Machine Translated by Google

We are IntechOpen,
the world's leading publisher of
Open Access books
Built by scientists, for scientists

6,500
Open access books available
177,000 190M
International authors and editors Downloads

Our authors are among the

154 TOP 1% 12.2%

Countries delivered to most cited scientists Contributors from top 500 universities

Selection of our books indexed in the Book Citation Index

in Web of Science™ Core Collection (BKCI)

Interested in publishing with us?

Contact book.department@intechopen.com

Numbers displayed above are based on latest data collected.

For more information visit www.intechopen.com
Machine Translated by Google

Chapter
Educational Innovation in
Higher Education with the Use of
Management Simulators for the
Development of Competencies
Alba Guzmán-Duque and Luisa Chalarca-Guzmán

Abstract

The teaching-learning processes in higher education require innovative

tools that allow competence-based training. However, knowledge is
measured numerically, ignoring disciplinary performance. Science,
Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) are methodologies that
provide spaces for practical learning with the use of technology and tools in
the formation of competencies because the student to assume roles in
decision making in simulated companies. This research is quantitative and
correlational and presents the perception of 290 university students on the
development of managerial competencies—individual and group—with the
use of simulations. Individually, 55.9% indicate scenario planning, and in
the group 47.9% are oriented toward the search for efficiency in the
organizational environment. The ANOVA technique showed differences
according to gender, where women create personal relationships with the members of their teams
The importance of the use of simulations for the development of managerial
competencies is highlighted, and the need to adapt spaces that facilitate the
formation of capacities and skills to use these tools efficiently is indicated so
that Higher Education Institutions use innovative strategies to improve the
competencies of their university students through STEM methodologies.

Keywords: management simulators, managerial competencies, university students,

Higher Education Institutions, education innovation

1.Introduction

Technology forces Higher Education Institutions (HEI) to include innovation in

educational processes for teaching-learning through scenarios that are
conducive to the acquisition of disciplinary knowledge [1], with quality
academic programs in the academy and in the organization [2], where
professionals are trained by competencies to promote the successful
performance of their graduates in the real world [3]. However, in any university career, difficulties

1
Machine Translated by Google

STEM Education - Recent Trends and New Advances

companies, because organizations prevent access to professional practices

in disciplinary environments to make decisions [4]. This is justified because
companies fear the consequences of inexperienced decisions, which can be
costly [5] and directly influence financial, commercial, or organizational
stability. Thus, professionals in their last semesters and recent graduates are
hired for jobs that have little to do with their area of training because they have
theoretical knowledge but little or no practice in the real sector [6]. As a
consequence, the fear of companies to hire university students for decision
making in real environments is reiterated, and as mentioned, a decision with
unintentional errors has a negative impact on the performance of an organization.
Guzmán Duque and del Moral Pérez [7] affirm that there are three ways to apply
the knowledge acquired: case studies that are presented in classes for
students to propose alternatives to solve business situations; However, this
proposal remains in speculation because there is no way to check the
success of such decisions, and sometimes. Resolutions of other companies
that were successful are applied, ignoring the student's personal idea;
internships in companies, where the professional should make decisions in
the managerial field but may face consequences because there are financial,
organizational, and administrative risks, so the company prefers to place the
professional in activities that are not related to his discipline because he fears
for organizational, commercial, financial, and so on losses. The student takes
on the role of managing a simulated company, applying strategies and having
the possibility of observing the consequences of their actions, thus avoiding
catastrophic mistakes in reality when working in sensitive areas. Precisely,
the teaching of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and
its advantages in different disciplines allow the student to analyze different
facts and use them in cognitive processes that favor the practical application of
theories [8]. On the other hand, young people and digital natives were impacted
by technologies that were a solution to their educational problems but
negatively influenced their academic progress, challenging educational models and giving way to
In this sense, HEIs are responsible because the educational models are
oriented to measure the knowledge of their students through numerical
assessments, ignoring the competencies required by the professional [10].
Although the education models in Latin America are based on competencies,
the assessment is still numerical, that is, based on “knowing” and not on the
“doing” of the professional; Therefore, the training of the “being” as an actor is
relegated to the background [11]. This shows a serious problem, because the
teaching-learning processes are oriented to the retention of knowledge,
ignoring the training environments by competencies, when in the digital era,
data are available to the public, and it is the professional who per- forms an
analysis of different variables to make a value judgment; this is the aspect that
distances us from artificial intelligence [10]. Research prior to this
publication focuses on the development of digital competencies for the
professionalization of their students [12], the use of strategies that facilitate the
formation of generic competencies [13], and the orientation toward competencies
required in companies to perform in management positions [14], but the review
of the processes to develop disciplinary competencies individually and in groups with the use of
In higher education, technology allows bringing educational communities
closer in teaching-learning [15], although there is a difficulty for the institutions
due to its rapid advancement, which implies inconsistencies in its rapid implementation [16]
2
Machine Translated by Google

