Simulation Games in Social Science Education
During a social science simulation game, most students seem to be fully engaged in active play, i.e., in serious discussions and negotiations, while others do not seem to be involved and stand by. The simulation game in the social science classroom does not automatically catch the interest of all students. Though the teaching potential of simulation games has been demonstrated, teachers must still decide whether a simulation game is a suitable teaching method for their specific group of learners. Lately, the number of available games has increased, as did the research considering the effectiveness of simulation games. Resulting evidence suggests that simulation games enhance learning outcomes, knowledge, and social skills such as negotiating and compromising (e.g., Fischer & Reinhardt, 2018; Klippert, 1984; Massing, 2004).
In simulation games, students are placed “within a reasonable representation of a real environment within which political or social interactions occur” (Krain & Shadle, 2006, p. 52). Smith and Boyer (1996, p. 690) stated that “simulations have the power to recreate complex, dynamic political processes in the classroom, allowing students to examine the motivations, behavioral constraints, resources, and interactions among institutional actors”. In sum, a simulation game in social science education poses a dynamic political or economic problem situation, in which parties, organizations, and other political and economic actors have divergent interests and are bound together by a common need to solve the problem provided. In a setting of reduced complexity, the game is structured in analogy to the factual and realistic process of political decision-making and usually ends with a conference in which the provided solution or compromise is voted on (see Fischer & Reinhardt, 2018; Geuting, 1992; Herdegen, 2010; Klippert, 1984, 2008; Massing, 2004; Wiepcke, 2007).
Simulation games have been shown to yield positive effects on the participants as indicated by several studies from the early 1960s on. A simulation game can improve knowledge retention and sustainable learning (see for example Hertel & Millis, 2002; Silberman, 1996). Students who played a simulation game showed higher motivation than those who took traditional classes (Hensley, 1993), they also had higher scores in active participation, preparation time, and motivation (Shellman & Turan, 2006). Simulation games engage students emotionally, create enduring and easily accessible memories (Clark & Paivio, 1991; Martin, 1993), and foster the development of empathy (Greenblat, 1973).
Even with the rising popularity of simulation games, they are still uncommon in most schools. Since putting up a simulation game is time-consuming, it is highly relevant for teachers to identify a valid rationale as they consider using simulation games in their lessons. To decide whether a simulation game is the method of choice, the question is – apart from practical and topic-related aspects – whether the method is suitable for the students. Bredemeier and Greenblat (1981) stated that the “experiences in a given game are also likely to be affected by various characteristics of the learners themselves” (p. 314). This is why the teacher has to analyze whether the student’s characteristics match with the method simulation game to form a beneficial and worthwhile lesson.