Developing a Scientific Knowledge of Simulation/Gaming

Wolfe, Joe; Crookall, David

doi:10.1177/1046878198291002

Cited by 121 publications

(64 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…The history of efforts to study and prove their effectiveness and efficiency as a learning tool for business education purposes is also long (Wolfe & Crookall, 1998) and has been accompanied by changes in what has been accepted as valid evaluation criteria and methodologies (Feinstein & Cannon, 2002). Accordingly, a frequent critique in the gaming simulation literature concerns the conduct and results of its evaluation activities.…”

Section: Abstract: Business Games; Evaluation Methods; Logic Model; Smentioning

confidence: 99%

Putting Theory-Oriented Evaluation Into Practice

Hense

Kriz

Wolfe³

2008

Simulation & Gaming

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Evaluations of gaming simulations and business games as teaching devices are typically end-state driven. This emphasis fails to detect how the simulation being evaluated does or does not bring about its desired consequences. This paper advances the use of a logic model approach, which possesses a holistic perspective that aims at including all elements associated with the situation created by a game. The use of the logic model approach is illustrated as applied to SIMGAME, a board game created for secondary school level business education in six European Union countries. Keywords: business games; evaluation methods; logic model; secondary educationO ne can look back at a very long history of gaming simulations and their use for educational purposes. The history of efforts to study and prove their effectiveness and efficiency as a learning tool for business education purposes is also long (Wolfe & Crookall, 1998) and has been accompanied by changes in what has been accepted as valid evaluation criteria and methodologies (Feinstein & Cannon, 2002). Accordingly, a frequent critique in the gaming simulation literature concerns the conduct and results of its evaluation activities. It has been argued that past evaluations have been based on anecdotal evidence (Greenblat, 1989), lacked methodological rigor (Dorn, 1989;Remus, 1981), failed to use valid outcome criteria (Anderson & Lawton, 1992;Feinstein & Cannon, 2002;Wolfe, 1990), or used psychometrically unproven measurement techniques (Gosen & Washbush, 2004;Spector, 2000;Spector, Christensen, Sioutine, & McCormack, 2001).Even when the picture is confined to research considered methodologically sound, traditional evaluation shortcomings become apparent. These failings have resulted in widely varying appraisals of the value of games and simulations for teaching business subjects. This can be exemplified by reviews conducted by those (2001), Gosen and Washbush (2004), Keys and Wolfe (1990), Wolfe (1997), and Greenlaw and Wyman (1973). Although the overall picture suggests gaming simulation is an effective learning tool, the results of the relevant studies are far from ambiguous and are often contradictory.Such heterogeneous results indicate that mediating factors may exist, and that these factors exert an important influence on what makes for an effective experiential learning environment. For practitioners, such as simulation designers and trainers who use them, it would be of value to learn more about these influences. However, because most studies concentrate on showing whether simulations are effective as compared with an alternative teaching method (Wolfe, 1997), they fall short of divulging the specific conditions and factors that must be met to make simulation an effective learning tool. Thus, the problem of knowing whether an educational method such as simulation gaming works is relevant only if we also know how it works. Despite the considerable efforts that have been spent on evaluating the simulation gaming method, too little attention has been paid to gene...

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Section: Abstract: Business Games; Evaluation Methods; Logic Model; Smentioning

confidence: 99%

Putting Theory-Oriented Evaluation Into Practice

Hense

Kriz

Wolfe³

2008

Simulation & Gaming

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“…This very nature, however, encourages a lack of independent structure, a lack of recognition by the established disciplines and sciences, and a free-form orientation that often attracts the temporary interest of dilettantes who soon move onto other fancies without leaving much of an important." [70] Interestingly, this passage can be readily applied to the current Serious Games ecosystem. An excitement across multiple disciplines has created a fractured field of study [72].…”

Section: Gaming / Simulation Is One Device That Is Useful For Presentmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Indeed, these same theories of experiential learning are apparent in contemporary Serious Games approaches [60,69,72]. Wolf and Crookall also acknowledge a historical precedence in this as they suggest war-games were formerly introduced in the 17 th and 18 th century -discounting war-themed "parlour games" chess and Chaturanga [70].…”

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confidence: 99%

“…This purposeful construction of games as rule-based systems formed a key starting position in the rise of 'simulation gaming' throughout the mid-20 th century. According to Wolf and Crookall, "the modern era of simulation/gaming began in the late 1950s" [70]. They argue that it emerged through a combination of 'wargaming' practices, and new educational theories that prioritised active participationsuch as experiential learning [71].…”

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confidence: 99%

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A Brief History of Serious Games

Wilkinson

2016

Lecture Notes in Computer Science

112

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Abstract. Serious Games are now an established field of study. In this field most would attribute the rise of Serious Games to Clark C Abt's creation of the term in 1970, or indeed Ben Sawyer's popularization of it in 2002. However, considering the rich history of purposing non-digital games, itself preceded by discussions of purposing play that are traceable to the work of Plato, it can be said that Serious Games is a contemporary manifestation of centuries old theories and practices. In this chapter, we explore the pre-history of Serious Games, beginning with the suggested purpose, and purposing of play. Throughout this historical review we identify key in research and practice that are apparent in the contemporary Serious Games field.

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“…4, 2001) dedicated a special issue to the "state of the art and science of simulation and gaming" (p. 449). Wolfe and Crookall (1998) assessed the status of simulation and gaming as a scientific discipline.…”

Section: The Nature Of Business Gamesmentioning

confidence: 99%

From Rhetoric to Reality: Business Games as Educational Tools

Ben-Zvi¹,

Carton²

2007

INFORMS Transactions on Education

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This paper discusses business games as teaching tools in Management Science (MS). The discipline's traditional teaching methods, while appropriate for the dissemination of foundational knowledge, cannot provide students with a platform to link abstract concepts and real-world problems. We suggest that business simulation games are an effective way to engage students in MS topics; that they compel students to understand and cope with the ambiguities associated with real-world organizations. Specifically, we discuss our experience with the International Operations Simulation Mark/2000 (INTOPIA), a game designed to channel students into a stream of entrepreneurial decision-making. We employed the game over 12 semesters with approximately 1000 advanced MBA candidates. Our findings indicate that business games represent a novel instructional approach: this pedagogy has a real potential to promote the exchange of new ideas on teaching and learning within and across courses in the MS discipline.Editor's note: This is a pdf copy of an html document which resides at http://ite.pubs.informs.org/Vo8No1/ Ben-ZviCarton/ (Volume 8, Number 1, September 2007)

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Developing a Scientific Knowledge of Simulation/Gaming

Cited by 121 publications

References 13 publications

Putting Theory-Oriented Evaluation Into Practice

Putting Theory-Oriented Evaluation Into Practice

A Brief History of Serious Games

From Rhetoric to Reality: Business Games as Educational Tools

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