The Advantages And Disadvantages Of Simulations

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The advantages and disadvantages of simulations Simulations have been used in military planning since 1800 (Gredler, 2004). They were used to better plan for future crisis and the way the military should respond to such threats. However, the use of simulations in education and especially in business school can be dated back to 1957 (Faria and Willington, 2004). The use of simulations in learning has many advantages and disadvantages. I will discuss some of them in the following paragraphs. Among the advantages of using simulations is that “..they bridge the gap between the classroom and the real world by providing experience with complex, evolving problems” (Gredler, 2004, p. 573). Simulations provide an environment where users can apply the theories they have learnt in classrooms. For example, the Managers Workshop enable me to have a real life situation where I can apply the things I have learnt from the textbook. Another advantage of using simulations as a learning tool is that they can make the subject more interesting and provide an incentive for users to learn the materials at hand (Faria and Wellington, 2004). Moreover, using simulations can help identify the way users address a certain problem and the way they go about solving or handling an issue (Gredler, 2004). Again, this was the case I faced when I was doing the Managers Workshop. I was able to identify the main problems I faced when I was trying to manage the performance of my employees. Finally, users of simulations usually report that they feel they are in control and report higher confidence about their work (Christopher, 1999). This feeling is generated because simulation gives the users the chance to experience the work they are expected to do and receive feedback on their performance. Simulations, naturally, still have some limitations and

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