USING SIMULATION TRAINING GAMES TO CREATE MORE ACTIVE AND STUDENT CENTERED LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS FOR SOFTWARE AND SYSTEMS ENGINEERING EDUCATION

This paper contends that many of the bottlenecks and difficulties facing faculty and students in traditional lecture and textbook approaches to classrooms can be effectively addressed through the creation and application of simulation based games. In addition to augmenting an active, student-centered learning environment, simulation games can also cultivate soft skills such as communication, teamwork and self reflection. From a software engineering perspective, an AOP-based architecture approach to developing a simulation game allows for greater flexibility and an increased ability to tailor the simulation for particular institutional and pedagogical needs.