Do international marketing simulations provide an authentic assessment of learning? A student perspective

This paper seeks to determine whether international marketing simulations provide an authentic assessment of learning. The principles of authentic assessment dictate that assigned learning activities be aligned with the attitudes, skills and knowledge that students will be required to demonstrate in the real world. Research on the application of authentic assessment principles in management education is limited and most of the works that have examined the issue have done so from the perspective of the educator, not the student. A content analysis was undertaken of 122 final reports submitted by teams participating in an online international marketing simulation. The results demonstrate that the simulation provided students with opportunities for reflection and the development of an understanding of the real world of international marketing, with all its complexities and challenges. The simulation also allowed students to receive feedback, correct mistakes and gain an appreciation of the varied activities that contribute to the achievement of an overall objective. Students did not, however, appreciate the transferability of skills acquired in the simulation to other domains of knowledge. Similarly, the final reports did not reflect a significant appreciation of the communication and collaboration benefits that simulations should provide. Further, provision of instructional support was shown to have no impact on students' perceptions of the simulation's authenticity.