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Abstract ID: I186
Abstract
A simulation computer game focused on motivating and supporting learning of fundamental Industrial Engineering (IE) concepts in a manufacturing environment was tested. A group of 44 IE freshman and pre-college students participated as gamers to test the effectiveness of the game. Results show that students experienced an increase in motivation to pursue or continue IE studies after the gaming activity, as well as an increase in understanding about the roles an IE performs within a manufacturing environment. Results show the simulation game allowed students to grasp aspects among a variety of areas within the field; particularly about Economic Analysis, Human Resources Planning, and Industrial Organization and Management. Results from the interviews show that participants were able to recall new concepts from the gaming activity relevant to the IE career, suggesting that gamers were able to transfer new ideas from knowledge gained by playing. Our study suggests that gaming can be used to recruit, motivate and retain the best talent while providing opportunities for learning in context. Future work aims to evaluate the impact of the game at different stages of the IE program career, with particular emphasis on retention and learning in context.
Keywords
Engineering Education, Serious Game, Motivation, Learning
1. Introduction
The Gamer Generation has earned its title because of the thousands of hours devoted playing video games regardless of their gender or age [1]. This might not come as a surprise to us when we learn that 92% of American kids, among ages of 2 to 17, have access to those types of entertaining tools. Estimates suggest that by the time an American teenager begins his/her professional career he has already played over 10,000 hours [2] or the equivalent to 5 years of fulltime employment. In recent years, the interest on gaming has led to a rapid growth of the game industry, and in particular commercial entertainment games.
Video games allow individuals to reach high levels of motivation and engagement and they have proven to be more successful that schools in attracting interest from young people. In her synthesis research regarding the specific role of computer games in supporting new generations' learning, Caperton [3] suggests that "adapting to cultural change is producing a general educational crisis expressed in...