Educational Innovation in Higher Education with the Use of Management Simulators for the…
DOI: http:// dx.doi.org/ 10.5772/ intechopen.112771

because it is required to face challenges of connectivity, its adoption, the

formation of digital competencies, pedagogical aspects, and the fight against
change [17]. The importance of the use of technology implies the need to access different ways to
apply knowledge and achieve success in the student's academic results [18].
There are pedagogical strategies for use in the Classroom, such as intelligent
tutoring systems, MOOCs, online games, collaborative platforms, chatbots
[19], development of technological capabilities for leveraging these processes,
to create joint knowledge and facilitate learning, etc. [20], virtual learning
environments, virtual reality, videocon-ferencing, social networks and mobile learning [16].
Precisely, simulations allow an approach with reality for the application
of disciplinary knowledge with the use of gamification strategies that facilitate
teaching to become a learning habit [21]. In fact, in HEIs, these tools the
creation of academic spaces, where students face real problems and integrate
case studies with business practices to approach the real sector according
to the degree [22] and to improve the quality of higher education based on
the development of competencies of their students to keep the community satisfied and loyal to th
This chapter shows how the use of managerial simulations, considered
elements of STEM methodologies for the formation of managerial competencies
—individual and group—in Business Administration undergraduates, can be
used to improve their performance when they graduate and are immersed in
the labor market. The differences that exist in the competencies according to
the gender of the university student are highlighted and the abilities and skills
required by the professional to maximize the use of management
simulators are presented. At the end, it is specified how these tools are
differentiating elements of STEM as facilitators in the development of competencies and applicatio

2. Innovation in higher education

Currently, HEIs need to include technological tools in their teaching-

learning processes, allowing them to innovate in order to improve the quality of
education and maintain the attention of students [18], who require spaces that
favor the formation of skills and competencies for the use and adoption of
technologies in higher education [12, 17]. Sometimes, these important tools
are underutilized, taking away the importance they offer and their contribution
in the educational field to facilitate the grouping of content through
Wikipedia, for example, and to organize classrooms to maintain academic
interaction in Moodle [20]. If we add to this aspect the rapid advancement of
technological tools and the low use and assimilation of educational
communities, we can deduce the need to develop digital competence to
maximize the use of technology and, thus, offer online spaces for the
formation of disciplinary competencies [16]. The above implies the preparation
of environments that implement technological tools in educational processes in higher education,
A study by Chugh et al. [16] shows that the trend in the use of technology in higher
education is present in different areas of knowledge, highlighting the social
sciences and engineering with the use of social networks, videos, and websites
with scientific content, while ignoring other tools such as adaptive learning,
augmented reality, artificial intelligence, mobile learning, QR codes ,
synchronous tech, gamification, learning management systems, and rapid
response. On the other hand, the training of professionals and the inclusion of technology are req
3
Machine Translated by Google

STEM Education - Recent Trends and New Advances

solutions to social problems [11], where its appropriation is sought in the

academy; For example, artificial intelligence promotes the development of
skills related to critical analysis [10], the use of technologies inside and
outside the classroom improves the acquisition of knowledge [19], simulators
allow an increase in the quality of the profile of their graduates because they
establish environments for making decisions that are conducive to
competence-based training [24], and the use of STEM favors spaces for efficiency in teaching-le

