+1 (Brawta) - SIMULATION TOOLS
What are they?
Have you ever played the Sims? Well that's a simulation of a real world setting! In education, simulations belong to the field of experiential learning and are non-linear, realistic, instructional scenarios of the real world. Students are allowed to solve problems and learn from errors without risks or repercussions of the real world. While simulations can be used for most subject areas/disciplines, they are more popular in the fields of Medicine, Nursing, Engineering, Mathematics, Photography, etc.
Tips (best practice) for using simulations for instruction:
| 1. | Ensure that you have a clear purpose and share this with your students of how to explore the simulation. |
| 2. | Remember simulations are teaching tools, so incorporate them strategically. They should not be "tacked on" at the end of a session or used just for the sake of using simulations. |
| 3. | Explore some simulations. Maybe start with a non-educational simulation and then work your way up to experimenting with simulations in your subject area. |
| 4. | Simulations may be simple, using everyday tools or complex using platforms and sophisticated software. Consider the role of simulations in your class and make a care selection of the tool. |
Additional Resources
Read - de Smale, S., Overmans, T., Jeuring, J. & van de Grint, L. (2016). The effect of simulations and games on learning objectives in tertiary education: A systematic review. In de Gloria, A., Veltkamp, R. (eds), Games and Learning Alliance. GALA 2015. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol. 9599. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-40216-1_55
Read - Kilgour, P., Reynaud, D., Northcote, M. T. & Shields, M. (2015). Role-playing as a tool to facilitate learning, self-reflection and social awareness in teacher education. International Journal of Innovative Interdisciplinary Research, 2(4), 8-20.
Read - Wiggins, B.E. (2016). An overview and study on the use of games, simulations, and gamification in higher education. International Journal of Game-Based Learning, 6(1), 18-29.