Using a Multi-media Simulation to Engage

Students in Experiential Learning

Ross Wirth, Ph.D.Dean, College of BusinessFranklin Universitywirthr@franklin.edu

IACBE Region 4 ConferenceOctober 5, 2012

Presentation Focus

•Describe a multi-media simulation developed for the business administration capstone course

•Walk through the thought process leading to the decisions made in developing the simulation

•Provide some insight on how similar projects can be done by others

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Challenges Teaching the Capstone

•The capstone course requires a shift from tactical thinking to strategic thinking

•Earlier course work▫Trains students to search for the “right

answer” and not a “good answer” that can be supported

•Even working adults rarely have access to the strategic thinking within their company

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Alternatives Considered• Prepare a strategic plan for a researched

company▫ Financial statements, often not managerial▫ Inside look at the culture is lacking▫ Often turns into a limited case study with little strategic

thinking Students too often end up adopting existing strategy When new strategy is offered, it is often before the analysis

is done▫ Requires the instructor to become familiar with each

company

• Multi-period game▫ High learning curve at the beginning ▫ Decision structure that is relative static▫ Usually manufacturing based with few service

components▫ Competitive and fun, but

often narrow in the number of learning objectives addressed ▫ Often little opportunity to recover from early mistakes ▫ High instructor dependence to be effective

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Approach Chosen – Multi-phaseMulti-media Simulation

• Forces the student to “live the simulation” thereby gaining exposure to real-world (“messy”) problems▫ Students chart their own direction as an embedded

employee• Many “good” answers that have to be supported with

analysis and justified arguments • Cultural and inter-personal considerations take center

stage in student assignments & discussions• Learning continues to build on earlier work

▫ Serves as a framework for all learning objectives ▫ Sometimes with loop-back changes as more is known

• Fun to teach – active class discussion and ability to challenge nearly any recommendation

• Developed in-house with a limited budget 5

Structure of the Simulation

• Used an earlier simulation as a prototype▫WeCan Foods – videos organized in 4 phases

http://video.franklin.edu/Franklin/hrm/420/weCanFoods/phase01.html

• 6 phases organized around building a strategic plan

▫ 26 videos – convey company & industry knowledge while providing some insight to the company culture

▫ 1 voice mail – complements video (later enhancement)

▫ 22 emails – variety of purposes▫ 13 documents – newspapers, magazines, employee

directory, market studies, job descriptions, etc. ▫ 1 spreadsheet – managerial & financial accounting▫ 1 company web site – bad, by design

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Simulation Features

• Common set of company & industry data ▫Instructor ease in understanding the case

• Creates some real-world anxiety▫Information overload & messy problems▫New and sometimes conflicting information

encountered in later phases of the simulation • Enables multiple strategic directions

▫Pushes students to think-outside-the-box to gain a competitive advantage

▫Recommendations must be supported with analysis and reasoned judgment

▫All strategies face some implementation challenge 7

Delivery Options - StilSim

•Plan A – Internet link•Plan B – CD

▫When high speed internet is not available•Plan C – individual documents

▫pdf of all scripts – critical for ADA compliance

▫Used once

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Phases – Learning Focus

1. Introduction & External Analysis2. Internal Analysis3. Initial Strategizing4. Vision Clarification5. Strategic Adjustment – new issues arise6. Action Planning for Implementation &

Control

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Strategic Options Available

•Everything, including the kitchen sink is possible▫No perfect strategy – even the best options

have some problems that need to be addressed

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Support Materials

• Faculty Manual – 90 pages• Student Manual – 26 pages• Drag sheets – safety net to help students

organize▫Who’s Who – what is known about them &

concerns▫Competitors – what is known▫Opportunities – idea embedded somewhere

Degree of competition (heavy, light, open field) Emerging market (early follower, first mover, conceptual)

▫Strategic Options – business & generic▫Cultural Issues – strategic implication

• Financial statements – faculty & student versions 11

Results – Engaged Students

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Future Opportunities

•Additional simulations in other courses•Expand use in the “flipped classroom”•Availability of lower cost technology

continues •Leverage growing technology in

animation and vocalization

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