educational simulation: how you want your pilot or doctor to learn

Educational Simulations are a broad Genre of immersive learning simulations that focuses on increasing participants' mastery level in the real world.

Educational simulations differ from computer games in that they:

• Do not have a goal of being fun for participants;
• Are part of a formal learning program, and are built primarily to nurture specific learning goals in participants (called students or learners), while adhering to Program Goals, to achieve Desired Results. As such, they are often chosen or paid for indirectly by program sponsors, not the participants themselves;
• Often are supported by real coaches/facilitators;
• Tend to have lower production values than full, complex game;
• Focus on replay using different approaches; and
• May be uniquely critical tools for developing Middle Skills and Big Skills;

Yet like with all sims, educational simulations:

• Require participants to necessarily develop skills, and do so through emergent learning.
• Can be single player, multiplayer, or massively multiplayer.
• Are first described in design document, before programmed, debugged, and distributed.
• Can be complex or mini.

Educational simulations, which like serious games are a type of immersive learning simulation, include the genres of:

• practiceware;
• interactive spreadsheets;
• virtual experience space;
• branching story;

See also costs for simulations, simulation case studies and anecdotes, frustration-resolution pair: why gyms are smarter than classrooms, educational simulations: the student experience, and real person as hero, student, buddy, contributor, and/or adversary.

Click for a podcast and transcript between myself and Dan Keldsen.