Innovative Teaching Using Simulation and Virtual Environments

Simulation and game-based techniques are becoming increasingly popular methods of inquiry into complex service-science-related problems and phenomena. Integrating these techniques and models into the curriculum allows for students to visually learn about the objects of their study and the related concepts, interact with processes, components, and systems, and understand the underlying dynamic behavior of the objects of their study. Such a learning experience is usually difficult to build using more traditional approaches such as case studies and experiential exercises. In this paper, after a brief introduction, we discuss the authors’ experience in using simulation and game-based and virtual environments, such as Second Life and Innov8, that lead to a more innovative teaching of service science concepts. The proposed approaches can have positive implications for the quality of education in areas such as Business, Management Information Systems (MIS) and Systems Engineering and may be a significant step towards a more comprehensive students’ learning experience. We include some preliminary students’ learning outcomes that indicate potential of one game-based learning technique that we describe in the study. We also briefly illustrate how a more formal approach Material published as part of this publication, either on-line or in print, is copyrighted by the Informing Science Institute. Permission to make digital or paper copy of part or all of these works for personal or classroom use is granted without fee provided that the copies are not made or distributed for profit or commercial advantage AND that copies 1) bear this notice in full and 2) give the full citation on the first page. It is permissible to abstract these works so long as credit is given. To copy in all other cases or to republish or to post on a server or to redistribute to lists requires specific permission and payment of a fee. Contact [email protected] to request redistribution permission. Teaching Using Simulation and Virtual Environments 238 such as causal mapping can be used to develop a robust and effective curriculum using the example of Operations Management.