3. STEM methodologies in management disciplines

Educational processes involve technology as mechanisms for teaching-learning

for the development of skills that facilitate university students to perform in
the workplace [1]. It is evident that it is immersed in young people and digital
natives, because they find in their tools ways to solve any kind of problem in
the educational field, which implies addiction to these devices [9]. The
methodologies for teaching STEM, allow the student to analyze the different
facts and use them according to cognitive processes that favor the practical
application of theories [8], with which university students can train by
competencies to perform in their managerial disciplinary field [14] .
These methods are oriented toward courses related to basic sciences and can be used in
any area of knowledge; For example, in socioeconomic contexts, university students can
acquire skills and competencies necessary for their performance in the managerial field
in terms of information analysis and problem solving [8].
Strohmaier, Ehmke, Härtig and Leiss [26] show that for the efficient use of
these methodologies, STEM-based courses should be oriented with a syntax
for student understanding without the pre-knowledge being an
inconvenience for student participation, and in this way, the university student
manages the technological tools in the teaching-learning process.
These technologies require adjustments for their optimal application
in the classroom in HEIs, as indicated by different authors and as shown
in Figure 1. In organizational processes, it is necessary to urge teachers to
demand more in STEM methodologies activities and the use of technology,
avoiding paternalism and being flexible in qualifications [27]; to adapt it in
education so that teachers use it flexibly with students [26]; to provide
spaces that allow the development of digital competencies of teachers for
an efficient use of technology in the classroom [9]; and to promote the
participation and interaction of teachers and students to take advantage of
these technologies [1]. And, in the educational processes, teachers must
improve the understanding of the methodology so that they are used naturally
in their courses and so that students are satisfied [8]; adapt the documents
used within the classroom to STEM methodologies according to the educational
level and the inclusion of technologies to form the competencies required by
students [26]; establish parameters for universal understanding that includes
any student, without taking into account the pre-knowledge of the use of the
methodology but considering their knowledge about the topics [14]; encourage
motivation, interest, and the increase of previous knowledge for an efficient
use in teaching-learning; and promote the participation of students in an active and voluntary w
The above scenario identifies those challenges that are required from
HEIs to strengthen the application of STEM methodologies and the commitment of teachers
4
Machine Translated by Google

Educational Innovation in Higher Education with the Use of Management Simulators for the…
DOI: http:// dx.doi.org/ 10.5772/ intechopen.112771

Figure 1.
STEM challenges in higher education.

to use them in a natural way to include students in the teaching-learning

process in a flexible manner. It should be considered that most of the university
students who use technology in the classroom are from generation Z, which
implies the need to offer new methodologies that guarantee them autonomous
learning, outside the classroom and according to their expectations so that
they participate voluntarily and obtain their own satisfactions with the learning
of their knowledge [9]. In fact, the negative influence of technology addiction in
the development of young people's competencies and in their academic
performance implies that HEI educational models are required to use
methodologies that integrate technological devices, as is the case of STEM
to satisfy them and keep them attentive in teaching-learning [9]. An
experiment by Flegr et al. [25] used video as a tool in distance learning, in
times of COVID, when it was necessary to devise alternatives to make practical
experiments for the under-standing of a subject. On the other hand, Minichiello
et al. [27] evidenced the use of digital tools to make courses more flexible in
times of pandemic, where participation and practical learning of different
topics were encouraged. In this way and following the use of these technological
tools to improve educational processes, the use of simulators allows students
of any discipline to apply knowledge and use simulated face-to-face and virtual environments that

4. Management simulators for higher education

Simulators in the university environment facilitate the application of

knowledge of their students in scenarios that show the results of their decisions
in real time [4], where HEIs reduce costs because they save the implementation
of on-site laboratories, which require large spaces for their processes, while
the virtual simulator provides a suitable environment without requiring a
physical space [6], which is a perfect scenario for students of administrative
careers to assume managerial roles in decision-making. Simulators are digital environments for th
5
Machine Translated by Google

STEM Education - Recent Trends and New Advances

scenarios and in real time [22]; they contribute to the development of

disciplinary competencies [28] and to decision making to learn from mistakes
and correct actions, with the analysis of the results of simulated companies
[29]. These tools are used in all disciplines because they are flexible and involve
their actors in education to keep the attention of students and facilitate their
approach to the business environment without having experience [16].
The contribution of simulators for learning involves a context and a
methodol-ogy that motivates students to participate in educational processes,
because they are accompanied by their teachers as advisors, rather than tutors,
to promote teaching-learning [28, 30]. In fact, problem-based learning [31] and
gamification are used, because they foster environments that promote
competition and force the student to take a role in front of their situation and
face the simulated reality to perform in their disciplinary field [16, 30 ]. The use of
gamification strategies in higher education allows the student to feel satisfied,
participate, and turn learning into a habit in a given discipline [21]. Simulators
offer advantages that guide the student to assume a managerial role, through
the person, the process, and the company, as shown in Figure 2.
Studies by Navarria et al. [6]; Guzmán Duque and del Moral Pérez [7]; Schmeller
et al. [24]; and Cristofaro et al. [30] show that simulators provide feedback
within the disciplinary field from the decisions made by students, encourage
participation to make group decisions, and motivate them to achieve success
because a simulated competitive environment is generated, without organizational
risks through a holistic view of the company without causing collateral effects
[4, 5] and for the integration of the areas of the company because it favors the overall view of the o
As previously mentioned, a major difficulty for professionals is to integrate theory
with practice without presenting risks for organizations. Guzmán Duque and
del Moral Pérez [7] in Figure 3 show the three ways to do it, case studies,
business practices, and simulations, where the importance for professionals to
confront theoretical knowledge with business practices is highlighted, the latter
being an impediment to the recruitment of university students, because organizations do not wan
an inexperienced subject makes managerial decisions that can have costly or
perhaps irreversible consequences.

