You are here:

In-Class Simulation Games: Assessing Student Learning
ARTICLE

, Brock University, Canada ; , Bucknell University, United States

JITE-Research Volume 2, Number 1, ISSN 1539-3585 Publisher: Informing Science Institute

Full Text

Abstract

As instructors continue developing useful learning tools for their classrooms, games have become one popular alternative. This paper explains an inventory simulation game, two methods for evaluating whether students learn from playing the game, and the results from two experiments evaluating student learning. An effective game will help students understand concepts more quickly and remember them better than from a lecture. The game used here is a simulation of an inventory system, where student teams place orders for an item on a monthly basis (based on limited knowledge of prior demand), and then the instructor informs them what the demand is for that month. There are holding costs for items not sold and shortage costs if they run out of items. The students then place their order for the next month. To evaluate student learning, two methods were used: a before-and-after questionnaire, and playing the game twice. Both methods allowed for an initial benchmark to be established, followed by a measure of how much students improved. For the questionnaire, answers were scored and a paired-comparison t-test was calculated to assess learning. When the game was played twice, a few things were calculated regarding student performance, including the change in student profits. Most results point to the conclusion that students learned from the game. Basic inventory knowledge increased, students gained an appreciation for the complexity of inventory issues and of decision making in general, and students enjoyed the game and thought it was a worthwhile learning experience. It was evident that many students grasped the larger strategic issues and were beginning to apply them more broadly. Although not all changes were statistically significant, most did improve, suggesting that students developed a deeper hands-on understanding of the issues. The current study is confirmatory in the general use of simulation games, although it adds to existing literature in that little exists on operations management and information systems games and their assessment. Also, this study involves two independent assessments of the same game, two different instruments, and two different universities.

Citation

Klassen, K.J. & Willoughby, K.A. (2003). In-Class Simulation Games: Assessing Student Learning. Journal of Information Technology Education: Research, 2(1), 1-13. Informing Science Institute. Retrieved December 11, 2023 from .

Keywords

References

View References & Citations Map
  1. Applefield, J.M., Huber, R.L. And Moallem, M. (2000). Constructivism in theory and practice: toward a better understanding. High School Journal, vol. 84, no. 2, pp. 35-46.
  2. Bodo, P. (2002). In-class simulations of the iterated prisoner's dilemma game. The Journal of Economic Education, vol. 33, no. 3, pp. 207-216.
  3. Doyle, D. And Brown, F.W. (2000). Using a business simulation to teach applied skills – The benefits and the challenges of using student teams from multiple countries. Journal of European Industrial Training, vol. 24, no. 6, pp. 330-342.
  4. Faria, A.J. (1998). Business simulation games: Current usage levels – An update. Simulation & Gaming, vol. 29. No. 3, pp. 295-309.
  5. Gremmen, H. And Potters, J. (1997). Assessing the efficacy of gaming in economic education. The Journal of Economic Education, 28, 4, pp. 291-303.
  6. Heineke, J. And Meile, L. (1995). Games and exercises for operations management: hands-on learning activities for basic concepts and tools. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall. In-Class Simulation Games
  7. Heineke, J. & Meile, L. (2000). Classroom service games. Presentation at the Decision Sciences Institute Annual Meeting, Nov. 18.
  8. Kohn, A. (1997). Students don’t ‘work’ – They learn. Education Week, Sept. 3.
  9. Kraiger, K. And Cannon-Bowers, J.A. (1995). Measuring knowledge organization as a method for assessing learning during training. Human Factors, vol. 37. No. 4, pp. 804-812.
  10. Levine, B. (1998). Leadout: An experience in leadership. Simulation & Gaming, vol. 29, no. 3, pp. 367-369.
  11. McCune, J. (1998). The game of business. Management Review. Vol. 87, no. 2, pp. 56-58.
  12. McKeachie, W. (1994). Teaching tips: Strategies, research, and theory for college and university teachers. Lexington, MA: D.C. Heath and Company.
  13. Neal, D.J. (1997). Group competitiveness and cohesion in a business simulation. Simulation & Gaming, vol. 28, no. 4, pp. 460-476.
  14. Passman, R. (2001). Experiences with student-centered teaching and learning in high-stakes assessment environments. Education, vol. 122, no. 1, pp.189-199.
  15. Reall, M.J., Bailey, J.J. And Stoll, S.K. (1998). Moral reasoning "on hold" during a competitive game. Journal of Business Ethics, vol. 17. No. 11, pp. 1205-1210.
  16. Santos, J. (2002). Developing and implementing an internet-based financial system simulation game. The Journal of Economic Education, vol. 33, no. 1, pp. 31-40.
  17. Schwartzman, R. (1997). Gaming serves as a model for improving learning. Education, vol. 118, no. 1, pp. 9-18.
  18. Silver, E., Pyke, D., and Peterson, R. (1998). Inventory management and production planning and scheduling. New York: John Wiley & Sons.
  19. Teach, R. (1993). What do we teach when we use games? In Percival, F.; Lodge, S.; and Saunders, D. (eds.) The Simulation and Gaming Yearbook. London: Kogan Page.
  20. Westbrook, J.I. And Braithwaite, J. (2001). The health care game: An evaluation of a heuristic, web-based simulation. Journal of Interactive Learning Research, vol. 12, no. 1, pp. 89-100.
  21. Wolfe, J. And Chanin, M. (1993). The integration of functional and strategic management skills in a business game learning environment. Simulation & Gaming, vol. 24, no. 1, pp. 34-46.

These references have been extracted automatically and may have some errors. Signed in users can suggest corrections to these mistakes.

Suggest Corrections to References

Links

Also Read

Related Collections