Simulation Games Enhance Project Management Skills in Civil Engineering Education

Why It Matters

This research demonstrates that interactive, game-based learning environments can be more effective than traditional methods for teaching complex, real-world skills. By allowing students to model their own proposals, it fosters a deeper understanding of project dynamics and decision-making consequences.

Key Finding

Simulation games, especially those tailored to student projects, are effective tools for teaching project management skills in civil engineering, leading to positive learning outcomes.

Key Findings

• Educational simulation games show potential for teaching organizational and project management skills.
• Generic simulation game design offers flexibility for creating bespoke models based on student proposals.
• A teaching module relying heavily on simulation games yielded positive results and demonstrated benefits for student learning.

Research Evidence

Aim: To investigate the effectiveness of computer-based simulation games in teaching organizational and project management skills to civil engineering students.

Method: Development and implementation of educational simulation games within a Masters-level teaching module.

Procedure: The research involved reviewing existing literature, developing various simulation games (including generic and complex project management simulations), and integrating them into a teaching module focused on student-centered, experiential learning. Student performance and feedback were collected over three years.

Context: Higher education, specifically civil engineering Masters programs.

Design Principle

Experiential learning through simulation can accelerate skill acquisition and understanding of complex systems.

How to Apply

Develop or adapt simulation-based learning modules for technical courses, focusing on project management, resource allocation, and decision-making processes.

Limitations

The study focused on a specific Masters program, and the generalizability to other disciplines or educational levels may vary. The development of bespoke simulations requires significant resources.

Student Guide (IB Design Technology)

Simple Explanation: Using computer games that simulate real-world projects can help engineering students learn how to manage projects better than just reading about it.

Why This Matters: This shows how using digital tools like simulations can make learning more hands-on and effective for complex design and engineering challenges.

Critical Thinking: To what extent can the principles of simulation game design be applied to non-engineering disciplines, and what are the key challenges in adapting such models?

IA-Ready Paragraph: The application of educational simulation games, as demonstrated by Long (2010) in civil engineering, highlights their potential to enhance the teaching of complex project management skills. This approach, which relies on student-centered, experiential learning, offers a powerful alternative to traditional methods by allowing students to actively engage with and learn from simulated scenarios, thereby fostering a deeper understanding of organizational dynamics and decision-making.

Project Tips

• Consider using simulation software or game engines to model design processes or user interactions.
• Focus on creating scenarios that require critical decision-making and problem-solving.

How to Use in IA

• Reference this study when justifying the use of simulation or digital modelling tools in your design process.
• Use it to support the idea that interactive learning can lead to better understanding of project management or system dynamics.

Examiner Tips

• When discussing your design process, highlight how simulations or digital models were used to test and refine ideas.
• Explain the benefits of using such tools for understanding complex systems or user behaviour.

Independent Variable: Use of simulation games vs. traditional teaching methods.

Dependent Variable: Student acquisition of organizational and project management skills (measured by performance, feedback, etc.).

Controlled Variables: Student academic level (Masters), subject domain (civil engineering), teaching module structure.

Strengths

• Direct development and implementation of simulation tools within an educational context.
• Longitudinal study over three years provides robust data on effectiveness.

Critical Questions

• What specific game mechanics contribute most to learning project management skills?
• How can the development cost and time for bespoke simulations be reduced for wider adoption?

Extended Essay Application

• A potential area for extended research could involve developing and testing a simulation game for a specific design challenge within your chosen field, measuring its impact on problem-solving efficiency and creative output.

Source

A detailed investigation of the applicability and utility of simulation and gaming in the teaching of civil engineering students · Nottingham ePrints (University of Nottingham) · 2010