State of Field Review: Simulation in Education

This work represents a literature review of the current state of simulation in adult education. The use of simulation and games in adult education has a considerable history. They have played a supporting role in the more objectivist approaches to knowledge that has pervaded adult education for the last two centuries. They do so by representing a systematic illustration of a universal truth within a discipline. The constructed simulation or game would then communicate that " correct " image directly to learners. This approach to learning has worked well in training paradigms where the goal of the educational experience has been the creation of a homogenous workforce with consistent and predictable levels of competency. In recent years, most of the changes in the use of simulation and games in these settings have involved an increase in fidelity and realism brought about by improvements in computer technology. This traditional approach continues to be effective in many adult-learning contexts but there is increasing evidence that new approaches to education will need to develop as well. Pedagogy that advocates an objectivist approach to knowledge supports the idea of an unchanging information structure. This approach is inappropriate for dealing with a rapidly changing world. The knowledge economy that is currently evolving requires an understanding of more than just how to produce information. It also requires workers to comprehend how to filter it, find meaning in it and then finally apply it in an ambiguous and ever-changing environment. One consequence of the more traditional educational approaches has been the neglect of the development of judgment skills, critical thinking skills and creativity in many adult learners. All of these skills will be necessary in order to succeed in the knowledge economy. In order to examine the kinds of pedagogical approaches that will be necessary to provide these kinds of skills, educational simulations are receiving significant attention. There is a considerable amount of work being done to explore their potential to be part of a new toolset for instructional designers. The goal of these designers is to create educational experiences that will help move adult learners towards a more useful set of skills that can deal with the realities of a new, and more information heavy, economy. There are two major influences that will impact the future of educational simulation. One is a shift in instructional design towards more constructivist approaches that emphasize sense making at a …