Jyoti Bhardwaj Lecturer and Teaching Fellow, FHEA MBCS School of Computing Edinburgh Napier University, Scotland [email protected] Use of a scenario-based.

Jyoti BhardwajLecturer and Teaching Fellow, FHEA MBCS

School of ComputingEdinburgh Napier University, Scotland

[email protected]

Use of a scenario-based business simulation to enhance employability

skills of first year Computing students

Why SimVenture for Computing first years?

Computing students lack confidence

In 2012, of the 20 disciplines included in the NSS, only Mathematics gave a more negative response than Computing students to the statement “The course has helped me to present myself with confidence”. (HEFCE, 2013)

Computing courses have high drop-out rates

Computing-related subjects suffer from the poorest retention rate, regardless of age and entry qualifications: entrants to HE in 2010/11 who were least likely to be in HE in 2011/12 were studying computer sciences (HESA, 2013)

SimVenture is used as an agent for self-efficacy through• practising purposeful co-operation for transactive memory• reflecting on decision making • synthesising information to incorporate business data and • designing and giving oral presentations• thereby improving engagement and self-confidence in

presenting themselves

Creativity, innovation, enterprise

Friendship, support, engagement

SimVenture is embedded in a semester-long module that comprises:● 24 hours of lectures on

information systems and business organisation, assessed by MCQ (40%)

● technical writing tutorials, assessed by a written report based on a site visit (20%)

● SimVenture, assessed by three presentations (40%)

Practicalities of when and how

• Start of the first week of teaching• Often students’ first lab• Randomly allocated into small teams or “companies” of no

more than three• Each group must form and run a computer manufacturing

company according to simulation’s scenario• Assessment by a series of three presentations at 3-4 week

intervals

Shouldn’t we encourage Computing students to discard old stereotypes?

Transformation

Feedback from students

“I know that my team mates and I enjoyed this class and it was a complete plus as the class was not boring and was quite engaging.

But from a personal aspect I think now I have the confidence to present any presentation and I know the drill that goes behind the presentation and everything.”