The Implementation and Evaluation of a Computer Simulation Game in a University Course

The purpose of this study was to implement a computer simulation game in a university course and to assess its value as an educational technique. College students (N = 200) were randomly assigned to a treatment or delayed treatment group. Lecture plus a computer simulation game was compared to lecture alone on a broad range of measures (attitudinal, attendance, achievement, information-seeking behavior). Students who participated in the game earlier in the semester responded more favorably than those who participated later in the semester, p = .02. Furthermore, students attended more during the earlier part of the course than in the later, p < .01. Students performed better on the final exam than on the second exam, p < .01. No students displayed information-seeking behavior. An implication of the results is that early implementation provides a more positive response to computer simulations.