Educational Validity of Business Gaming Simulation: A Research Methodology Framework

Abstract

Many past educational validity studies of business gaming simulation, and more specifically total enterprise simulation, have been inconclusive. Studies have focused on the weaknesses of business gaming simulation; which is often regarded as an educational medium that has limitations regarding learning effectiveness. However, no attempts have been made to provide guidelines for assessing educational validity in terms of building, implementing, and validating business gaming simulation. Accordingly, this study has combined literature on learning, simulation design, and research methods to formulate a methodology to assess the educational validity of total enterprise simulation; the concepts of which can be applied more broadly to business gaming simulation. The authors propose that the framework introduced within this article can provide a foundation for future educational validity studies that can assist simulation designers to implement valuable and powerful simulation learning media in the future.