MonsoonSIM is a powerful experiential learning platform designed to enhance teaching and learning across various business disciplines. By combining advanced features with real-world scenarios, MonsoonSIM provides a dynamic and immersive educational experience.
1. Background
Origin and Purpose of MonsoonSIM
MonsoonSIM was created with the vision of revolutionizing education through experiential learning. Recognizing the limitations of traditional teaching methods in imparting practical business skills, MonsoonSIM was designed to bridge the gap between theory and practice. The platform empowers learners to engage in simulated business environments where they can experiment, learn from mistakes, and develop critical decision-making skills. Its purpose is to prepare learners for real-world challenges by immersing them in realistic scenarios that replicate the complexities of modern businesses.
Overview of Experiential Learning and How MonsoonSIM Fits Into It
Experiential learning is a methodology where learners acquire knowledge and skills through hands-on experiences and reflection. It bridges the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application, enabling learners to internalize concepts by actively engaging in relevant, real-world tasks.
MonsoonSIM embodies the principles of experiential learning by providing a simulated business environment where learners:
- Make decisions that affect their virtual companies in real-time.
- Analyze the outcomes of their choices to understand cause-and-effect relationships.
- Collaborate with team members to solve complex problems.
- Reflect on successes and failures to refine strategies.
- By replicating real-world business challenges in a controlled, risk-free environment, MonsoonSIM offers an unparalleled learning experience. It enhances critical thinking, decision-making, and teamwork, aligning perfectly with the goals of experiential learning.
Key Milestones in MonsoonSIM’s Development
Founded in 2012, MonsoonSIM has grown to become a globally recognized experiential learning platform. Over the years, more than 200,000 learners have engaged with MonsoonSIM through over 60,000 gaming sessions conducted by more than 200 educational institutions and corporations. These sessions span continents, including Europe, Asia, the Americas, and Australia, reflecting the platform’s widespread adoption and impact.
2. Concept Coverage
MonsoonSIM encompasses 13 business departments, offering a holistic approach to simulating real-world business operations. These departments include:
- Finance
- Retail
- Procurement
- Marketing
- Forecast
- Warehouse & Logistics
- E-commerce
- Wholesales
- Production
- Material Requirement Planning
- Maintenance
- Human Capital Management (HR)
- Service Management
These departments can be configured to simulate different types of businesses, including:
- Trading Businesses (Retail, Wholesales or Online): Focused on buying and selling products.
- Logistics Businesses: Emphasizing supply chain and delivery operations.
- Hospitality & Service Businesses: Providing man-hour or material-based services.
- Manufacturing Businesses: Encompassing production and assembly processes.
Facilitators can customize the simulation further by enabling optional features such as:
- Loans: Simulating debt management and financing decisions.
- Budgets: Teaching financial planning and control.
- Journals and Bank Reconciliations: Enhancing accounting practices.
- R&D: Encouraging innovation and process improvement.
- Crisis Management: Introducing unexpected challenges to test adaptability.
- Sustainability: Measuring and managing environmental impacts.
- Startup to IPO: Covering the entrepreneurial journey from inception to becoming a public company.
This versatility allows facilitators to align the simulation with specific learning objectives and real-world scenarios, making MonsoonSIM an invaluable tool for experiential learning.
3. Teaching and Learning
MonsoonSIM offers a flexible and dynamic approach to teaching and learning, accommodating various educational styles and objectives.
Teaching Mechanics
Facilitators design and configure business scenarios tailored to the learning objectives of their students. Using MonsoonSIM’s versatile tools, they create simulations that:
- Align with specific course goals.
- Reflect real-world challenges and opportunities.
- Provide learners with measurable targets or KPIs that drive engagement and competition.
Through these configured scenarios, learners are encouraged to engage in self-directed learning, where they develop insights and strategies by competing to achieve the KPIs or targets set by their facilitators. This approach fosters critical thinking and decision-making while allowing learners to explore business concepts in a risk-free environment.
How MonsoonSIM Complements Traditional Teaching Methods
A traditional course in business school can easily be broken down into sections that can be replaced or enhanced by MonsoonSIM. For example, in Accounting, the study of journal adjustments can be complemented by a simple game in MonsoonSIM where students practice making journal adjustments to improve their financial reports. This transforms a traditional course into a blended learning experience that integrates theory, simulation, gamification, and competition, providing a more engaging and comprehensive educational approach.
