Experiential Learning — The Current Direction in Education

Students learn more and give better evaluations when they enjoy their educational experience. Consistent growth in Capsim simulation registrations and thousands of testimonials from students and corporate training participants prove that people thoroughly enjoy learning with Capstone and Foundation.

Simulations train pilots, soldiers and doctors – professions in which hands-on learning is critical. Business is particularly in need of professionals who are able to turn theory into practice. As the use of  interactive technology in games, communication and business expands, so does the need to offer courses based on interactive learning experiences.

Simulations teach using the ultimate educational combination of reading, lecture and hands-on experience. Students may forget what they read and hear, but few forget a simulation-based course because they inject realism, enthusiasm and interactivity into education. Interaction is "a necessary and fundamental mechanism for knowledge acquisition and the development of both cognitive and physical skills " (Barker,P. 1994. Designing Interactive Learning.)

Capstone and Foundation Support the Needs of Learners
on all Levels
Malcolm Knowles, an influential figure in adult education, wrote that:
1. Students need to know why they must learn something; they are relevancy oriented
2. Students learn best experientially
3. Students approach learning as a problem solving exercise
4. Students learn best when the topic is of immediate value

A competitive business simulation makes information relevant (1), it is experiential
(2), it is obviously a problem solving exercise (3) and the learning can be immediately applied in business management (4). It is a tool to synthesize specialized learning from a range of disciplines – accounting, marketing, engineering, finance, operations management – in the overall business context.

Cooperative Learning & Teamwork

Cooperation enhances learning. Weaker participants working individually may give up when they get stuck. Working cooperatively, they keep going. Strong students, when explaining and clarifying material to others, find gaps in their own understanding and fill them in.

Students working alone may tend to delay completing assignments or skip them altogether, but when they know that others are counting on them, they are often driven to do the work in a timely manner. Students working competitively have incentives not to help one another.

Online, optional peer evaluations in Capsim simulations help keep all members of the class focused on their task.  Options for splitting company decisions into operational sections for individual upload and team review, plus the capacity for scenario testing all enhance team-based decision making whether the team works face-to-face or at a distance.