Digital Simulation in Teaching and Learning

Abstract

This chapter expands upon the definition of a simulation with two categories: experiential and symbolic. It discusses the interactive, experiential trend in digital teaching and learning, and the educational merits of simulations. This chapter tries to locate digital simulation’s position in these trends. In doing so, it explores the educational merits of digital simulation, discusses the learning mode of digital simulation, and outlines what digital simulation conveys to deliver educational contents. In addition, it will look at the characteristics and functions of digital simulation. Mainly this chapter focuses on how simulation is used for teaching and learning. It highlights simulation’s features to be effective for teaching and learning. It also introduces challenges to simulation to overcome its disadvantages. Several examples of digital simulation in teaching and learning are explored: They are “Max Trax, Strategy CoPilot, Virtual School, simSchool, simClass, Krucible”, and “Starry Night”. Lastly, this chapter seeks to forecast the future of teaching and learning with a focus on information technology and simulation by finding simulation’s role and contribution in learning context.