By Erin Anderson and Dr. Phillip Luck, Georgia State University
In the Educational Policy Studies department at Georgia State University, Dr. Phillip Luck is helping aspiring school leaders practice the kind of decision-making they’ll face in real schools. His tool of choice? SchoolSims, interactive leadership simulations that immerse learners in complex, evolving school-based scenarios. Rather than teaching leadership as a checklist of best practices, Dr. Luck uses simulation to help leaders wrestle with ambiguity, consequences, and culture.
Step 1: Select Simulations That Mirror Real Leadership Complexity
Dr. Luck carefully selects simulations that require his leaders to process complex decisions as situations unfold. These aren’t static case studies. They are dynamic, branching scenarios where decisions ripple outward and shape school culture. As Dr. Luck explains:
“The goal of these simulations is not to provide a recipe for effective leadership but to demonstrate that you, as a future educational leader, must fully understand a situation, evaluate it, identify possible responses, and choose the most appropriate solution. The scenario models real life and challenges you to determine the best available choice given the situation, your management/leadership style, and how your decisions affect the culture and climate of the school in the simulation.”
In other words, leadership isn’t about finding the “right” answer but learning how to think. Once he selects appropriate simulations, he uploads the SchoolSims link to his leaders’ Canva LMS.
Step 2: Individual Reflection Before Group Discussion
After completing the simulation independently, each leader submits their SchoolSims feedback report to Dr. Luck. But the real learning begins in structured reflection. He asks his leaders to respond to three targeted questions:
- Which decision was the easiest decision for you to make? Did you agree with the feedback you received? Why or why not?
- Which decision was the hardest for you to make? Did you agree with the feedback you received? Why or why not?
- What is a leadership lesson you learned from this scenario that can assist you when you face this situation in real life?
These structured reflections move his leaders to examine not only what they chose, but why.
Step 3: Small-Group Analysis of Difficult Decisions
Before class, Dr. Luck reviews the reflections to identify which decisions were most difficult across the cohort. Then, during class, he breaks his leaders into small groups to analyze those decision points together. What happens next is where the real magic unfolds. Dr. Luck said, “ The conversations are so rich. There is great value in the leaders making decisions together. They learn that every decision is a domino effect that ends up impacting something else.” Leaders begin to see how different leadership styles shape outcomes, how cultural and relational dynamics influence decisions, and how even well-intentioned choices carry unintended consequences. The simulation becomes less about “winning” and more about understanding systems.
Step 4: Repeat Across the Semester
Because Dr. Luck meets with his leaders five times during the semester, he embeds at least two simulations per term. The result? Consistently strong reviews from participants and deeper classroom dialogue. One participant reflected, “This simulation reminded me how important it is to begin shifting my mindset and look at situations through a leadership lens, instead of a coaching one.” Another noted the importance of shared leadership:
“The simulation emphasized that effective principals cannot transform teaching and learning in isolation. They must engage their leadership teams, teachers, and scholars in the process. By involving others in data-driven discussions and decision-making, leaders nurture trust, shared responsibility, and authentic engagement.”
What Others Can Learn from Dr. Luck’s Model
If you’re considering embedding SchoolSims (or other simulations) into your own program, here are key takeaways from Dr. Luck’s approach:
- Choose complexity, not clarity: Pick simulations that mirror the messy reality of school leadership.
- Require structured reflection: Have participants analyze their decision-making process, not just outcomes.
- Surface the hardest decisions: Use pre-class review to identify patterns and anchor discussion in real dilemmas.
- Make discussion central: The simulation is powerful, but the reflection and group dialogue create the deepest learning.
- Emphasize mindset shift: Leadership requires moving beyond individual expertise into systems thinking, culture-building, and shared responsibility.
If you’re interested in embedding SchoolSims into your own leadership preparation program, Dr. Luck welcomes conversation. You can contact him at pgluck@gsu.edu.
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