Most of the evidence that simulations are effective teaching tools has been anecdotal. But fortunately, there have been some carefully designed research studies that examine the effectiveness of simulations and test these anecdotal assertions. Research studies examining the effectiveness of simulations have found that students learn more effectively using simulations and games than alternative learning tools. Also younger managers who have used computer games since early childhood enjoy simulations and games more than case studies. Other studies have shown that simulations are effective at getting students to apply concepts that they have learned through lectures or reading and that simulations can ...
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The Global Warming Interactive Simulation is a serious game that explores the relationship of global warming to economic, political, and science policy decisions. The simulation, developed by a nine person team headed by Professor Michael Hillinger and simulated with Forio Broadcast produces estimates of the CO2 emissions over a period of 100 years. The model also takes into account social and economic variables such as development of alternative energy sources, taxes on carbon production, unemployment levels, and even public opinion.
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Advergaming is the practice of using computer games to advertise a product or service. Last year, Oracle, through Grey Advertising, commissioned Forio to develop an advertising simulation (adversim) that explains how Oracle’s ERP systems and databases can improve Lean Manufacturing. Like other companies that sell sophisticated products and services, Oracle has traditionally offered white papers through its website as a way to educate potential customers and generate leads. This year Oracle decided to experiment with a more interactive approach through the Lean Manufacturing Simulation. While advergames have been targeted ...
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A recently declassified U.S. war simulation conducted in 1999 by U.S. Central Command to explore post-occupation Iraq scenarios illustrates the use of war gaming within the U.S. government. The formerly secret simulation, called Desert Crossing, included 70 military, diplomatic and intelligence participants who role-played for the exercise. The simulation and seminar was essentially a change management workshop designed to minimize undesireable effects in a post-Saddam Iraq. The simulation relied on a series of descriptive worst-case and most-likely-case scenarios that were intended to be plausible, not predictive, and to present a range of ...
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New Yorker reporter John Seabrook writes about Will Wright and his upcoming release of his new game, “Spore” by Electronic Arts. Seabrook provides a brief history of gaming, starting with Atari’s Pong, developed by Nolan Bushnell and Al Alcorn and advancing to “God games” in the late 80s. Seabrook writes: Computer animation is a brute-force project of converting graphic art into two-dimensional pixels, and, more recently, into three-dimensional polygons, the building blocks of digital pictures. But to create a truly absorbing simulation, one that offers some insight into the nature of real life, is a much more ...
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