Simulation games are more effective when they actively rather than passively convey course material¶
Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · quant-synthesisr?·q3·i2medium
Currency · newest study 2011 · checked against its sources 2026-10-20 (automated, 1 of 1 entry) · not reviewed by a person
Subclaims¶
Reading the evidence codes
q is the design tier, i the impact, n the sample, and the kind with its r
the rigour judged within that kind: what each code means.
This claim: no standardized effect is recorded in observations/ for it yet, so no benchmark reading is possible.
q3 i2 When the majority of instruction in the simulation game was active, the simulation game group learned more than the comparison group (d = .49). → Traci Sitzmann 2011
Evidence¶
Traci Sitzmann 2011¶
Traci Sitzmann. (2011). A Meta-Analytic Examination of the Instructional Effectiveness of Computer-Based Simulation Games. Personnel Psychology, 64, 489-528. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/17446570
q3 · i2 · quant-synthesis · r?
Meta-analytic moderator analysis across 46 active-instruction samples (N = 3,260); the between-class QB was significant (36.41), with active games yielding d = .49 favoring the simulation game group.
"However, when the majority of the instruction in the simulation game was active, the simulation game group learned more than the comparison group (d = .49)."
Discussion¶
Related Claims¶
- Simulation games are effective as a supplement to other instruction but not as standalone instruction, where comparison groups learned slightly more (a difference not statistically significant) — related
- Trainees learn more from simulation games when they have unlimited access to the game — related
- The advantage of simulation games shrinks or reverses when the comparison group learns via active instructional methods — related
- A 2017 cyberlearning community report states that students learn more from games when bridging activities connect game learning to classroom instruction, and that learning analytics can strengthen the connection — related
- Entertainment value of simulation games did not moderate learning relative to comparison instruction — related
Page metadata
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
type |
claim |
id |
simulation-games-effective-when-instruction-active |
title |
Simulation games are more effective when they actively rather than passively convey course material |
description |
Simulation games are more effective when they actively rather than passively convey course material |
status |
review |
evidence_strength |
moderate |
newest_evidence |
2011 |
source_checked |
2026-10-20 |
generated |
by process:wiki-ingest on 2026-10-16 |
trust |
unverified — no one has confirmed this page's content |
sources |
1 — traci-sitzmann-2011 |
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