Pros and Cons of Instructional Simulations

The following table compares the pros and cons of instructional simulations as an instructional strategy.

Pros

• A great instructional strategy for keeping learners engaged and involved in their learning
• They can be conducted in groups or as individuals
• Often a lower cost option for creating real-life situations
• Provide a safe environment for learners to learn and practice their new skills and receive feedback
• Can be paused and reflected upon and therefore allow for a deeper understanding of the content being taught
• Improved ability to connect learning to real-world situations
• Opportunity for immediate feedback from decisions
• Simulation can be repeated as many times as desired without causing any additional costs or infrastructure setup

Cons

• Simulations can sometimes be very artificial and oversimplified - try to model the real-world as much as possible
• Simulations may not provide students for the real- world. They cannot be a substitute for real, direct experience but instead used as a safe avenue for practice and preparation prior to practicing directly in the real-world
• Simulations can be complicated and time consuming to create initially 

Properly designed instructional simulations should eliminate any of these cons discussed above. Please refer to the How to Implement area of this website for more information on design.