Enhancing the Impact of Online Simulations through Blended Learning: a Critical Incident Approach

Version of record is available at the Emerald publishing platform: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/ET-01-2013-0007 publicationstatus: publishedPurpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe an approach for utilising a critical incident method within the context of an online business simulation game in order to provide an effective framework for reflective learning. Design/methodology/approach – The paper presents a review of pertinent literature to place the critical incident technique within the novel context of simulation gaming. Through presenting a case study of practice, it goes on to describe a blended learning approach that combines online simulation with post-simulation reflection based on the critical incident method. An action research approach is adopted as a framework for reflection on practice. Findings – From a conceptual perspective, there are a number of potential benefits to employing a critical incident approach combined with simulation gaming. The ability of educators to compress time frames and manage the introduction of critical incidents allows students to learn in a way that would not be possible in the real world. Furthermore, carefully designed post-simulation debriefing, structured around a critical incident framework, has the potential to enhance the learning impact of online simulation. Research limitations/implications – The research is limited in that a single case study context is described. Further evaluation research is required to fully assess the benefits of the approach adopted. Originality/value – The study explores the use of the critical incident approach within the novel context of online simulation gaming. It provides educators with a blended learning method that can be employed to enhance the impact of e-learning through structured reflection

Evaluating the impact of serious games: the effect of gaming on entrepreneurial intent

Purpose - Serious games are playing an increasingly significant role across a range of educational contexts. Business focused serious games can provide students with an authentic learning experience and their use has been increasingly taken up by business school faculty, including those delivering entrepreneurship education. This paper seeks to evaluate the impact of participation in a serious business game on the Entrepreneurial Intent of undergraduate students. Design/methodology/approach - The study adopts a pre-test / post-test quasi-experimental design. It employs a modified version of Linan et al.’s (2011) Entrepreneurial Intent model in the form of a questionnaire survey completed by 263 undergraduate business and management students. Findings – A logic regression model was used to analyse the survey responses. The research findings indicate that the serious game used in this study has a significant negative impact on Entrepreneurial Intent. Gender and role model effects are also identified from the analysis. Originality/value - The paper contributes to the literature in two ways. Firstly, it demonstrates the impact of serious business games on Entrepreneurial Intent during the enterprise awareness stage of a student’s entrepreneurship education. Secondly, it provides a foundation for exploring the role that serious games can play in educating the potential entrepreneurs of the future

Entrepreneurial identity formation during the initial entrepreneurial experience: The influence of simulation feedback and existing identity

© 2017 Elsevier Inc. The impact of a negative initial entrepreneurship experience may inhibit the emergence of an entrepreneurial identity and shut down a subsequent entrepreneurial career. Testing theories of identity development usually involve complex longitudinal studies, but the testing may be facilitated through the use of business simulation gaming. Using a quasi-experimental research design, the paper explores how entrepreneurial micro-identity is formed among business undergraduates during the initial entrepreneurial experience. In doing so, the research investigates the impact of cognitive dissonance on the salience of the emerging identity and the influence of key existing identities. The paper accomplishes this using a novel dataset derived from a business simulation game. We argue that the simulation offers a valuable resource to test theories within shortened timescales. The paper contributes to the field by problematizing the initial entrepreneurial experience of undergraduate students and supports the case for using simulation gaming as a method to support theory testing

Real World Learning: Simulation and Gaming

Simulations and games are being used across a variety of subject areas as a means to provide insight into real world situations within a classroom setting; they offer many of the benefits of real world learning but without some of the associated risks and costs. Lean, Moizer, Derham, Strachan and Bhuiyan aim to evaluate the role of simulations and games in real world learning. The nature of simulations and games is discussed with reference to a variety of examples in Higher Education. Their role in real world learning is evaluated with reference to the benefits and challenges of their use for teaching and learning in Higher Education. Three case studies from diverse subject contexts are reported to illustrate the use of simulations and games and some of the associated issues

Developing future managers through business simulation gaming in the UK and Hong Kong: exploring the interplay between cognitive realism, decision-making and performance

PurposeThis paper investigates how individuals' decision-making approach and perceptions of a game's cognitive realism affect the performance of virtual businesses in a web-based simulation game.Design/methodology/approachSurvey data are collected from 274 business simulation game users and is analysed using the fsQCA technique.FindingsThe study identifies three alternative pathways to high and low performance in a business simulation game. Results indicate that a flexible decision-making approach exists in all high performance pathway solutions. Where a game is perceived to be realistic, a more focused decision-making approach is associated with high performance. However, where perceived cognitive realism is absent, a less focused experimental decision-making approach is employed, which increases the chances to achieve low performance. Finally, perceived cognitive realism and an experimental decision-making approach are found to be mutually exclusive for achieving high performance.Originality/valueWhilst the learning benefits of web-based simulation games are widely acknowledged, the complex interplay amongst factors affecting performance in games is under-researched. Limited research exists on how perceptions of a game's cognitive realism interact with user decision-making approaches to affect performance.</jats:sec

Creating communities: developing, enhancing and sustaining learning communities across the University of Bedfordshire

Creaton in Northamptonshire was the venue for the writing retreat that contributed to this volume of articles – the University’s second writing retreat. Hard on the heels of the success of the first event (Creating Bridges) a group of staff from across the University met during Easter week 2010 to discuss, review and write the various chapters in this volume. A wider cross-section of staff was involved this time extending beyond the CETL to encompass staff involved in research informed teaching and teaching and learning projects or those who just wanted to write about their own teaching and learning practices. Not forgetting our guest external, Jamie Thompson, a National Teaching Fellow at the University of Northumbria, who has been working with us on various projects

Applied Pedagogies for Higher Education: Real World Learning and Innovation across the Curriculum

This open access book critiques real world learning across both the curriculum and extracurricular activities