USING ONLINE SIMULATION TO ENHANCE

EMPLOYABILITY

Tony Ward, Liz Falconer, Manuel Frutos-Perez

University of the West of EnglandFrenchay

Bristol

tony.ward@uwe.ac.uk

Previous work using second life in psychology teaching and learning:

The current project.

Develop three simulations, for use with psychology undergraduates.

These are:

1) Supermarket

2) Counselling agency

3) Dragons Den

Qualwest Supermarket scenario.

Students check in with personnel manager, and then interview a checkout

operator. Their task is to find out about staff morale.

Then they get a second task from the marketing manager, and

interview a client on the shopfloor. The task is to find out about attitudes to

A new brand of tuna which is being launched.

Finally, they checkout using a computer, answering a series of questions about

the tasks set.

Holistic pastures counselling agency.

The students check in with the agency manager. Then they watch a therapy

session taking place. Finally, they interview a new client about their issues,

for whom a standard wellbeing scale is provided.

Finally they checkout via a computer, answering various questions around the

activities.

Dragon’s Den scenario.

Modelled on the popular TV series, in this simulations teams of students

pitch entrepreneurial ideas to a range of dragons (who were famous

psychologists and a dragon).

Condition n male female Mean age SD

Supermarket

F2f 32 10 22 19.7 1.1

SL 26 6 20 18.8 2.9

Counselling

F2F 31 7 24 22.3 4.9

SL 44 4 40 22.9 5.3

Dragons Den

F2F 31 5 26 19.1 1.2

SL 22 3 19 19.9 3.4

Participant details

The supermarket and dragons den scenarios were run as

part of a first year skills module, whilst the counselling

scenario was used in a final year module.

The face to face comparison activities were designed to be

as similar as possible to the second life scenarios.

Evaluation.

All scenarios were compared to face to face activities using

A short student satisfaction scale.

The Dragons Den scenario also used a short entrepreneurial

Efficacy scale devised for the purpose.

In the supermarket and counselling agency scenarios, the students

Group scores on the outcome quizzes were also compared.

The student satisfaction scale.

Item Rating

1. This activity has helped me to understand the related theory

better.

1 2 3 4 5

2. I found the activity stimulating and engaging. 1 2 3 4 5

3. This was an interesting and novel activity. 1 2 3 4 5

4. I would like to see more of this kind of activity on the course. 1 2 3 4 5

5. I found the activity easy and non threatening to engage in. 1 2 3 4 5

6. The activity gave me insight into how enterprise psychology works. 1 2 3 4 5

7. I enjoyed taking part in the activity. 1 2 3 4 5

8. I felt I learned a lot from the activity. 1 2 3 4 5

Enterprise psychology role plays and simulations.

You have just taken part in a counselling psychology role play or simulation.

This questionnaire is designed to gauge your evaluation of the session.

For each statement, please rate the extent to which you agree, by circling the

appropriate number, where:

1 = strongly disagree, 2= mildly disagree, 3 = not sure, 4= mildly agree 5 =

strongly agree

Test retest reliability across 30 students was 0.84

Cronbach’s alpha across 186 students was 0.9.

The enterprise scale.

Item Rating

1. This activity has helped me appreciate how Psychology can lend

itself to business start ups.

1 2 3 4 5

2. Ideas from Psychology can lend themselves to entrepreneurialism. 1 2 3 4 5

3. This activity has given me a new appreciation of how Psychology

could be used in the real world.

1 2 3 4 5

4. I am more likely to consider psychology applications in business

when I graduate.

1 2 3 4 5

5. This was an interesting opportunity to reflect in a different way

about how psychology can be applied.

1 2 3 4 5

Additional questions for the Dragons Den

scenario.

Please rate the following items

1 = strongly disagree, 2= mildly disagree, 3 =

not sure, 4= mildly agree 5 = strongly agree

Test retest reliability across 28 students was 0.81

Cronbach’s alpha across 53 students was 0.9.