Teaching Modes
- Gamification Mode (Clock Mode):
- Learners make strategic decisions within a specific time frame, such as every 35 seconds for each virtual day.
- Encourages quick thinking, adaptability, and time-sensitive decision-making skills.
- Step-Through Mode:
- Facilitators guide learners through specific scenarios step-by-step, allowing for in-depth exploration of concepts and structured learning.
- Real-time feedback helps learners understand the implications of their choices.
- Combination Mode:
- A blend of Gamification and Step-Through Modes within the same game.
Allows learners to experience both time-sensitive decision-making and guided instruction.
Use Case Example 1: Introduction to Accounting
- Experience Accounting in a Virtual Business (Gamification, 90 mins)
- Explore Financial Statements (Simulation, 45 mins)
- Practice Journal Adjustments (Simulation, 45 mins)
- Apply Concepts in Advanced Gameplay (Gamification, 90 mins)
Use Case Example2: Marketing Fundamentals
- Understand Consumer Behavior (Simulation & Quiz, 30 mins)
- Segment and Target Markets (Simulation & Quiz, 30 mins)
- Analyze Marketing ROI (Simulation & Quiz, 30 mins)
Use Case Example3: Logistics Management
- Master Transportation Planning (Simulation & Quiz, 30 mins)
- Optimize Warehouse Operations (Simulation & Quiz, 30 mins)
- Implement Green Logistics (Simulation & Quiz, 30 mins)
Key Learning Activities
- Hands-On Learning: Learners engage directly with the simulation, making decisions that affect their virtual businesses in real-time.
- Scenario Analysis: Facilitators create diverse scenarios to address specific learning objectives, such as crisis management, profitability analysis, or supply chain optimization.
- Team Collaboration: Teams work together to solve complex problems, promoting communication and collaboration skills.
- Reflection and Feedback: Learners review their decisions and outcomes, gaining insights into their strategic thinking and decision-making processes.
Application Across Disciplines
MonsoonSIM can be integrated into various disciplines, including:
- Accounting: Teaching financial reporting, budgeting, and reconciliation.
- Finance: Covering concepts such as equity, funding, share options, and financial management.
- Management: Developing leadership, strategic planning, and operational efficiency.
- Marketing: Understanding customer segmentation, pricing strategies, and market dynamics.
- Supply Chain and Logistics: Optimizing inventory, warehouse management, and delivery.
- Entrepreneurship: Simulating the journey from startup to IPO, covering fundraising, scaling, and governance.
- Data Analytics: Leveraging MonsoonSIM data through third-party tools to analyze business performance, study data trends, and apply frameworks such as balanced scorecards.
Capstone Value
MonsoonSIM serves as a highly effective capstone tool, bringing together theoretical knowledge and practical application. By integrating various business disciplines, learners experience the interconnectivity of business functions, enhancing their ability to analyze, strategize, and execute in a simulated environment. The platform’s flexibility and real-time feedback make it an ideal choice for capstone projects, preparing learners to tackle multifaceted business challenges with confidence.
By providing a hands-on and immersive learning experience, MonsoonSIM prepares learners for real-world challenges while fostering critical skills such as teamwork, problem-solving, and adaptability.
4. Features and Functionalities
- Step-Through Mode: Facilitators guide learners in a structured, step-by-step manner, ensuring focus on specific scenarios without overwhelming them.
- Enhanced Learner Monitoring: Real-time activity tracking with tools like sliders to review historical data and decision-making insights.
- AI assistant: An AI-powered assistant providing real-time guidance to learners and facilitators through an intuitive slider interface.
- AI assessment: An AI-powered assistant that can assess the individual's performance based on the game data
- Preconfigured Product Lines: Saves time with predefined product lines, enabling quick setup for diverse scenarios.
- Preconfigured Business Locale: Learners can conduct business in various regions, such as the USA, Europe, Australia, and East Asia, adding a global dimension to their decision-making.
- Market Sentiment Configuration: Simulate macroeconomic factors such as inflation and fiscal spending to influence game dynamics.
