Factors Affecting Student Perceptions of Learning in a Business Policy Game

Authors

  • Michael Hergert
  • Robin Hergert

Abstract

A recent survey by Faria (1987) revealed that some 200- business games have been adopted by over 8,500 instructors in approximately 1,900 colleges having business programs. The broad use of simulations has spawned an extensive body of research into their effectiveness as pedagogical tools. (For a comprehensive review, see Greenlaw & Wyman, 1973, and Wolfe, 1985.) Although Faria’s survey also reported that business school deans and teachers using games rated their effectiveness highly compared with other teaching methodologies, most researchers point out that measuring learning and business gamings effects on learning is an extremely difficult task. Wolfe (1985), Greenlaw and Wyman (1973), and Miles et.al.(l986) have noted that the difficulty of stating generalizations about the effectiveness of simulations stems from the variety of classroom practices and differences among games. In this study we have analyzed the impact of a number of variables on student perceptions of simulation usefulness in learning business policy course material. These factors may be organized into four categories: course structure, game parameters, student characteristics, and student effort and performance. Weohave confined our investigation to an analysis of student perceptions for the following reason: Inasmuch as perceptions of effectiveness include components of satisfaction and motivation, and inasmuch as motivation is important to learning, perceived learning may have some correlation Co actual learning.

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Published

1990-03-09