Figure 2.
Benefits of management simulators.

6
Machine Translated by Google

Educational Innovation in Higher Education with the Use of Management Simulators for the…
DOI: http:// dx.doi.org/ 10.5772/ intechopen.112771

Figure 3.
Integration of knowledge through application of theories into practice.

Finally, students through the efficient use of simulators in the classroom develop
competencies because it allows them to improve their teamwork skills [7];
make decisions related to their discipline, generating confidence in the process
[29, 33]; and favors the application of their knowledge in practice [32].

5. Competency-based learning

5.1 Methodological context

In order to present the managerial competencies acquired with the

use of simulators, a research—quantitative and correlational—was conducted
and had the response of 290 Business Administration undergraduates to
analyze their perception on the development of individual and group managerial
competencies with the use of simulators and the importance of these tools as
STEM methodologies in the teaching-learning process. This research is
based on a study conducted in 2018 where they asked what these competencies
were and from that space to determine if the simulator favors individual and/or group competencie
The participants were university students from the Business
Administration program (N = 2700 approximately), of which 91% were employed
in the disciplinary field at the time of the measurement (March–April 2023). The
sample was calculated by finite sampling with a 95% confidence level and a 5.5%
error and was composed of 290 professionals with a gender distribution of
66% women and 34% men; this was generated because in the socioeconomic
sciences, the enrollment in women is higher than that of men. 52% are “between
18 and 25 years old,” 41% are “between 26 and 35 years old,” and 7% are older than 36.
Data collection was carried out with an instrument composed of four
dimensions related to the students' perception of the acquisition of managerial
competencies with the use of the management simulator. The variables were
measured with Likert-type questions from 1 to 4 in order of importance (1 =
none; 2 = somewhat; 3 = quite a lot; 4 = a lot). The dimensions addressed were
generic competencies considering the capacities and skills developed and
disciplinary competencies between the individual and group.
The capacities were measured through: (1) analysis and synthesis of
results; (2) adaptation to change; (3) analysis of quantitative information; (4) critical
7
Machine Translated by Google

STEM Education - Recent Trends and New Advances

reading; (5) comprehensive handling of English; (6) identification, approach,

and resolution of problems; (7) application of knowledge in practice; (8)
group work; (9) creativity for problem solving; (10) organization and time
planning. And the skills considered: (11) use of IT and office automation;
(12) search and analysis of information; (13) independent work; (14) oral
and written communication; (15) commitment and responsibility to society; (16)
conservation and preservation of the environment; (17) leadership in
processes; (18) problem solving; (19) ethics, commitment, honesty, and integrity; and (20) interp
Individual managerial competencies addressed: (21) decision-making under pressure;
(22) strategy selection and implementation; (23) acquiring the managerial role; (24) positioning
oneself at the top; (25) autonomous learning; (26) teamwork; (27) leadership; (28) knowledge
application; (29) financial analysis; and (30) management scenario planning.
Meanwhile, the group managerial competencies addressed: (31) participation in the
process; (32) analysis of administrative scenarios; (33) creation of relationships with the team;
(34) creation of competitive teams; (35) communication to analyze results; (36) search for
efficiency; (37) collaborative learning-ing; (38) knowledge of competitors; (39) leadership in
processes; and (40) leadership in the distribution of roles.

The instrument was validated with Cronbach's alpha statistic with a

result of 0.87, which indicates internal consistency of the dimensions and
reliability in its use [34]. Additionally, with the factor analysis, the
relationship between each component was measured, determining the
composition of each dimension, as follows: abilities (KMO = 0.919; Chi-
square 2229.928 with 28 degrees of freedom; VE = 73.8%), skills (KMO = 0.935;
Chi-square 2530.293 with 28 degrees of freedom; VE = 77.2%), individual
disciplinary competencies (KMO = 0.924; Chi-square 3674.035 with 36 degrees
of freedom; VE = 81.1%), and group disciplinary competencies ( KMO = 0.942; Chi-square 4016.2
Subsequently, the instrument was sent to university students, who answered the form voluntarily
to determine their perception of the development of their managerial competencies with
the use of simulations in the month of March–April 2023. The data analysis used descriptive
statistical techniques, and the ANOVA technique was used to determine the difference
according to gender; The calculations were made in the R software.

