Assessing the effects of online simulation-based learning on skills in managing change for corporate sustainability

Abstract

This study assessed the effects of simulation-based learning on students' application of change management skills. A module organized around the Leading Change for Sustainability – Business simulation challenged learners to change the sustainability practices of stakeholders in a company. The study employed a quasi-experimental, time-series design. Friedman and Wilcoxon Signed-Ranked tests were used to assess the module's effects on the learning of 87 Master's degree students. The results affirmed significant, meaningful improvement in student execution of theory-informed change strategies. Improvements in student performance on the simulation aligned with practice and multi-faceted reflection activities that took place during the three-week intervention. The module developed a deeper understanding of the complexities of integrating new values and practices into a company. Three novel features of the study stand out. First, the study adds new evidence on the effects of simulation-based learning on the higher-order thinking of learners. Second, the research design extracted student engagement and learning performance data directly from the simulation rather than from a knowledge test. Third, the execution of the simulation-based learning intervention in a fully online learning mode heightened the timeliness of the study.