Using simulation to develop critical transferable skills

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Using simulation to develop critical transferable
skills

• Focus on Business
• Kate Varini

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Discovery Learning with Simulation

• Frederking, B. (2005), Fripp, J. (1997), Gredler,
  M. E. (2003)

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The Simulation Experience
Students believing in their ability
Preparation prior to the start
-Learning environment -Instructor style
-Instructional design impact
More effort applied
Tompson, G. H., Dass, P. (2000)
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Simulations
Real world practice
Hospitality management theories principles
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• Feinstein, A. H., Parks, S. J., (2002),
• Van Grinsven, L., Tillema, H., (2006),
• Fregetto, E. (2005)

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1st Year Module Learning Outcomes

• Identify external environmental factors that
  impact on hospitality organisations through an
  analysis of the business environment
• Demonstrate an understanding of the principles of
  operations, financial and marketing management
  through their application to a business case
  study
• Evaluate the impact of the management decisions
  upon business performance
• Interpret financial results to make appropriate
  business decisions

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The HOTS simulation

• Helps students identify the relationships between
  their decisions and financial results.
• Skills developed
• Decision-making
• Marketing
• Operational management
• Spreadsheet
• Teamwork
• Communication
• (Edelheim, J. Ueda, D. 2007).

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An Integrated Approach

• Briefing stage is complex and time-consuming.
• Instructional design focuses on the development
  of a detailed briefing that allays numeric fears
  and develops self-efficacy.
• Learning objectives and assessment communicated
  and emphasised thoroughly by instructors to raise
  student interest.
• Time allocated to student familiarisation of the
  workings of the simulation to ensure
  understanding facilitating greater applied
  student effort (Green 2002).

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Student Role

• To identify and resolve current operational
  issues
• To create a strategy for the future they need to
• Plan Do Review Modify Plan ........
• Year 1 Consolidate
• Year 2 Recuperate
• Year 3 No limits

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Business SImulation

• Uses a transformation learning approach
• Critical reflection to move student from novice
  to expert
• They are expected to
• Research issues
• Apply an actions to improve and then..
• Evaluate the result - 50 of mark here
• Safety Net Marks of performance evaluation NOT
  performance of hotel

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Business Simulation

• 6 Lectures/10 Workshops
• Summative Assessment
• Participation 10 3 WAY
• Presentation 15 GRP.
• Final Report 25 INDIV.
• Final Exam 50 Validate

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THE INSTRUCTOR'S ROLE

• Before starting the simulation in week 5, ensure
  students .
• Appreciate the usefulness of the learning
  outcomes
• Have had the chance to ask questions about
  assessments
• Understand where to find required module HOTS
  information
• Feel confident about starting Year 1
• Can analyse performance using simple ratios
• Know their deadlines how to succeed in the
  module
• Have handed in a completed group contract where
  their areas of responsibility are clearly
  delineated
• Know which areas of the simulation are not
  realistic (budget scenario) and that there is no
  correlation between performance in the simulation
  and learning.

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THE INSTRUCTOR'S ROLE

• During the simulation
• Anticipate any problems the teams may run into
  and offer advice so that the teams can rectify
  the problems before things get out of hand
• Obtain information on the teams their
  strategies to improve the quality of feedback
• Provide feedback on part one of each groups
  business plan during workshop 5
• Provide detailed feedback on presentations and
  year 1 report to each group in week 9
• Act as banker, financial analyst, and consultant
  judge requests for loans and negotiate loan,
  overdraft rates or advice teams on their
  financial plan.

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Key Elements
Collaborative Commitment
Discussion with peers and module coaches
non-judgemental feedback
A deep approach to learning formative
assessments to manage self-esteem
Construct knowledge using self-reflection of
trial and error approaches
Personal involvement, comparison with others
Nurmi, S., Lainema, T. (2002), Van Grinsven,
L., Tillema, H. (2006), Kolb, Rubin McIntyre
(1979) Burgess, H., Jackson, S. (1990)
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Bibliography