Simulation technology became good enough to let students believe that they have encountered an accurate representation of reality, observes Magee (2006). This allows for acting virtually in ways acting in the real world would have required.
Research about trends in implementation of educational simulations indicates differential philosophical perspectives on the nature of knowledge, learning and instructional design in, for example, specialties of military, medical, business and educational gaming (Magee, 2006). Different models for creating simulations and games for learning experiences exist.
According to Shirts (1975: 76, in Magee 2006: 9) “A pure simulation represents a set of rules that define a specific model that reflects reality”. Based on Feldman (1995, in Magee 2006: 9) Magee asserts that a “simulation is a model of events, items or processes that do or could exist” and present some examples:
- Verbal models present statements about the world
- Visual models can present graphic representations of abstract concepts
- Operating models represent the dynamic nature of systems, allowing observers to view not only a single point in time in the model but also how it changes under different parameters
- Research models represent the focus a researcher is investigating
- Educational models represent the issue or concept an educator is teaching to students
Magee (2006: 9) elaborates that a simulation “is not meant to be a complete representation of an event but rather an abstraction that focuses on a specific aspect of that event”. Simulations “provide a venue where new ideas can be explored and complex interrelationships examined”; and “can provide a variety of outcomes” when experimenting with different variables.
Magee (2006: 9-10) further differentiates:
- Non-game simulation challenges — only designed to simulate real life conditions without any artificial constraints
- Simulation challenge games — participants are experiencing a contest, either against themselves, others or resources.
- Non-challenge simulation games — focused mainly on the rules that are imposed by the game elements and reacting to the environment created by the simulation
Magee, M. 2006. State of Field Review: Simulation in Education (Final Report, 12 May 2006). Calgary AB: Alberta Online Learning Consortium. Electronically retrieved 19 October 2011 from: http://www.ccl-cca.ca/pdfs/StateOfField/SFRSimulationinEducationJul06REV.pdf
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