Simulation |
Overview |
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In many industries, on-the-job mistakes can lead to severe consequences that result in injuries, equipment failures, and/or environmental disasters. Simulations can provide a safe learning environment where employees can practice and learn from mistakes without having to face dangerous consequences. Through simulations, employees learn how to interact with team members and apply their knowledge and experience to a realistic situation, receiving valuable feedback that can be used in real life. Practicing skills in a low-intensity environment can help employees successfully apply these skills in high-intensity situations (Davis & Arend, 2013; Dekker, 2011; Wlodkowski, 2017).
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Simulation Design Process (Wlodkowski, 2017) |
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Examples -- Click on the tabs below to explore |
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Many industries use mock emergencies to practice actions that would be required to successfully traverse a specific emergency scenario. Players at all levels of the organization may be involved, from first responders to community liaisons. While these scenarios take time and resources away from daily work, they are quite valuable when a situation does occur, especially for employees with limited experience in handling emergencies.
This is a game that attempts to show employees and managers the value of preventative and planned maintenance. A group of 5-7 players are assigned roles in an industrial operation; they are led through a series of events in which they make decisions that affect production, budgets, and plant reliability. At the end of these events, players debrief with facilitators to (hopefully) a reach a conclusion that planning ahead and putting the right amount of resources into maintenance leads to a more reliable, streamlined, and successful operation. This experience can be directly applied at your home facility.
Interested in using the Manufacturing Game at your facility? Click on the button below to check it out! Note: I am not, nor have I ever been, affiliated with the company that developed and facilitates this game. Throughout my classroom and workplace experiences, there have been many opportunities for simulation-based learning. For example, in my undergraduate unit operations lab, we experimented on small-scale distillation columns, heat exchangers, and other equipment, using water and other low-hazard fluids. These simulations provided a safe place to explore how equipment and processes work in practice, rather than just relying on equations and computer models. It also enabled us to build a base of knowledge and experience that enhanced future learning.
Click on the buttons below to check out some additional examples where simulation can be used to enhance STEM learning. |
Other Considerations |
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If you are developing a simulation exercise, remember that it requires careful planning and a lot of resources -- time, money, and personnel. However, the benefits of a quality simulation are worth the effort!
Simulations can encourage learners to (Davis & Arend, 2013; Wlodkowski, 2017):
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References |
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