Abstract Social Work Education faces the ongoing challenge of preparing students to intervene ethically, competently, and critically in increasingly complex social realities. Beyond theoretical knowledge, the profession requires strong technical–operational skills and the ability to apply instruments used in professional practice. This communication presents a pedagogical approach developed at Iscte – University Institute of Lisbon that integrates active learning, problem-based methodologies, and simulation techniques to teach key technical instruments in Social Work. Anchored in the international standards of the International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW) and the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW), the approach strengthens the articulation between theory and practice while promoting ethical reasoning, cultural sensitivity, and reflexivity. The study describes the methodological process used to select real professional documents—such as social reports, assessment forms, interview records, and home-visit documentation—and transform them into pedagogical tools through simulation-based activities. Classroom practices include role-play, scenario-based problem-solving, guided document analysis, and structured feedback cycles. These strategies enable students to develop core professional competencies such as communication, observation, diagnostic reasoning, decision-making, and technical writing. Results from classroom implementation indicate that simulation enhances students’ confidence, autonomy, and analytical capacities, while fostering collaborative learning environments aligned with the institution’s pedagogical model. Students reported a greater understanding of the ethical, methodological, and procedural dimensions of Social Work interventions and an improved ability to apply technical instruments in realistic scenarios. This pedagogical model demonstrates that active and experiential methodologies are essential to bridge the gap between theoretical learning and professional practice. By integrating real-world documentation, simulation, and reflective processes, Social Work Education can better prepare future professionals to respond to the demands of diverse, complex, and culturally dynamic contexts.

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social work education,Simulation-Based Pedagogy,Professional Skills Training,Problem-Based Learning (PBL).

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