Item f2f/sl N Mean Std. Deviation Gp1 vs. Gp2 One Sample t

q1 1 32 2.88 .751 -1.55 -0.94

2 26 3.23 .992 1.18

q2 1 32 3.03 1.092 -1.57 0.16

2 26 3.54 1.363 2.01

q3 1 32 3.38 .976 -1.45 2.17

2 26 3.81 1.297 3.17

q4 1 32 2.97 1.121 -2.84 -0.15

2 26 3.77 .992 3.95

q5 1 32 3.91 .995 -2.62 5.15

2 26 4.50 .648 11.80

q6 1 32 3.56 .801 -1.96 3.97

2 26 3.96 .774 6.53

q7 1 32 3.56 .914 -1.28 3.48

2 26 3.88 .993 4.54

q8 1 32 2.84 .723 -1.71 -1.22

2 26 3.27 1.151 1.14

total 1 32 26.13 5.129 -2.40 2.34

2 26 29.96 7.034 4.32

q9 1 32 55.31 15.237 -1.29 1.97

2 26 61.73 22.313 2.68

q10 1 32 62.34 17.551 -1.87 3.97

2 26 71.54 19.838 5.54

Supermarket results

Item

1. This activity has helped me to understand

the related theory better.

2. I found the activity stimulating and engaging.

3. This was an interesting and novel activity.

4. I would like to see more of this kind of

activity on the course.

5. I found the activity easy and non threatening

to engage in.

6. The activity gave me insight into how

consumer psychology works.

7. I enjoyed taking part in the activity.

8. I felt I learned a lot from the activity.

Item ff/sl N Mean Std. Deviation Gp1 vs. Gp2 One sample t

q1 1 31 3.71 1.10 0.45 3.58

2 44 3.59 1.12 3.48

q2 1 31 3.74 0.93 0.96 4.44

2 44 3.50 1.15 2.88

q3 1 31 3.81 1.04 -0.60 4.29

2 44 3.95 1.03 6.12

q4 1 31 3.68 1.30 0.19 2.89

2 44 3.61 1.41 2.87

q5 1 31 4.06 1.12 -1.30 5.27

2 44 4.39 0.99 9.26

q6 1 31 3.84 0.96 -0.10 4.81

2 44 3.86 1.04 5.47

q7 1 31 3.90 1.01 0.52 4.97

2 44 3.77 1.09 7.67

q8 1 31 3.68 1.07 1.45 3.50

2 44 3.30 1.15 1.70

q9 1 31 66.94 20.50 0.43 4.59

2 44 64.73 22.43 4.33

q10 1 31 63.61 24.82 1.36 3.05

2 44 55.52 25.53 1.43

total 1 31 30.42 6.28 0.26 5.69

2 44 29.98 7.47 5.33

Counselling results

Item

1. This activity has helped me to understand the related

theory better.

2. I found the activity stimulating and engaging.

3. This was an interesting and novel activity.

4. I would like to see more of this kind of activity on the

course.

5. I found the activity easy and non threatening to

engage in.

6. The activity gave me insight into how counselling

psychology works.

