From compliance to agency: Leveraging mixed reality simulation to bridge the enactment gap in initial teacher education

Abstract

Background: Although South Africa’s primary teacher education knowledge and practice standards establish clear literacy guidelines, an ‘enactment gap’ remains in initial teacher education (ITE). Components like oral reading fluency assessment and data-based instructional decision-making are often inadequately addressed, leaving pre-service teachers (PSTs) under-prepared to bridge theoretical knowledge and classroom application.
Objectives: This study first audits the extent to which Foundation Phase Bachelor of Education (BEd) language modules represent these standards, moving beyond superficial mention to provide authentic practice-based approximations. Second, it investigates how an integrated module, featuring a practice-based learning cycle facilitated by mixed reality simulation (MRS), enables PSTs to move beyond procedural compliance toward data-based instructional decision-making.
Method: Adopting a descriptive, instrumental case study design, this research unfolded in two phases. Phase one audited BEd language modules at a North West Province university using innovation configuration (IC) mapping. Phase two used purposive sampling to select a module integrating practice-based elements within a learning cycle facilitated by MRS. Data were gathered through IC mapping, video-recorded MRS sessions, and after-action review discussions, analysed via IC rating and a hybrid thematic analysis.
Results: The audit revealed that the enactment failures stem from missed opportunities rather than a lack of will, with modules often prioritising theory over practice-based reasoning. Conversely, the MRS-facilitated action learning cycle enabled PSTs to navigate a trajectory from procedural compliance to active diagnostic reasoning and collaborative sense-making.
Conclusion: While a practice-based learning cycle facilitated by MRS provides a vital environment for rehearsal and reflection, the transition to responsive decision-making is not instantaneous, requiring sustained, scaffolded support.
Contribution: This study offers an empirically grounded framework illustrating how integrating MRS with structured learning cycles can facilitate a shift in ITE from standard representation toward the development of diagnostic acuity and instructional agility in PSTs.