Creating Value in an Introduction to Marketing Course Using a Simulation: An Abstract

The successful education of marketing students today entails developing marketing knowledge and workplace skills, so students need to be exposed to more than lectures (Laverie, 2006). By placing less emphasis on lecturing and more on developing skills and exploring course material, students are involved in higher order thinking (i.e., analysis, synthesis, and evaluation; Hunt and Laverie, 2004). Experiential learning can be a powerful way to develop necessary knowledge and skills (Diamond, Koering, & Iqbal, 2016). One effective method to employ experiential learning is through a marketing simulation. This paper contributes by exploring the value of implementing a marketing simulation in a large introduction to marketing course. Specifically, we explore how using a simulation influences learning outcomes and the development of skills required in the workplace.

We collected data in the form of reflection papers on the achievement of learning outcomes from over 200 students. In addition, we collected survey data asking students to consider how the simulation has impacted their learning, application of course material, and the overall value of the class preparation for workplace skills, affect, and engagement. The qualitative data from reflection papers will be analyzed using the constant comparative method (Glaser & Straus, 1967) using NVivo software. We will discover themes and structured relationships that emerge in the qualitative data. Further, we will analyze the online survey data and present the results from this quantitative analysis.

The results will provide compelling evidence to demonstrate the power of simulations in developing deep learning in a team-based experiential learning environment. We will detail how a faculty member can collect data tied to student learning outcomes, qualitatively and quantitatively, to demonstrate to departments and accrediting bodies that simulation is tied to deep learning, higher-order thinking, workplace skills, and achievement course-based student learning outcomes. Specifically, we will demonstrate the value of a simulation in employing team-based experiential learning in a large section of an introductory marketing class. We discuss the value added to the course both with qualitative and quantitative data. Our results will detail the impact the simulation had on student learning outcomes and workplace skills. We will present the results of the analysis of survey data asking students to consider how the simulation has impacted their learning, application of course material, and the overall value of the class preparation for workplace skills, affect, and engagement.