5.2 Capacities and skills of business managers

To maximize the advantages of the simulator, it is necessary for

university students to improve their transversal competencies, classified
between abilities to perform an administrative function and abilities to perform in a social enviro
In this sense, Table 1 shows the capabilities of business managers. At the level
of great importance, 50% think that the most relevant ability is the analysis
of quantitative information, 47.9% creativity for problem solving, 44.5%
organization and time planning, 44.1% analysis and synthesis of results, 41.4%
application of knowledge in practice, and 40.3% critical reading.
The skills allow a university student to develop in academic and social
environ-ments to solve situations in any area and favor integration with the use of technology.
They are transversal because they are developed in the educational
environment, and the integration with the skills to form a professional unites
the “knowing” with the “doing” and later in the competencies with the
“being.” Precisely, the skills that university students stated as the most important to improve th
8
Machine Translated by Google

Educational Innovation in Higher Education with the Use of Management Simulators for the…
DOI: http:// dx.doi.org/ 10.5772/ intechopen.112771

Capabilities Not Slightly Very mean standard

important important Remove important important deviation

1. Analysis and 0.0 15.5 40.3 44.1 3.29 0.719

synthesis of results

2. Adaptation to 2.1 12.4 46.2 39.3 3.23 0.742

change

3. Analysis of 0.0 12.4 37.6 50.0 3.38 0.696

quantitative
information

4. Critical reading 3.8 17.6 38.3 40.3 3.15 0.843

5. Comprehensive 5.2 42.8 39.7 12.4 2.59 0.771

handling of
English

6. Identification, 1.7 13.1 46.6 38.6 3.22 0.734

approach, and
resolution of

problems

7. Application 1.4 11.4 45.9 41.4 3.27 0.714

of knowledge in
practice

8. Group work 5.2 11.7 43.4 39.7 3.18 0.832

9. Creativity for 2.4 7.9 41.7 47.9 3.35 0.73

problem solving

10. Organization 3.1 7.9 44.5 44.5 3.30 0.747

and time planning

Table 1.
Business managers' capabilities.

simulator and that are observed in Table 2 are: oral and written communication
by 49.7%, interpersonal skills by 46.9%, and problem solving by 44.5%.

5.3 Individual and group management competencies of business managers

Simulators are powerful tools for management competency training. In a study by Guzmán
Duque and del Moral Pérez [7], management skills and competencies perceived by students
were measured as shown in Figure 4. In addition to the above, there is research that has
measured the competencies of university students, where the development of interpersonal
skills [29, 33] negotiation skills [32], improvement of professional performance and financial
analysis in the management of the company to achieve results [24], and improvement in their
graduation profiles [7] were detected.

It is observed that the simulations allow the university student to apply his
knowl-edge, and when he assumes the managerial role, he is involved in the
decision-making process to manage his simulated company, seeking results
to be competitive in the market. The above shows the importance of the
managerial competencies that are promoted in these academic spaces for
university students, preparing them for their working life and allowing them
to develop skills and abilities that strengthen their personality in the role that corresponds to them.
9
Machine Translated by Google

STEM Education - Recent Trends and New Advances

Skills Not Slightly Very mean standard

important important Remove importantimportant deviation

1. Use of IT 3.4 12.8 45.5 38.3 3.19 0.785

and office
automation

2. Search and 3.4 12.8 45.5 38.3 3.21 0.763

analysis of
information

3. Independent 2.8 12.4 45.9 39 3.39 0.673

work

4. Oral and 0.0 10.7 39.7 49.7 3.26 0.735

written
communication

5. Commitment 1.4 13.1 43.4 42.1 3.27 0.741

and
responsibility to
society

6. Conservation 1.7 12.4 43.4 42.4 3.21 0.788

and preservation of
the
environment

7. Leadership in 2.8 14.5 42.1 40.7 3.32 0.688

processes

8.Problem 0.0 12.8 42.8 44.5 3.30 0.707

solving

9. Ethics, 0.7 10 45.9 43.4 3.32 0.679

commitment,
honesty, and
integrity

10. Interpersonal 0.0 eleven 42.1 46.9 3.36 0.673

skills

Table 2.
Skills of the business administrator.

Figure 4.
Skills and competencies of business managers using management simulators.

