Simulations

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Simulations

"What I hear, I forget; what I see, I remember; what I do, I understand."

Confucius, 451 BC

General

As young children, we all learn by doing. Toddlers learn to walk on their own with their parents standing by as guides, providing a safe environment that makes it possible for the child to learn. When a child enters the "formal education" system, unfortunately this rich environment of learning by doing often disappears. The education system is still stuck in the industrial age with classrooms more often designed for teaching rather than for learning purposes.

To return to the learning by doing stage, enter simulations. A simulation is an instructional strategy that offers the opportunity to learn in a realistic environment and practice problem-solving skills without danger. Simulation is a teaching method solidly rooted in statistical evidence that learners retain more information by doing rather than by just reading or listening (Salopek,1998). The first simulation, simulating a battle between two nations, was developed more than 1500 years ago – the game of chess (May, 1997).

When most people think of a simulation, what they are really envisioning is a simulator – an inhabitable environment such as a flight simulator to train pilots. A simulation doesn’t have to be so complex. It can be a simple set of cards or a script such as Desert Survival Situation, a decision simulation. Generally in a simulation, a scenario is presented, the student is required to act, the student reacts, and the system changes in response to this action.

Simulations are thought to be effective because they are highly motivating. Such activities also encourage students to be persistent, creative, and to becom...

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... Francis D. (1977). Designing simulation gaming activities: A systems approach. Educational Technology, 17(2), pp. 38-43.

Cairns, Kathleen, ED404583 95 Using Simulations to Enhance Career Education. ERIC Digest, ERIC Clearinghouse on Counseling and Student Services, Greensboro, NC.

Grendler, M. (1994). Designing and Evaluating Games and Simulations, Texas; Gulf Publishing Company (p. 16).

Hodges, M. (1998.). Virtual Reality in Training. Computer Graphics World, 2 (8), pp. 45-52.

May, D. G. (1997). Simulations: Active Learning for Gifted Students. Gifted Child Today Magazine, 20, pp. 28-30.

Petranek, Charles (1994). A Maturation in Experiential Learning; Principles of Simulations and Gaming. Simulation and Gaming, 25, pp. 513-523.

Salopek, Jennifer J. (1998). Workstation Meets Playstation, Training and Development, pp. 26-35.

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