A Concept for the Integration of Online Business Games into Blended Learning Scenarios

© inside Unternehmensgruppe 2009Author: Dr. Patrick Blum

ECGBL 2009

Welcome

ECGBL 2009

3. European Conference on Games Based Learning


ECGBL 2009

A Concept for the Integration of Online

Business Games into Blended Learning

Scenarios based on Kolbs Experiential

Learning Theory


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inside Business Group

• Full Service Provider in

Corporate Learning

• Insurance and Finance Industries

• e-Learning und Blended Learning

Consulting, Conceptual Design,

Realization, Integration, Marketing,

Controlling

Business Activities

All from one source!


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Corporate Education in the Insurance Industry in Germany

Status Quo

• The education of the sales

personnel is regulated by law

(European Insurance Contract Act)

• 75% are self-employed workers

(exclusively bound to one insurance company)

Education in the insurance

industries is strictly regulated!


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Situation

• A “well“ educated attendee becomes a self-employed

manager of an insurance agency…

Questions

• Is there enough knowledge about the network of business

and economic interrelationships in an insurance agency?

• Does he know enough about time management

and self-management?

• Is he able to organize himself and the agency?

• Does he posses business acumen?


Status Quo


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Working life does not forgive mistakes.

In working life mistakes cannot be made undone.

In working life mistake often are painful.

Consequences mostly become apparent only a long time

after they have been made – mostly too late.

Situation


Status Quo

• A “well“ educated attendee becomes a self-employed

manager of an insurance agency…


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Challange

Improvement of the education to prepare the attendees

for their future working life as self-employed workers


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Online Business Games

Why don‘t we simulate an insurance agency???

General Economic Implications

Individual Implications in Insurance Agencies

Planning, Self-Management,

Time Management, Business Analysis

• Illustrate the complex network of business and economic interrelationships

through trial and errorrisk-free in time-lapse with fun

„Learning by Experience“

An attempt to prepare attendees for their later working


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Realization with Experts from the Insurance Industries

From subject matter experts for real working life!

SiVa – An Insurance Agency Simulation


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Basic Simulation Principle: Activities, Actions and Key Figures

Design of SiVa

Planning

Activties

Actions

weekly

StatusPlanning

Extrapolation

&

Calculation

Activties

Results

Actions

Month Next Month

Simulation Time: 18 Months

weekly monthly

Weekly planning and extrapolation for the monthly status


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Design of SiVa


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Control mechanisms „Activities“ and „Actions“


Design of SiVa


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Design of SiVa


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Design of SiVa




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Design of SiVa


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Status indication by quantitative and qualitative “Key Figures”


Design of SiVa


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Design of SiVa


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Design of SiVa



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Randomly created events

Design of SiVa

Basic Simulation Principle: Events

Planning

Activties

Actions

weekly

StatusPlanning

Extrapolation

&

Calculation

Activties

Results

Eventspos.

neg.

Actions

Month Next Month

weekly monthly


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• Combination of e-Learning with traditional learning and training concepts

• More method-mix, less media- or technologie-mix

• Multiphase Concept

Face-to-face-training, online-learning, transfer into practice

• Supervision by the e-tutor

FAQ, problem solving, group cohesiveness, motivation

Nice-Guide-on-the-Side

The (inside) Definition of Blended Learning

SiVa and Blended Learning


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David Kolbs Model for Learning by Experience adaped for GBL

Learning Prozess


Gaming

Experience

Observation

and

Reflecion

Creation of

abstract

Concepts

Trial in new

Gaming

Situations

1

2

3

4


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Extended Model for Learning by Experience in Blended Learning Scenarios

Training Process

Learning Process

Feedback


Motivation for

Gaming

Experiences

Joint Analysis

of the playful

Experiences

Explanation

of theoretical

Background

Joint

generalization

of the Findings

New Input

Introduction

and

Motivation

Gaming

Experience

Observation

and

Reflecion

Creation of

abstract

Concepts

Trial in new

Gaming

Situations

1

2

3

4


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Blended Learning Setup

e-Learning-Phase DebriefingKickoff

Supervision by the trainer

• Motivation

• Objectives

• Introduction

of the e-Trainer

• Plenary Session

with SiVa

• Feedback

• Question and

Problems

• Conclusions for

the Working Life

• Award Ceremony

of the SiVa Contest

1 Day

• Group session with

SiVa

• Single player

session with SiVa

• Group specific

theory

• Introduction to the

SiVa Contest

1 Day1 Week

• Individual gaming with SiVa

• SiVa Contest

• Expert Chats

• Panel Discussion


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Conclusions

• Online Business Games provide “Learning by Experience”


• Online Business Games provide momentous occasions for trainers

- On-the-job examples

- Problem solving

- General and individual implications

- Abstract concepts

• The learning experience of Online Business Games is risk-free

• On the basis of the extension of Kolb’s cycle of learning it is possible to

easily integrate an online business game into blended learning


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Conclusions 2

• Supervised by the trainer the conclusions for working life

can be elaborated and finalized


• Using online business games in blended learning scenarios

requires trainers

- with profound knowledge in experiential learning

- high capabilities in systemic thinking and system analysis

- experience in the usage of e-learning tools

• The knowledge achieved through playing business games

in blended learning scenarios is the outcome of a trainer-guided

but self-organized, entertaining, motivating and reflective learning process

directly applicable in working life


ECGBL 2009

Thank you

Dr. Patrick Blum

[email protected]

Economy & Finance

A Concept for the Integration of Online Business Games into Blended Learning Scenarios