10
Machine Translated by Google

Educational Innovation in Higher Education with the Use of Management Simulators for the…
DOI: http:// dx.doi.org/ 10.5772/ intechopen.112771

disciplinary competencies in the area of study lies in the ease with which graduates can enter
the labor market. It is evident that professionals have the option of being busi-nessmen or
entrepreneurs; however, some may be oriented toward the labor field. In this sense, the
literature evidences the measurement of disciplinary competencies in the academic processes
with the use of simulators, but it has failed to consider two areas, the personal and the
group, which are shown in Tables 3 and 4. 9% emphasize scenario planning, 54.5% the
application of knowledge acquired in the career and autonomous learning to improve
knowledge, 53.8% the acquisition of the managerial role, 53.4% the selection and application
of strategies to solve situations, 52.4% the use of financial analysis techniques, and 51.4%
indicate that it is leadership in the management of a team. All the above show strengths
for the Business Administrator, which are acquired in the teaching-learning process and are
necessary for performance in the disciplinary field.

Table 4 shows the group management competencies that are considered to have
improved with the use of the simulators, where 47.9% of the university students empha-size
the search for efficiency in the organizational environment, 44.1% leadership in decision-
making processes, 45.5% the creation of competitive teams that work for results, 44.1%
leadership in the distribution of activities, 43.4% communication among participants to analyze
results, 43.1% collaborative learning through teamwork, and 42.1% knowledge of
competitors. The results show that collaborative work increases in the different scenarios,
allowing to strengthen decision making in the simulation.

Individual Not Slightly Very mean standard

competitions important important Remove important important deviation

1. Decision- 3.1 4.8 42.4 49.7 3.39 0.722

making under
pressure

2. Strategy 2.4 5.9 38.3 53.4 3.43 0.713

selection and

implementation

3. Acquiring the 3.1 4.5 38.6 53.8 3.43 0.723

managerial role

4. Positioning 3.8 7.9 41.4 46.9 3.31 0.777

yourself at the top

5. Autonomous 3.1 6.6 35.9 54.5 3.42 0.75

learning

6. Teamwork 7.9 12.8 36.2 43.1 3.14 0.926

7.Leadership 2.4 5.9 40.3 51.4 3.41 0.711

8. Knowledge 3.1 3.4 38.3 55.2 3.46 0.711

application

9. Financial 1.4 8.6 37.6 52.4 3.41 0.706

analysis

10. Management 2.1 5.9 36.2 55.9 3.46 0.701

scenario planning

Table 3.
Individual managerial competencies of business managers.

eleven
Machine Translated by Google

STEM Education - Recent Trends and New Advances

Group Not Slightly Very Mean Standard deviation

competencies important important Remove importantimportant

1. Participation in 4.8 12.1 43.8 39.3 3.18 0.824

the process

2. Analysis of 3.4 10.7 47.2 38.6 3.21 0.767

administrative
scenarios

3. Creation of 5.9 eleven 44.8 38.3 3.16 0.84

relationships with
the team

4. Creation of 4.8 10.7 39 45.5 3.25 0.833

competitive teams

5. Communication to 4.8 10.3 41.4 43.4 3.23 0.824

analyze results

6. Search for 3.8 5.2 43.1 47.9 3.35 0.749

efficiency

7. Collaborative 3.1 9.7 44.1 43.1 3.27 0.761

learning

8. Knowledge of 2.4 7.2 48.3 42.1 3.30 0.708

competitors

9. Leadership in 4.1 6.9 42.1 46.9 3.32 0.778

processes

10. Leadership in 4.8 5.5 45.5 44.1 3.29 0.78

the distribution
of roles

Table 4.
Group management competencies developed with the use of simulations.

Subsequently, significant differences were detected between genders

and disciplinary abilities, skills, and competencies after using the ANOVA
method. Among the abilities, women indicate that the most relevant is to analyze
quantitative information (p < 0.000), while men bet on group work (p < 0.000),
and among the skills, women indicate that it is the search for and analysis
of information (p < 0.000), and men indicate problem solving (p < 0.000). Among
individual competencies, the university women say that leadership is more
important in the management of the work team (p < 0.003), while the university
men consider that they maintain autonomous learning to improve their
knowledge (p < 0.012); and among group competencies, women create
personal relationships with the members of their teams to make business
decisions (p < 0.000), and men create competitive teams that are oriented to obtain results (p < 0

6. Conclusions

Technology promotes access to different tools that facilitate the teaching-learning

processes to favor the quality of education, and STEM methodologies
promote favorable scenarios for university students' learning. Precisely,
management simulators allow university students to have a holistic view of the company becaus
12
Machine Translated by Google

