Wouldn’t it be useful for employability if students could have experience of running a business before leaving university and having to do it for real?
‘Serious Gaming’ is filling that gap; allowing students to learn from their mistakes in a safe, virtual environment.
“There are challenges, but these challenges are great because…they help you improve. …There are going to be failures…paperwork…numbers that will confuse you, but thanks to …HOTS we can understand and learn these elements, which will help us to find a solution, which would therefore help us in our career” Brian Gnanapragasm (student)
Michael Papaioannou is using an online simulation game called HOTS with level 6 students on the International Hotel & Resort Management module.
HOTS allows students to run a hotel property. They work in teams and make decisions on Human Resources, Marketing, Operations Management & Finance. They get regular feedback on their decisions, including comments from the ‘HOTS Reviewer’ that mimics Tripadvisor.
Learning simulation games are categorised as ‘serious gaming’ – ‘gaming’ because they have elements of fun and competition between teams, and ‘serious’ because participants are consolidating their learning through making decisions and getting feedback in the game.
HOTS is used by industry leaders like Marriott hotels to train their staff in
decision making.
“One of the great benefits of using HOTS is that we can put into action what we have been theoretically learning in the last three years of university.” Brian Gnanapragasm
