An enterprise simulation platform for education: Building a world game for pre-college students with Microsoft ESP

Abstract

David Gibson and Susan Grasso describe the aims and theoretical foundations of the Global Challenge World Game project. The Global Challenge World Game is intended to provide pre-college students the opportunities for self-directed learning in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Using the Microsoft ESP visual simulation platform, the World Game will provide students with an intensive, immersive three-dimensional experience designed to help them develop understanding of the complex nature of global systems that are involved in meeting such challenges as climate change and the future of energy. The vision is to capitalize on computational science, simulation, and telecommunications tools to create powerful informal science learning opportunities. The use of a three-dimensional virtual world simulator powered by the new Microsoft ESP platform combined with innovative practices in informal e-learning will offer powerful new ways for K-12 students and teachers to learn to think in a structured fashion, work with large data sets, model complex processes, and share resources.