From Brynania to Business: Designing an Evidence-Based Education Simulation From an Exploration of a Blended Real-Time Model

Abstract

This study provided an opportunity to look across disciplines and beyond regular roleplaying and standard digital-based business games to a successful, long running unique blended simulation in a different yet related field. The lessons learned from the “anywhere anytime” simulation design for undergrad-uates in Political Science at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, provide guidance for the design of a similar simulation model for use in undergraduate business courses. The results of the data collected through surveys, focus groups, interviews and field observations during the weeklong simulation suggest that students are highly engaged and productive. Participants antic-ipated they would be both highly engaged and highly stressed during the experience, and those expectations were realized. A community was created during the week and the instructor in-volvement and modeling positively influenced the outcomes. Some gender differences in expectations and engagement were found. Sixteen design principles were distilled from the study for use in a future business simulation.