Business simulation and assurance of learning. Gender, academic major and business core course performance

Published date14 October 2019
DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1108/QAE-04-2018-0043
Pages412-426
Date14 October 2019
AuthorJeffrey W. Alstete,Nicholas J. Beutell
Subject MatterEducation,Educational evaluation/assessment
Business simulation and
assurance of learning
Gender, academic major and business core
course performance
Jeffrey W. Alstete and Nicholas J. Beutell
LaPenta School of Business, Iona College, New Rochelle, New York, USA
Abstract
Purpose This study aims to consider assurance of learning among undergraduate business students
enrolled in capstonebusiness strategy courses using the GLO-BUS competitive simulation.Gender, academic
major andbusiness core course performance were examined.
Design/methodology/approach Participants were 595 undergraduate capstone business students
from 21 course sections taught over a four-year period. Variables included learning assurance measures,
simulation performance, gender,major, business core course grades, capstone course grade and cumulative
grade point average.Correlations, linear regression, multiple regressionand multivariate analysis of variance
(MANOVA)were used to analyze the data.
Findings Learning assurance reportscores were strongly related to simulation performance. Simulation
performance wasrelated to capstone course grade, which, in turn, was signicantlyrelated to the grade point
average (GPA). Core business courses were related to learning assurance and performance indicators.
Signicant differencesfor gender and degree major were found for academic performance measures.Women
and men didnot differ in simulation performance.
Research limitations/implications Limitations include the use of one simulation (GLO-BUS) and
studying students at one university taughtby one professor. Assurance of learning measures needs further
study as factors in business program evaluation.Future research should analyze post-graduate performance
and careerachievements in relation to assurance of learning outcomes.
Originality/value This study conductsempirical analyses of simulation learning that focusesentirely on
direct measures,including student characteristics(gender, major), learning assurance measures,business core
course grades,capstone course grades and student GPAs.
Keywords Decision-making, Strategic management, Business education, Quality assurance,
Assessment, Learning methods
Paper type Research paper
Business programs should carefully plan their strategic management capstone courses in
light of the educational mission, pedagogical content knowledge, instructional techniques
and delivery formats (Alsteteand Beutell, 2016). Specically, faculty members and academic
departments should select projectassignments, such as business simulations, that create an
integrative learning experience for students as part of a planned portfolio of programmatic
content and expectedoutcomes. As the use of technology-based instructional toolsincreases,
it is important to harmonize instructional methods and learning outcomes to optimize the
benets of capstonebusiness strategy courses.
This study examines learning assurance scores derived from participation in a capstone
business simulation (GLO-BUS) in relation to gender, academic major, business core course
grades, capstone course grades and overall grade point average (GPA). The extent to which
learningassurancemeasuresfromcapstonesimulations are related to business core courses is
QAE
27,4
412
Received26 April 2018
Revised2 April 2019
5 June2019
19June 2019
Accepted30 June 2019
QualityAssurance in Education
Vol.27 No. 4, 2019
pp. 412-426
© Emerald Publishing Limited
0968-4883
DOI 10.1108/QAE-04-2018-0043
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/0968-4883.htm

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