Educational Innovation in Higher Education with the Use of Management Simulators for the…
DOI: http:// dx.doi.org/ 10.5772/ intechopen.112771

are integrated to solve problems, without causing collateral effects, and

understand the effects of making decisions in real environments. In fact,
gamification strategies used in teaching-learning are innovative in higher
education because they generate competitive environments that force the
university students to assume a managerial role to act as if they were in a
real business practice and participate, as specified by Guzmán Duque and del Moral Pérez [7] and
We agree with Dinata et al. [5] and Schmeller et al. [24] in the ease for the
university student to integrate the company in a systemic way, and as evidenced
in the research, it offers them an advantage to perform in managerial areas
because it will be benefi-cial to have a disciplinary experience before entering
the workplace. For this reason, the graduate profile is improved because
competencies are developed for subsequent hiring, coinciding with Navarria et
al. [6] because managerial practices are facilitated and with Craig et al. [8] in
the application of knowledge, with skill being an advan-tage of STEM
methodologies. From the research, the detection of those capabilities and
skills that are required for the maximum use of the simulator in the
teaching-learning environment to have more efficient academic processes with the use of technolo
It was found that students who use virtual simulators continue with the tendency
to apply knowledge, improve their competencies, and, coinciding with
Guzmán Duque and del Moral Pérez [7], favor competitive environments for
men and collab-orative environments for university women. In addition, they
allow those competencies that were developed in learning environments to
become strengths for graduates when they perform in their work environment,
coinciding with García et al. [4] on the need for professionals to perform
practices that facilitate their performance in the managerial field when
exercising their professions and with Minichiello et al. [27] in seeking
scenarios that facilitate the understanding of knowledge in a practical way, following STEM metho
On the other hand, the university students indicated that the performance of
their functions in their simulated jobs was improved because in the simulator,
they applied their knowledge, improved the financial indicators of the simulated
companies, and made decisions in environments under pressure, through the
analysis of situations and teamwork for the continuous improvement of their
companies. This complements the research of García et al. [4]; Dinata et al. [5];
Guzmán Duque and del Moral Pérez [7]; Meissner et al. [22]; and Cristofaro et
al. [30], who indicate the need to develop managerial competencies that favor
the results of organizations through the performance of professionals, and those
of Heitzmann et al. [1]; Craig et al. [8]; and Flegr et al. [26], who affirmed the
need to use technology and STEM methodologies to improve the training of professionals.
After the results presented, it is necessary to indicate that it is necessary to include
environments for training by competencies in ethics, innovation, and
empathy in professionals with the use of strategies that promote the
improvement of intra and interpersonal competencies. In this way, students are
committed from the beginning of the simulations to participate in healthy
competitions without affecting their peers on the personal side, generating
a healthy environment for decision making and empathy with results
orientation. The development of inter- and intrapersonal competencies allows
subjects to understand the consequences of their activities, as well as
innovative problem solving, and to address the implication of financial decisions on the future of t
The role of technology is very important according to the generation
of the students. In the case of the research, most of the university students come from
13
Machine Translated by Google

STEM Education - Recent Trends and New Advances

generation Z; they are digital natives and consider it as an ally in their teaching-
learn-ing processes, as indicated by Szymkowiak et al. [9]; Precisely, simulators
become STEM tools that favor learning because they promote the practical
application of knowledge and allow the use of technological resources,
capabilities, and skills of the university students to exercise their disciplinary
competencies. In fact, university students improve their managerial
competencies. A different vision is highlighted according to gender: women are
collaborative and see the ability to analyze quantita-tive information as important,
while men are competitive and work collaboratively; women indicate generating
leadership in work teams and creating relationships for managerial decision
making, while men consider seeking efficiency based on autonomous learning to create competitive
Finally, simulators are important tools for Higher Education Institutions, there are
ample possibilities to improve the skills of university students to validate all of
their generic and professional knowledge, to facilitate insertion into the world of
work, and improve the ability to analyze and their personal skills to perform in their
jobs, where STEM methodologies are appropriate for the absorption of knowledge
and its appli-cability in the simulated real world, therefore allowing the training of
comprehensive professionals.

Acknowledgments
Special thanks to the Technological Units of Santander for providing the space for
the use of the management simulators and to the Business Administration
students who answered the questionnaire voluntarily.

