Abstract:

Simulation is a technique to replace real experiences with guided experiences in a safe learning environment for learning. Simulation-based learning is descriptive to be like between theory and practice: simulation enables creation of learning scenarios that simulates or models real-life situations and offers a possibility to practice for example customer service, nursing or teamwork.

Previous research has acknowledged the strengths of simulation education, especially in health care education. However, this kind of simulation pedagogy is lesser-known in the context of business education or in the development of working life. No doubt that simulation might be a valid learning method not only in health care education but also in different areas of business education. Simulation-based learning suites well to both technical and non-technical skills training, especially non-technical skills, like decision-making and communication skills. Also, managing, negotiation skills, and team-working skills are general competencies and necessary in all fields of working life now and in the future.

Our interest is how simulation as a learning method could be applied for business education in the university of applied sciences? What does it require from teachers to organize simulation-based training and what are the learning outcomes of the simulation? To solve this, we have organized simulation-based learning workshops as a part of various courses of the business study degree programs at the Lahti University of Applied Sciences in Finland (Lahti UAS). The simulation workshops have been promoted as a part of the project “Simulation as a tool to develop work communities” funded by the European Regional Development Fund. The project is carried out in simulation workshops organized in authentic working life contexts in workplaces or in the Simulation Center SimuLti, the multi-professional learning environment at the Lahti UAS.

The research material consists of the feedbacks of simulation workshop participants (n=91), the personal reflections on learning written by students of financial management course (n=13) and four interviews with lecturers of business administration. Furthermore, the material is reinforced by two Bachelor Thesis in Business Administration related to simulation education in business studies.

The preliminary results of the research show that also students of business administration benefited from simulation pedagogy in many ways. According to the students, simulation brings variation to studies, complements theory and promotes peer learning. For example, the students feel that they are in a better position to apply the theory of business taxation in praxis and to explain taxation to customers. In this presentation, the preliminary results of the research and experiences of the project experts will be discussed.

Keywords:

Simulation pedagogy, universities of applied sciences, business studies.