- Player Blackout: Simulate real-world challenges by temporarily disabling team members’ actions.
- Preconfigured Courses and Assessments: MonsoonSIM offers a wealth of pre-designed courses, complete with teaching materials and assessments, ready to be deployed for seamless learning experiences.
5. Learning Outcomes
Facilitators can set and monitor KPIs, allowing learners to track their progress and performance against defined benchmarks. Assessments can be conducted in two ways:
- Absolute Strength: Facilitators define hard targets or goals for learners to achieve, providing clear benchmarks of success.
- Relative Strength: Using the Scoring Matrix, facilitators measure the performance of teams relative to their competitors, fostering a competitive and dynamic learning environment.
This dual approach ensures that learners are evaluated comprehensively, encouraging both individual excellence and teamwork.
6. Integration into Curricula
MonsoonSIM seamlessly integrates into traditional curricula, providing a transformative blended learning experience. By incorporating simulation, gamification, and competition into theoretical coursework, MonsoonSIM enhances engagement and practical understanding across disciplines.
- Customizable Modules: MonsoonSIM’s 13 business departments and optional features allow educators to tailor simulations to align with specific course objectives, making it applicable to disciplines like Accounting, Finance, Management, Marketing, and Data Analytics.
- Blended Learning: Traditional courses can be enhanced with MonsoonSIM by replacing or complementing certain sections with simulations. For example, journal adjustments in Accounting can be practiced through engaging games, turning abstract concepts into practical tasks.
- Capstone Integration: As a capstone tool, MonsoonSIM helps students synthesize knowledge across multiple domains, fostering an understanding of business interconnectivity while building strategic and analytical skills.
- Flexible Assessments: Facilitators can set absolute KPIs or use a Scoring Matrix to evaluate relative team performance, ensuring both individual and competitive learning dynamics.
- Preconfigured Courses and Resources: MonsoonSIM provides ready-to-deploy teaching materials, pre-designed courses, and assessments that simplify integration into existing programs.
With its adaptability and comprehensive resources, MonsoonSIM bridges the gap between theoretical knowledge and real-world application, enriching the educational experience across diverse academic and professional fields.7. Technical Specifications
Platform requirements and setup.
MonsoonSIM is 100% cloud-based, eliminating the need for any downloads or installations. Facilitators and learners only require a computer and an internet connection to access and use the platform effectively. This simplicity ensures ease of setup and accessibility, making MonsoonSIM a seamless addition to any educational or corporate environment.
Scalability for large groups or competitions.
MonsoonSIM is highly scalable, supporting learning sessions for individual students or groups of up to 100 students per game. Students can be organized into teams ranging from 1 to 10 members per group, providing flexibility for various class sizes and collaborative setups.
7. Community and Competitions
MonsoonSIM fosters a vibrant and dynamic community through various initiatives and platforms:
MERMC (MonsoonSIM Enterprise Resource Management Competition): An annual international competition where learners from around the world showcase their skills in a competitive yet collaborative environment. MERMC serves as a platform for innovation, teamwork, and strategic thinking, attracting participants from diverse educational institutions and corporate organizations.
Club Games and Club Leagues: With over 3,000 clubs globally, MonsoonSIM provides learners with the opportunity to form clubs and participate in club games and leagues. These games foster a sense of community, encourage continuous learning, and allow learners to test their skills in friendly competitions.
Through these activities, MonsoonSIM not only enhances learning but also builds a global network of engaged and motivated learners.
8. Success Stories from Institutions and Learners
1. Michigan State University
2. Penn State University
3. Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS)
- Business 100 (Dr. Ma Nang Laik):
- Student feedback favors experiential learning over traditional lectures.
- Interactive approach aids in understanding complex business operations.
4. Deakin Business School
- Capstone Experiences for Accounting Students(Dr. Christine Contessotto):
- High student satisfaction with evaluations surpassing faculty averages.
- Over 90% agreement on overall unit satisfaction.
5. Hochschule Esslingen - University of Applied Sciences, Germany
- Management Accounting(Prof. Oliver Duerr):
- Appreciated for gamified learning and high engagement.
- Accessible via browsers, facilitating remote learning, especially during COVID-19.
