A different lunch: Role-play simulations in the preparation of early childhood leaders

This paper is based on a project where an on-line role play simulation facilitated the creation of an interactive social environment containing leadership challenges from diverse perspectives. By stepping into the roles of key stakeholders, students were required to respond to an incident at a child-care centre. Insights gained from the evaluation of simulations conducted with two groups of final year Bachelor of Early Childhood Studies students, highlighted the benefits and challenges of E-learning as a tool to promote critical thinking in relation to decision making as early childhood leaders. These findings also evoke debate about long-term implications of using on line technology in teacher education.