Simulation Nation: The Promise of Virtual Learning Activities

Prensky, M. (2007). Simulation Nation: The Promise of Virtual Learning Activities. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/simulation-nation

This article includes a fairly brief overview of what Virtual Simulations are and how they can be useful in the classroom, followed by the reasons they haven't become popular, and some ways to overcome those problems. The author uses examples from pilot training, medical training, and business to show that doing something is a better way to learn than simply hearing about something. This is something most teachers already know in theory. The problems he list include things like "lack of money", "lack of time", "lack of technology", and more. However, he also provides the reader with solutions like using free simulations from Google, using simulations only when they are useful, and using noncomputer simulations.

My Social Studies Methods course encouraged the use of a wide variety of simulations that could be used to teach any subject. However, none of the ones we learned about included any technology or virtual reality. The author of this article doesn't seem to lay out any specific examples for why simulations using technology are better than regular simulations. In fact, his solution for overcoming "problems with technology" is to use "noncomputer simulations", which makes it sound like they would be just as effective. I certainly think technology-aided simulations would be useful in the classroom, but if my school can't afford it then regular simulations would work just as well.