Using simulation software to support learning: Empirical findings from teaching key supply chain management concepts

Lesson planning is a tough task of teaching. Teachers exploit appropriate techniques for the students to meet goals and objectives that enable learning and meet their different learning styles. Although simulation is a learning technique that has been deemed suitable for educational purposes, teaching is dominated by lectures. In this work, we present the findings of implementing a lesson we planned that employs simulation for teaching key supply chain management concepts. The lesson is based on an exercise that we have designed and developed using a free to use web application. The examined sample refers to eighty three students coming from four Secondary Technical and Vocational Schools in Thessaloniki, Greece with a wide range of ages. The results indicate that the educational intervention had a significant positive effect on students' comprehension on the subject independently of their age, gender, type of school and previous working experience. In addition, findings proved that the education process of supply chain management oriented courses is more valuable when simulation technology is involved. Finally, suggestions concerning features that software must meet to be a modern teaching tool are presented.