USING MARKETING SIMULATIONS TO ENHANCE STUDENT ENGAGEMENT

AND EXPERIENCE

Dr Anita ZhaoDr Nicole Koenig-Lewis

College of Business, Economics and Law

Funded by the Learning & Teaching Small Project Grant 2011

Background

Many students disenchanted with familiar mechanisms used to teach them and do not feel engaged with subject

How do we get from here...

Background

Students find it far more effective to communicate through informal learning methods, such as relevant games, group activities, role play etc. (e.g. Druckman & Ebner 2007)

Student engagement in learning and in learning communities - key to students’ academic success

The specific objectives of the project are: to improve student engagement; to develop effective learning through practice, and to strengthen student employability

... to here?

Using Marketing Simulations

Using Marketing Simulations

Who was involved and how?

Undergraduate L3 Marketing students Simulation used as part of coursework

Test theory learned in ‘real-life’ context and learn through practice – students may have learned each of 4Ps in isolation without understanding relationship between them and how these impact on marketing decisions

Develop understanding of individual player’s role and how these impact on team – team-working skills which go beyond groupwork experience

Assessment – reflective learning diary & reflective questions after each round of decision makings

Justify decisions and reflection

Reflecting on the experience of the simulation, it acts as a visual

interpretation of what is being taught in the module. Ideas and theories

that are presented in class are then being implemented, and it is a

valuable way of teaching in that I learnt more about marketing

communication issues from the simulation than I would reading a

textbook.

An innovative & active learning method

‘Real world’ experience & practice

Learning motivation

Team working

skills

Stimulate the

subject

Common Themes Identified

An innovative and active approach to learning

“You can learn more from the Sim than you can from a textbook or just a lecturer talking. It is hands on, allows

creativity within a group and allows experience in applying the marketing knowledge picked up over the

past 3 years.”

“More enjoyable. Competitive aspects improve motivation and

focus in learning.”

“It’s better than just sitting in a classroom. More interesting and learn more from things you’ve

done.”

“It is a less intense method of learning.”

“It’s engaging and a change from the standard lifeless lectures in other

modules.”

Real world experience and practice

“I have found this method engaging. Allowed for group work – you learn to listen to others opinions/different

perspectives and reach a compromise. Our group actually got quite competitive.”

“The marketing simulation gave a good understanding how the topics we had covered may transfer into

real life. Enjoyable and efficient way to learn.”

“Worth using as allows student to learn from

mistakes made in simulation.”

“It was quite fun, however, making

decisions was quite challenging

providing a useful experience.”

“Gives good basic understanding of different aspects of what goes into

IMC campaigns.”

I think the use of the Sim has …

1.00

1.50

2.00

2.50

3.00

3.50

4.00

4.50

5.00

Comparison of Subject Interest: Before and After the Sim

The s

ubjec

t is

intell

ectu

ally

stim

ulatin

g

I do

som

e th

inking

in re

lation

to th

e su

bject

for m

yself

In-c

lass

discu

ssion

s wer

e us

eful

I fee

l I a

m e

ngag

ed w

ith th

e su

bject

The s

ubjec

t is

not b

oring

Overa

ll, I a

m v

ery

satis

fied

with th

e m

odule

3.50

3.60

3.70

3.80

3.90

4.00

4.10

4.20

4.30

4.40

4.50

Pre-sim

Post-sim

Other applications

Induction for MSc Marketing students

Use of simulation to ease students’ settlement within University

Relevant teambuilding activity No academic assessment – fun

of competing with other teams Breaking ice of communication

and being part of community – especially overseas students

Relevant to course Technical issues? Ease of use – user-friendly Convenience of use Assessment - formative or summative Individual or team? Competing with each other or computer? Fun, engaging,… for students

Application of simulations in teaching

Any Comments or Questions?

Thank you very much for your time.