The more I build, evaluate, and discuss educational simulations,
the more I realize we need to establish some better terms.
Specifically, there are six criteria that are emerging as critical,
and ultimately not just to simulations but all educational
experiences.
Three criteria, linear, systems, and
cyclical, describe content. And three,
simulation, game, and pedagogy, describe
delivery.
Linear content
We are most familiar with linear content. Here we present learners
with inevitable sequences, with one event or step following the
next. Striking a match produces fire. World War I came before World
War II.
Systems content
The second type of content deals with systems. Here, users are
exposed to formal, complex, intertwined relationships. This
includes all of the components of the system and how those
components impact each other. Systems content is more accurate than
linear, but where linear works, stick with it.
Cyclical content
The third type of content, cyclical, addresses tiny activities that
can be infinitely combined to create an outcome. These bundles of
discrete action, timing, and magnitude are a natural concept to us
when understanding how to operate a machine like a car, communicate
by using a typewriter, or even perform with a piano. The
opportunity, however, is to move beyond these kinesthetic examples
to create, through the interfaces, cyclical content for all
professional skills.
Simulation elements
The most successful educational experiences also are delivered
through a combination of the three delivery elements, simulation,
game, and pedagogical. Getting it wrong with any of the three can
cripple an experience.
Simulation elements model reality. Specifically, they can
rigorously but selectively represent objects or situations, and can
rigorously but selectively represent user interaction. Different
simulation elements enable discovery, experimentation, concrete
examples, practice, and active construction of systems, cyclical,
and linear content. People who learn via simulation elements have a
deep and flexible understanding of the material. But too much
simulation creates a very dry and often frustrating experience.
Examples of simulation elements are
- appropriately used linear, cyclical, and systems content
- use of simulation genres, including branching stories, virtual
products/ virtual labs, interactive spreadsheets, flight simulator;
and 3D maps, as well as new genres to be introduced
- the appropriate use genre elements, including modeling, AI,
graphics, and interface
- creating an atmosphere similar to the atmosphere in which the
content will be used
- presenting behavior to be modeled or recognized (Most
narratives, instructions, and case studies have a non-interactive
simulation aspect, although focusing primarily on linear content)
- feedback from a decision (or series of decisions) that shows
the natural consequences of the behavior.
Game elements
Game elements provide familiar and entertaining interactions. Game
elements increase the enjoyment derived from an educational
experience. This can drive good will, but more importantly, drive
more time spent with the experience, which increases learning. Game
elements can surround the other content, and controversially, make
it easier or more dramatic. Game elements reduce the need of
instructors to "lean" on students, and lower pressure, but too much
of it distracts from or waters down the learning.
Examples of game elements are
- simplified or abstract interfaces
- use of established game genres (game shows, athletic
competitions, computer games, card games)
- clicking as quickly as possible
- gambling models
- certain exaggerations of responses to make play more fun
- reliving the roles of heroes or role-models
- conflict
- shopping
- a pause button
- a speed-up/slow down switch
- a replay option
- creating order from chaos
- choosing your on-screen character's appearance or voice
- mastering a simple cyclical skill (throwing a card into a hat,
Pacman)
- competition between learners, including facilitated by
maintaining lists of high scores
- accessible communities for competition, and/or sense of
belonging
- presenting a mystery or puzzle to solve
- making the player overly powerful or overly relevant in a
resolution of a situation
- choosing between multiple skill levels to better align
difficulty with capability.
Pedagogical elements
Pedagogical or didactic elements surround the game and simulation
elements, ensuring that the students' time is spent productively.
They better know what is going on and where to focus their
energies. Pedagogical elements in real-life include speedometers,
caller ID, and the warning on certain cars that a "Student Driver"
is operating them.
In educational experiences, pedagogical elements also help the
learners avoid developing superstitious behavior, such as believing
they are influencing something by a particular action when they are
really not. If there are too many pedagogical elements, however,
the learners feel they are engaging a manual, or mindlessly
following directions.
Examples of pedagogical elements are
- background material (including case studies, visual or text
representations of systems models, and descriptions of interfaces
to be encountered)
- scaffolding (letting the learner know what is going on and give
suggestions, either through voice or graphics)
- diagnostic capabilities (including scoring)
- visualization of relationships
- debriefing
- forced moments of reflection
- libraries of successful and unsuccessful plays
- links to chat rooms where people can brag about how they
achieved a high score
- tests and quizzes
- acronyms or other pneumonic devices to trigger memory of
processes
- coaching
- pop-up prompting and help.
Conclusion
The nice part of understanding simulations is that they help us
understand all educational experiences. As we understand pedagogy
and linear content, we first mourn that they has become so
dominant, but then realize how powerful they are in concert. It is
only through all six do we start getting results that can truly
change people.