E-Learning as a Socio-Cultural System: A Multidimensional Analysis

In this study we will introduce a global synchronous e-learning platform that is used for teaching virtual collaboration, multicultural communication, and business process management. The platform has been used in joint learning sessions between international universities and the data of the study has been gathered from self-reflecting essays of the participating university students. We will analyze the data from the point of view of how the students create a social and cultural identity in this totally virtual environment, in which no student will probably ever meet face-to-face his or her team members and collaboration partners. We will consider both the environment as a social construction as well as an environment which is technology supported. In this respect the study has several implications for the educators in the present global and ever technology richer university environment.</p

Valmiuksia tulevaisuuden työelämään simulaatiopeli-oppimisen kautta

Työtä tehdään yhä useammin hajautuneesti digitaalisissa ympäristöissä. Etä- ja digitaalinen työ tulevat jäämään pysyväksi osaksi työelämää myös koronapandemian jälkeen. Työn digitalisoituminen on tarkoittanut teknologiaosaamisen korostumista, kun yhteisöllisen ongelmanratkaisun taitojen merkitys on kasvanut. Nykypäivän työelämässä korostuvat yhteisölliset digitaaliset taidot, joiden kehittäminen on syytä aloittaa jo ennen työelämään siirtymistä oppilaitoksissa. Samaan aikaan liiketoimintaosaamisen merkitys myös muissa kuin liike-elämän tehtävissä on korostunut. Simulaatiopeliympäristöjä on käytetty juuri kompleksisten kokonaisuuksien, kuten yritystoiminnan, kollaboratiiviseen oppimiseen. Tässä tutkimuksessa esitämme virtuaalisesti toteutetun korkeakoulukurssin ja siitä kerätyn aineiston avulla, kuinka simulaatiopelaaminen toimii nykyaikaisen työympäristön vaatiman osaamisen oppimisessa.</p

Organizing for collaboration in simulation-based environments: An affordance perspective

Extant research has identified the significance of technological affordances in computer-supported learning environments. However, until recently, there is scarcely empirical research on affordances for organizing collaboration in these learning environments. To address this gap, this study empirically examines affordances for organizing collaboration in a simulation-based learning environment. We focus, in particular on understanding how the organizing affordances of the learning environment are perceived and employed by the learners during a simulation-based learning task. The study was executed among 177 undergraduate higher education (HE) business students from 10 universities in Belgium, China, Estonia, New Zealand, the USA, Austria, and Finland. The data were obtained from the students' reflective essays, and analyzed with a qualitative content analytical approach. The results of our analyses yield in four types of organizing affordances: (1) organizing the division of work, (2) managing information and resources, (3) managing tasks, and (4) strategizing. Each type of organizing affordance was required in the joint learning task. The study offers an advanced understanding of affordances for organizing and of their use/nonuse in simulation-based learning environments. The findings of this study have theoretical and empirical implications and can contribute to both the development of pedagogic and educational practices as well as the design of learning tasks and environments

Teaching Professional Communication in a Global Context: Using a Three-Phase Approach of Theory Exploration, Self-Assessment, and Virtual Simulation

In today\u27s globally diverse society, standard theoretical instruction is not able to expose our students to the realities of international communication, multicultural collaboration, and dispersed global work. Abstract text-based cases are limited in delivering a realistic view of the challenges of working virtually and globally within international teams. In addition to cases, we believe that hands-on experiential, collaborative exercises – combined with the metacognitive exercise of reflective practice – offer greater learning potential. While international collaboration and exercises may take extra time, effort, and cost, the benefits to students can be substantial

Towards a manager's mental model: Conceptual change through business simulation

Mental models are relevant in both managerial decision making and management education. Decision-making studies have demonstrated how managers benefit from more accurate mental models by gaining higher-quality heuristics and better performance. However, management education studies assessing mental models as learning outcomes remain rare. This study aims at understanding how students' mental models change during a business simulation course. We designed a pre- and post-simulation concept map assignment that illustrated students' mental models as number of concepts, connections between concepts, and written explanations. The findings of our study demonstrate that students’ mental models changed through two interconnected processes: addition of new knowledge and change of misconceptions in existing knowledge. Based on these results, we composed a model of conceptual change through business simulation gaming. Our study contributes to the research on learning from business simulations and addresses the recent call for more conceptual change research in social sciences by enhancing the conceptual change discussion in the management education literature.</p

