The Internet and information and communication technologies (ICTs) have dramatically changed the teaching and learning landscape. These new teaching techniques created a window for more people to continue their education through lifelong learning programs, and allow stay-at-home moms to achieve a degree, or a person who is suffering from an illness prohibiting him/her to attend classes physically to become accredited as a financial advisor.
Business simulator games are considered by many to be an excellent e-learning method (the emerged paradigm of modern education). Business games simulate a business environment where teams manage a virtual company, compete against other groups, and aim to create sustainable profitable growth for their make belief businesses.
However, an instructor facilitating learning through business games in an online format has a far different job than one who is face-to-face with students. In on-the-job situations, each instructor is able to observe key factors, which allows the teacher to prepare students for uncertainty in a competitive environment. And while the instructor has greater control over handling individual student's requests, she can't be certain that the distant learning technique is effective among her students because of her inability to closely monitor the activities of each student. In response to this, advocates of the ICT approach say the degree to which the instructor governs the business simulators is somewhat unimportant because the computer program governs itself. Other researchers say the instructor is irreplaceable because her involvement is crucial to the degree in which students retain their lessons.
These polar opinions leave a grey area among those participating in business simulations and call for clearly defined lines about the amount of involvement each should instructor have.
In the ICT environment, the instructor is not only a one-way street to learning. She must become a coach, facilitator, collaborator and adviser for achieving competency. She must encourage the group and ease the transition into new e-learning tools. She is the guide who solves problems and motivates students.
Business simulation game used in study: Cesim Global Challenge (international business strategy simulation game)
What is your facilitation style when using business simulations in your class or training program? What challenges have you faced with either the face-to-face or online approach? Let us know!