7. I enjoyed taking part in the activity.

8. I felt I learned a lot from the activity.

Item

f2f/sl N Mean Std. Deviation Gp1 vs. Gp2 One Sample t

q1 1 31 3.39 0.80 1.47 2.68

2 22 3.00 1.11 0.00

q2 1 31 4.10 0.97 1.23 6.24

2 22 3.73 1.20 2.83

q3 1 31 3.97 0.94 .05 5.68

2 22 3.95 0.95 4.71

q4 1 31 3.68 1.13 -1.04 3.31

2 22 4.00 1.06 4.38

q5 1 31 3.65 0.98 -1.32 3.64

2 22 4.05 1.21 4.04

q6 1 31 3.55 1.06 -0.62 2.88

2 22 3.73 0.98 3.46

q7 1 31 3.97 0.87 -0.12 6.15

2 22 4.00 1.02 4.58

q8 1 31 2.74 0.96 -1.66 -1.48

2 22 3.23 1.15 0.93

total 1 31 29.03 4.78 -0.37 5.85

2 22 29.68 7.13 3.76

q9 1 31 59.84 20.55 -0.50 2.66

2 22 62.68 19.35 3.07

q10 1 31 67.10 16.72 -0.37 5.69

2 22 68.95 19.23 5.42

E1 1 31 3.77 0.99 -0.17 4.35

2 22 3.82 0.79 4.83

E2 1 31 3.90 0.94 -0.57 5.33

2 22 4.05 0.78 6.24

E3 1 31 3.71 0.93 -0.60 4.21

2 22 3.86 0.88 4.56

E4 1 31 3.23 1.17 -0.84 1.07

2 22 3.50 1.14 2.05

E5 1 31 3.84 1.09 -1.13 4.25

Dragon’s

Den

Results

Item

1. This activity has helped me to understand the

related theory better.

2. I found the activity stimulating and engaging.

3. This was an interesting and novel activity.

4. I would like to see more of this kind of activity

on the course.

5. I found the activity easy and non threatening to

engage in.

6. The activity gave me insight into how enterprise

psychology works.

7. I enjoyed taking part in the activity.

8. I felt I learned a lot from the activity.

q4 1 31 3.68 1.13 -1.04 3.31

2 22 4.00 1.06 4.38

q5 1 31 3.65 0.98 -1.32 3.64

2 22 4.05 1.21 4.04

q6 1 31 3.55 1.06 -0.62 2.88

2 22 3.73 0.98 3.46

q7 1 31 3.97 0.87 -0.12 6.15

2 22 4.00 1.02 4.58

q8 1 31 2.74 0.96 -1.66 -1.48

2 22 3.23 1.15 0.93

total 1 31 29.03 4.78 -0.37 5.85

2 22 29.68 7.13 3.76

q9 1 31 59.84 20.55 -0.50 2.66

2 22 62.68 19.35 3.07

q10 1 31 67.10 16.72 -0.37 5.69

2 22 68.95 19.23 5.42

E1 1 31 3.77 0.99 -0.17 4.35

2 22 3.82 0.79 4.83

E2 1 31 3.90 0.94 -0.57 5.33

2 22 4.05 0.78 6.24

E3 1 31 3.71 0.93 -0.60 4.21

2 22 3.86 0.88 4.56

E4 1 31 3.23 1.17 -0.84 1.07

2 22 3.50 1.14 2.05

E5 1 31 3.84 1.09 -1.13 4.25

2 22 4.14 0.64 8.33

Total 1 31 18.45 4.47 -0.77 4.29

2 22 19.36 3.77 5.42

Dragon’s

Den

Results

Entrepreneurial

Questions.

Item

1. This activity has helped me appreciate how Psychology can

lend itself to business start ups.

2. Ideas from Psychology can lend themselves to

entrepreneurialism.

3. This activity has given me a new appreciation of how

Psychology could be used in the real world.

4. I am more likely to consider psychology applications in

business when I graduate.

5. This was an interesting opportunity to reflect in a different

way about how psychology can be applied.

Quiz scores

Counselling scenario

7 questions across 15 vs 8 groups.

Mean % correct = 96.1 vs 93.8%

Supermarket scenario.

12 questions across 22 vs 9 groups

Mean % correct = 94 vs 93%

No significant differences.

Qualitative comments:

- Can explore new environments.

- Self paced.

- Low social demands

- Technology

- Nature of interaction with avatars

- Issues with the quite limited nature of the scripts.

- Supermarket was rated as most beneficial, some students felt

counselling agency was a bit artificial. Dragons Den worked OK

In both.

Conclusions.

The SL simulations were equivalent to face to face activities, in terms

of student satisfaction, learning and entrepreneurial attitude.

The exception was the supermarket scenario, where SL was significantly

better in terms of student satisfaction.

This probably reflects the fact that this complex, problem based learning

scenario was less believable in the face to face classroom.

SL may be a very useful way therefore of extending students learning

outside of the classroom.

Future work.