Engagement, consistency and cost effectiveness — there are several advantages to using simulations to enhance learning, not the least of which is that the learning sticks. Simulations are the perfect accelerator for problem solving as it inspires action through new skills, new perspectives and new collaborative behaviors.

It is a strange thing to be asked to write a guest post about mistakes. Should I be insulted? Is having failure as your recognized expertise a good thing? Oh well, I’ve come to terms with the importance of mistakes.

Vic Vuchic is an Associate Program Officer at the Hewlett Foundation and one very cool individual. I had the good fortune to meet him in his pre-Hewlett days through Stanford University’s program where we eventually became Master’s Project partners (we built a ‘tamagotchi’-like agent to build financial literacy among youth – in hindsight, we should have targeted bankers!)

Many moons ago I was an English teacher in rural Japan. It was an amazing experience for many reasons, not the least of which was the intensive exposure to the Japanese language (fellow ‘gaijin’ were tough to come by!)

Why industry leaders are choosing simulation over the School of Hard Knocks

Please see last issue’s ‘Our View’ for the first part of this article.

 After the US Military fully assessed the carnage wrought by its fictional adversary in “Millennium Challenge”, it did what any defeated force dreams of – it traveled back in time to start again. The game was reset, battleships were miraculously raised from the ocean floor, and crews were resurrected. The next battle was the antithesis of the first; US forces quickly routed the enemy’s army and the beleaguered rogue leader had little choice but to surrender. The entire war – first and second attempts – unfolded in less than 48 hours.