Player-reported Impediments to Game-based Learning

The history of training games and simulations goes back at least 3,000 years (Keys and Wolfe 1990). Journals such as Simulation & Gaming have documented training games and their results for four decades, and while their significance is under frequent debate, games and simulations are accepted as a valuable part of the educational toolkit - at least in fields where they are in constant use. Their educational significance, especially in areas considered physically or fiscally risky (e.g. crisis management, aviation, business), remains strong. In this article,we present critiques expressed by participants of business simulation/ games, outline it in context, and suggest options for removing or at least weakening those learning impediments.