This study aims to examine the effect of PhET-supported instructional practices on the scientific laboratory report writing skills of pre-service physics teachers. Simulation-based learning, recognized as an innovative approach in science education, facilitates the understanding of abstract concepts, fosters scientific process skills, and promotes active engagement in interactive learning environments. In this context, interactive simulations—particularly those offered by the PhET platform—are frequently cited in the literature as effective tools for enhancing conceptual learning and scientific writing abilities.

The study was conducted with 15 first-year students enrolled in a physics teacher education program. Within the scope of the study, pre-service teachers were asked to prepare two different laboratory reports based on PhET simulations; after completing their first report, they developed their second report by taking into account only the feedback provided by the instructor. The entire process was conducted through online platforms.

The scientific reports were evaluated using a “Simulation-Integrated Laboratory Report Evaluation Rubric” developed by the researchers. The rubric was structured around core components such as title, introduction, method, results, and sources of error, and incorporated simulation-based learning criteria including interactive engagement, updating of ideas based on feedback, knowledge transfer, and reflective thinking. Expert opinions from science and physics education were consulted during the rubric development process.

In the data analysis, the rubric scores obtained from the pre-service teachers' initial and final laboratory reports were compared and nonparametric tests were used since they were not normally distributed. The Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test and Sign Test results showed that there was a statistically significant improvement between the report scores (p < .01). This finding reveals that simulation-supported practices significantly improved pre-service teachers' scientific report writing skills.

The study shows that simulation-based learning contributes to the development of pre-service physics teachers' scientific written expression skills. However, the limited sample size and the short duration of the study limit the generalizability of the findings. It is recommended that future research should include larger samples, long-term applications and studies supported by qualitative data collection methods.

Keywords: Pre-service teacher, simulation based education, virtual laboratory.