eSims for Professional Practice Workshop

Digital simulations for student learning of professional experience give students the opportunity to explore in a safe environment authentic work based practices. So what is a digital simulation? Digital simulations are a computer generated and computer based experience that students interact with to engage with concepts and learn and refine skills. They usually offer a simulated environment that mimics an authentic one. Students value experiential learning with practical applications rather than abstract academic study. Simulations offer students the possibility of applying critical thinking and knowledge to professional experience. It gives students an interactive experience vastly different from the transmission methods used greatly in the past. By immersing themselves in a situation they need to think out possible solutions and solve problems. Simulations can be designed to be constructively aligned to learning objectives and incorporate previously developed resources as well as new ones. Constructive alignment aligns an activity or resource to subject objectives to help ensure they are met through the resources of the subject. When constructive alignment is applied across assessment, resources and activities a subject then all objectives can be said to be met. This workshop explores how two different simulations meet the objectives of the respective subject.