designed approximations of classroom practice embedded within a structured learning process that includes preparation, enactment, and reflection. We propose a four-layer framework encompassing the professional practice represented, the simulated situation, the distribution of agency and adaptation, and the orchestration of learning. The framework is used to examine how simulations can support social-emotional and inclusive teaching competencies and how AI may influence scenario generation, student behaviour enactment, personalization, and feedback. Effective implementation requires theoretically grounded representations of learners and classroom interactions, alignment with learning goals, meaningful human oversight, and protections for agency, inclusion, privacy, and emotional safety.