Bringing students together through active learning and simulations
Date: 01/07/21
Dr Natalie Marguet
Summary
A framework of active and flipped learning through incorporating simulation.
Further Information:
Subject Area:
Business Management
Level: 7
Class Size: 25
Keywords
Assessment, Course Design, Discussion Boards, Flipped Learning, Groups, Peer Learning, Reflection, Simulation, Student Engagement, Student Feedback, Summative
Case Study:
The school of leadership and organisational development within the MBA have a strong focus on improving practice within the workplace. This programme strongly encourage students to share how their learning has been applied in practice.
Project Management Module
The module is an optional and enables students to critically evaluate the key concepts that relate to stakeholders, critical success, risk management, project planning.
A typical cohort size is around 20 to 25 students. Students have experience in managing organisation projects, they often face challenges and experience high levels of change and uncertainty. However, sometimes their traditional approach to project management doesn't really meet the challenges that they're facing. They tend not to have any formal training in project management theory or practice.
The framework for the module incorporates learning simulations and principles of action learning to build more of a collaborative learning experience for the students. Natalie purchased a business simulation programme from an external company.
Why use simulation?
- They create a level playing field in a learning environment
- Use real life scenarios
- Realistic conditions to set up reflective discussions
- A chance to apply theory to practice
- Bring students together to work collaboratively
- Presents a series of questions to students that they then have to think about and take action
- Reveal the unintended consequences
- Can be better than the real world experiences
Simulation negatives:
- It can be expensive, business simulation can cost up to £500 pounds for a cohort of 25 students
- Setting up hardware and software can be challenging
- Some students focus more on the simulation process instead of learning about the task.
The framework uses action learning to provide a useful lens to enhance learning within the simulations. It encourages students to develop their capabilities as professionals, to build learning relationships beyond the modules. It also helps to give attention to clarify the nature of the problem, rather than just jumping straight into solutions. It also helps develop the ability to ask questions and listening more to the experiences of others and gaining multiple perspectives. Because student groups are presented the same scenario, they're given the same information at the same time, revealing different ways with different outcomes. They can then reflect on why we do things differently, providing another lens - bringing learning and simulations together.
Natalie did an online practicum, a simulated virtual world, a safe space where our students could come and apply theory to practice with reflections and questioning and listening, being core within these two days of delivery.
Discussion Boards
Natalie also utilised Canvas discussion boards very successfully which were linked directly to units of content to reflect on your own experiences and how you would apply theory. These became a rich and valuable source for collaboration and exchange for students. They were given a case study, a pre simulation report to do before they turned up to class. This used the idea of flipped learning and was allocated 25% of the final mark. Natalie would have liked to have had this as a formative assessment, but experienced has taught her that tying this to a summative assessment creates greater motivation for students to complete the assignment. The main aim of this pre simulation report was to get the students to turn on prepared for the session.
Natalie gave students space to complete the simulation phases, but checked in and out of the room to see how they were progressing. When students reached key phases or critical decisions, they stopped the simulations and reviewed their decision, reflected on what had happened, how they felt previous experiences. They regrouped on what they could learn from that and then they planned for the next phase. Principles of action learning were embedded in these debrief sessions and most importantly, Natalie saw the benefits of reflecting together socially, where she saw the biggest change in perspectives, opinions and practices. Flipped, Action Learning and simulation really made this module enjoyable to teach and improved the students engagement, performance and satisfaction.
Natalie found that her teaching practice moved away from giving information to a balance of providing activities and supporting students through the process.