Flow framework for analyzing the quality of educational games

The challenge of educational game design is to develop solutions that appeal to as many players as possible, but are still educationally effective. One foundation for analyzing and designing educational engagement is the flow theory. This article presents a flow framework that describes the dimensions of flow experience that can be used to analyze the quality of educational games. The framework also provides design-support for producing good educational games, because it can be used to reveal ways to optimize learning effects and user experience. However, the framework only works as a link between educational theory and game design, which is useful for game analysis but does not provide the means for a complete game design. To evaluate the elements included in the proposed framework, we analyzed university student&rsquo;s experiences in participating in a business simulation game. We found that the students&rsquo; flow experience in the game was high and the findings indicated that sense of control, clear goals and challenge-skill dimensions of flow scored the highest. Overall, the results indicate that the flow framework is a useful tool to aid the analysis of game-based learning experiences The challenge of educational game design is to develop solutions that appeal to as many players as possible, but are still educationally effective. One foundation for analyzing and designing educational engagement is the flow theory. This article presents a flow framework that describes the dimensions of flow experience that can be used to analyze the quality of educational games. The framework also provides design-support for producing good educational games, because it can be used to reveal ways to optimize learning effects and user experience. However, the framework only works as a link between educational theory and game design, which is useful for game analysis but does not provide the means for a complete game design. To evaluate the elements included in the proposed framework, we analyzed university student&rsquo;s experiences in participating in a business simulation game. We found that the students&rsquo; flow experience in the game was high and the findings indicated that sense of control, clear goals and challenge-skill dimensions of flow scored the highest. Overall, the results indicate that the flow framework is a useful tool to aid the analysis of game-based learning experiences.</div

Teaching professional communication in a global context: Using a three-phase approach of theory exploration, self-assessment, and virtual simulation

In today&#39;s globally diverse society, standard theoretical instruction is not able to expose our students to the realities of international communication, multicultural collaboration, and dispersed global work. Abstract text-based cases are limited in delivering a realistic view of the challenges of working virtually and globally within international teams. In addition to cases, we believe that hands-on experiential, collaborative exercises &ndash; combined with the metacognitive exercise of reflective practice &ndash; offer greater learning potential. While international collaboration and exercises may take extra time, effort, and cost, the benefits to students can be substantial. This paper discusses a recent teaching endeavor across three universities in the USA, Finland, and Austria. The authors of this paper collaborated on a project to link business students via a virtual team simulation, called Virtual Teams in International Business (VIBu - http://www.vibu.fi). By examining this pedagogical approach we demonstrate best practices for virtual and dispersed student learning of professional communication as students develop awareness of the challenges of international business, communication across cultures, and&nbsp;dispersed global work. We posit that exposing business students to the authentic complexity and ambiguity of modern virtual and dispersed work results in relevant learning and deeper understanding of the applicable topics. This case-learning environment requires that the instructor relinquish full control within the learning situation and give the responsibility to the students to act, organize and learn, but the learning that results from this empowerment may be considerable.</p

Flow framework for analyzing the quality of educational games

The challenge of educational game design is to develop solutions that appeal to as many players as possible, but are still educationally effective. One foundation for analyzing and designing educational engagement is the flow theory. This article presents a flow framework that describes the dimensions of flow experience that can be used to analyze the quality of educational games. The framework also provides design-support for producing good educational games, because it can be used to reveal ways to optimize learning effects and user experience. However, the framework only works as a link between educational theory and game design, which is useful for game analysis but does not provide the means for a complete game design. To evaluate the elements included in the proposed framework, we analyzed university student’s experiences in participating in a business simulation game. We found that the students’ flow experience in the game was high and the findings indicated that sense of control, clear goals and challenge-skill dimensions of flow scored the highest. Overall, the results indicate that the flow framework is a useful tool to aid the analysis of game-based learning experiences

Enhancing organizational business process perception : experiences from constructing and applying a dynamic business simulation game

siirretty Doriast

Valmiuksia tulevaisuuden työelämään simulaatiopelioppimisen kautta

Tänä päivänä työtä tehdään yhä useammin hajautetuissa digitaalisissa ympäristöissä, joissa yhteisöllisten digitaalistenja 21. vuosisadan taitojen merkitys korostuu. Myös liiketoimintaosaamista tarvitaan tänä päivänä laajalti eri aloilla.Dynaamisten ja monitahoisten ilmiöiden oppiminen tapahtuu parhaiten aidon kaltaisissa oppimisympäristöissä, kuten simulaatiopeliympäristöissä. Tutkimusaineistomme koostuu simulaatiopeliympäristössä toteutetun korkeakoulukurssinopiskelijoiden reflektiivisistä esseistä. Tutkimuksen tulostenperusteella voidaan esittää, että tapauksemme kaltaisen simulaatiopeleillä voidaan tukea monipuolisesti työelämävamiuksien kehittymistä.Work is increasingly being conducted in dispersed digital environments, where the importance of collaborative digital skills and 21st century skills are emphasized. Businessknowledge is also required in many fields and in a variety of tasks. Learning of dynamic and complex phenomena takes best place in authentic learning environments, such as simulation game environments. By analyzing reflective essays gathered from a game-based university course we show how learning with a simulation game can enhance the collaborative development of various skills needed in worklife.peerReviewe