I Do and I Understand: Assessing the Utility of Web-Based Management Simulations to Develop Critical Thinking Skills

Our study assesses the utility of web-based simulations for developing critical thinking skills and analyzes the relationship between critical thinking and simulation performance. We also explore the extent to which students use a collaborative versus competitive problem-solving approach within the simulation context. Pre- and posttest undergraduate student data were collected and used to test critical thinking skills learning. Posttest data were used to assess the relationships among critical thinking, simulation performance, and the problem-solving approach. We found that participation in the simulations was an effective way to develop critical thinking skills. Critical thinking was also related to performance, but only in one of the three simulations. The problem-solving approach did not mediate the relationship between critical thinking and performance; however, a competitive approach to problem solving was predictive of lower performance, and significant relationships were found between critical thinking subcategories and both problem-solving approaches. We discuss the implications of our results and identify web-based simulations as a useful supplemental pedagogy for developing the important skill of critical thinking. Study limitations and suggestions for future research are included.