Announcements, Reminders, and Updates

Announcements

Meet Dr. Cadotte at ISAGA in June

ISAGA (International Simulation & Gaming Association) holds its 36th Annual Conference, with the theme "Serious Play," June 27-July 1, 2005, in Atlanta, Georgia. The conference features nine topical tracks, each offering numerous presentations and simulation-participation sessions. Dr. Ernest Cadotte, author of Marketplace, will be presenting three papers at the conference. Summaries of Dr. Cadotte's papers are provided below. Visit the web site for more information about the conference and schedule (http://www.isaga05.gatech.edu). If you are planning on attending, stop by and chat with Ernie.

Pedagogical Value of Business Simulations

Are business simulations really a superior pedagogy for learning about business? Can students extrapolate the knowledge gained in a simulation to other situations? This study takes a fresh look at the measurement of the learning outcomes.

Using a new skills assessment methodology, students' ability to apply the experiences within simulations to other business situations was measured, rather than measuring the recall of definitions and principles, as many previous studies have done. A baseline skills assessment was established at the start of the exercise. A second skills assessment was administered near the conclusion of the exercise to discover if there was any change in the students' skill level, and the nature of the change if it occurred.

The students' perception of the learning outcome was also obtained. This set of measures goes well beyond those used in prior studies. Students were asked to evaluate the contribution of the simulation to the learning of specific skills and the degree to which the students perceive that the experience contributed to their preparation for a career in business.

A comprehensive, full-enterprise simulation was employed in the study that spanned an entire 15-week semester, where 100 percent of the course revolved around the exercise, which is far more extensive than has been the case with prior research. And finally, the study involves a larger sample size and a more diverse set of instructors than has typically been found.

Design Strategy of Marketplace

Recently, the Marketplace business simulation was redesigned from the ground up and the entire simulation pedagogy was rethought. The overall goal was to create a learning experience that far surpassed prior simulation exercises. This presentation summarizes the redevelopment process to illustrate how a valued pedagogy can be enhanced through careful planning and thoughtful consideration of the goals, strategy, features and benefits of the learning experience. A vision for the next generation of simulation games will also presented.

Experiencing Marketplace

This session will give participants the opportunity to play a sample game against the computer to observe the pedagogical design of the simulation and the level of functional detail it encompasses. Multiple levels of difficulty will be available for participants to experience. In some cases, the entire simulation can be completed within two hours, and in other cases, the simulation will only be sampled through two or three decision periods.

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Reminders

The Fall 2005 Marketplace Global Competition and Fall 2005 Competition for Experienced Players are scheduled to start in late September 2005.

Registration for both competition is scheduled for September 7-21 2005, so put a reminder on your calendar and be ready to sign up then. The start date for both fall competitions is September 28, and both will last for 10 weeks. Contact us for more information on the start dates and sign-up procedure.

The Fall Train the Trainers seminar will be held on October 16 through October 18 2005 in Knoxville, Tennessee.

The Train-the-Trainer seminar will immerse you in an intensive practice session with the Marketplace simulator, as well as provide you with ideas on how to most effectively build the simulation into your marketing or business course. Contact Jeanine Schmierbach to reserve your spot today.

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Upcoming

In future issues of the Marketplace Community Newsletter, look for articles on:

• Our on-line simulation library
• Future simulations
• Interviews with pioneers in business simulations
• More best teaching practices

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End Notes

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Marketplace Community Newsletter, issued quarterly.

Copyright © 2005 Innovative Learning Solutions. All rights reserved.
Innovative Learning Solutions, Inc., 500 West Summit Hill, Knoxville, Tennessee 37902, USA
Phone: 865.740.1776