Designing an Experiential Learning with Simulations and Games to Improve Education in an Undergraduate Engineering Major

Abstract

This paper illustrates an experiential learning exercise that is designed to be played in an engineering undergraduate program. The author uses simulation that creates an active and experiential learning environment in which individual teams make decisions based on imperfect information and conflicting goals.  The simulation allows players to control certain aspects of the information flow relevant to the market, to develop relevant business strategies and communication skills, and to establish understanding of ethical values that are relevant to business environment. The simulation was designed to allow engineering students to advance and practice business skills that are essential for engineers to stay successful in an increasingly competitive business environment. The objective is to extract maximum learning from the experience using an experiential learning model. This paper contributes to the literature on designing active learning with the use of games and simulations while utilizing the Kolb experiential learning model.