6. University of Illinois
- Management Accounting(Prof. Salem Boumediene):
- Enhances courses with hands-on, experiential learning.
- Students gain practical, immersive exposure to management accounting.
Quotes from educators
Dr. Edwin Lim, Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia:
Praised MonsoonSIM for improving both the breadth and depth of students' learning.
Quoted saying, "MonsoonSIM provides a transformative platform that bridges theoretical concepts with practical application, making it an invaluable tool for student engagement and understanding."
Dr. Leong Y. Jonathan and Dr. Ma Nang Laik, Singapore University of Social Sciences:
Published an article in the European Journal of Social Sciences Education and Research.
Highlighted MonsoonSIM’s value in gamification and working with live data.
Emphasized the development of critical thinking, problem-solving capabilities, and transferable skills such as adaptability and teamwork, essential for real-world applications.
Liz Dwyer, Head of SAP User Adoption Services, Asia Pacific:
Dr. Deliang Wang, National University of Singapore:
Dr. Remedios Cruz, Dean, College of Business and Accountancy at National University:
Dr. Jason J. Turner, Taylor University, Malaysia:
Severin Grabski, Ph.D., Michigan State University, USA:
9. Recommendation Letters and Academic Publications
Recommendation letters
Academic Journals on MonsoonSIM
Designing Hybrid and Online Capstone Experiences for Accounting Students
Published in the Australasian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education; By Christine Contessotto, Edwin KiaYang Lim, Harsh Suri, Deakin University https://www.monsoonsim.com/depo/images/doc/papermsim6.pdf
Using Experiential Learning Theory to Improve Teaching and Learning in Higher Education
Published in European Journal of Social Sciences Education and Research by Dr. Leong Y. Jonathan and Dr. Ma Nang Laik of Singapore University of Social Sciences https://www.researchgate.net/publication/339424471_Using_Experiential_Learning_Theory_to_Improve_Teaching_and_Learning_in_Higher_Education
Factors Influencing Use of MonsoonSIM Business Simulation
by UTM Undergraduate Students by Shfudin Mohd Yatim and Chin Fei Goh https://www.researchgate.net/publication/325573809_Factors_Influencing_Use_of_Monsoonsim_Business_Simulation_by_UTM_Undergraduate_Students
Business Simulation, Student Competency, And Learning Outcomes
Authors : Christiana F. Dharmastuti, Syarief Darmoyo, R. A. Gunawan, M. N. Duka, University Atma Jaya https://www.monsoonsim.com/depo/images/doc/papermsim4.pdf
21st Century Skills Development Through Business Simulation Games
Authors : Ziehanie Shafiai, Politeknik Ungku Omar, Malaysia https://www.monsoonsim.com/depo/images/doc/papermsim5.pdf
Business Analytics, MonsoonSIM
A book written by Dr. Violeta Cvetkoska, an Associate Professor of the courses Operational Research, and Fundamentals of Business Analytics, and Head of the EUi at Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, Faculty of Economics – Skopje https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cdfP0LQISvbUuxS2pk7-NQz-LKPBRt3W/view
Impact of MonsoonSIM on UTM Students
Authors : Dr. Mohamad Shah Kassim, En. Shafudin Mohd Yatim, Dr. Zulkifli Khair, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia https://www.monsoonsim.com/depo/images/document/monsoonsimimpactppt.pdf
Radical and disruptive innovation in higher education
Authors : Dr. Mohamad Shah Kassim, En. Shafudin Mohd Yatim, Dr. Zulkifli Khair, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia https://www.monsoonsim.com/depo/images/doc/paperdisruptiveinnovation.pdf
YouTube Videos
What they say about MonsoonSIM https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLs8h70J_elzTWFPmwOjDUYGnzhHylwbKC
Teaching Management Accounting with Data Analytics using MonsoonSIM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=St9NcvhJ6AE&t=653s
Users compilations https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzMdQ5tkRz0
Conclusion
MonsoonSIM offers a comprehensive experiential learning platform tailored to equip learners with strategic thinking, financial acumen, and collaborative skills. By providing flexibility in teaching modes and aligning with real-world business challenges, MonsoonSIM ensures a holistic educational experience for academia and industry alike.
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