Conflict of interest
The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Author details

Alba Guzmán-Duque* and Luisa Chalarca-Guzmán

Santander Technological Units, Santander, Colombia

*Address all correspondence to: aguzman@correo.uts.edu.co

© 2023 The Author(s). Licensee IntechOpen. This chapter is distributed under the
terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/
licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in
any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
14
Machine Translated by Google

Educational Innovation in Higher Education with the Use of Management Simulators for the…
DOI: http:// dx.doi.org/ 10.5772/ intechopen.112771

References

[1] Heitzmann N, Fischer F, Hofmann R, Seidel [7] Guzmán Duque AP, from Moral
T. Editorial for the special issue “Advances Pérez ME. Perception of
in simulation-based learning in higher university students about the didactic
education”. Learning and Instruction usefulness of virtual simulators in their
[Internet]. 2023;86:101774. training. Pixel-Bit. Media and Education Magazine
DOI: 10.1016/j.learninstruc.2023.101774 [Internet]. 2018;53:41-60.
DOI: 10.12795/pixelbit.2018.i53.03
[2] Yao S, Li D, Yohannes A,
Song H. Exploration for network distance [8] Craig CA, Petrun Sayers EL,
teaching and resource sharing system for higher Gilbertz S, Karabas I. The development and
education in epidemic situation of COVID-19. evaluation of interdisciplinary STEM,
Procedia Computer Science [Internet]. sustainability, and management
2021;183:807-813. DOI: 10.1016/ curriculum. International Journal of
j.procs.2021.03.002 Management Education [Internet].
2022;20(2):100652.
[3] Roman M, Plopeanu AP. The DOI: 10.1016/j.ijme.2022.100652
effectiveness of the emergency eLearning during
COVID-19 pandemic. The case of higher [9] Szymkowiak A, Meloviÿ B, Dabiÿ M,
education in economics in Romania. The Jeganathan K, Kundi GS. Information
International Review of Economics Education technology and Gen Z: the role of
[Internet]. teachers, the internet, and technology in the
2021;37:100218. DOI: 10.1016/j. education of young people.
iree.2021.100218 Technology in Society [Internet].
2021;65:101565. DOI: 10.1016/j.
[4] García Otárola Á, Romero techsoc.2021.101565
Valverde MG, Elizondo Soto M. Paradigmatic
change as a platform for technological [10] Southworth J, Migliaccio K,
opportunities in higher education: a real Glover J, Glover J, Reed D, McCarty C, et al.
case based on the use of a business Developing a model for AI Across the
management simulator as a teaching curriculum: transforming the higher education
technique at the country level. RETOS XXI landscape via innovation in AI literacy.
Magazine [Internet]. Computers & Education [Internet].
2020;4(1):1-22. DOI: 10.33412/retosxxi. 2023;4:100127
v4.1.2785
[11] Goralski MA, Tan TK. Artificial
[5] Dinata YM, Tanjono C, Tanamal R, intelligence and poverty alleviation:
Tanuwijaya E. Business simulation emerging innovations and their
training using monsoonsim. ABDIMAS implications for management education and
[Internet]. 2022;4(2):1119-1123. sustainable development.
DOI: 10.35568/abdimas.v4i2.1537 International Journal of Management
Education [Internet]. 2022;20(3):100662.
[6] Navarria L, González A, Zangara A. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijme.2022.100662
Virtual basic electronics laboratories for
university students within the extended [12] Jackson NC. Managing for
classroom. University Trajectories [Internet]. competence with innovation change in higher
2021;7(13):075. education: examining the pitfalls and pivots of
DOI: 10.24215/24690090e075 digital transformation.

fifteen
Machine Translated by Google

STEM Education - Recent Trends and New Advances

Business Horizons [Internet]. [18] Yang TC, Chen JH. Pre-service

2019;62(6):761-772. DOI: 10.1016/j. teachers' perceptions and intentions
bushor.2019.08.002 regarding the use of chatbots through
statistical and lag sequential analysis.
[13] Membrillo-Hernández J, Cuervo Computers and Education [Internet].
Bejarano WJ, Mejía Manzano LA, 2023;4:100119. DOI: 10.1016/j.
Caratozzolo P, Vázquez Villegas P. Global caeai.2022.100119
shared learning classroom model: a
pedagogical strategy for sustainable [19] Diwan C, Srinivasa S, Suri G,
competencies development in Agarwal S, Ram P. AI-based learning
higher education. International content generation and learning
Journal of Engineering Pedagogy (iJEP) pathway augmentation to increase
[Internet]. 2023;13(1):20-33. learner engagement. Computers and
DOI: 10.3991/ijep.v13i1.36181 Education [Internet]. 2023;4:100110.
DOI: 10.1016/j.caeai.2022.100110
[14] Petrun Sayers EL, Craig CA,
Gilbertz S, Feng S, Karam RT, [20] Aljawarneh SA. Reviewing and
Bohman A. Advancing STEM-based exploring innovative ubiquitous
business sustainability: mending learning tools in higher education.
the curricular gap. Management Journal of Computing in Higher
Teaching Review [Internet]. 2019;5(1):82- Education [Internet]. 2019;32(1):57-73.
93. DOI: 10.1177/2379298119852313 DOI: 10.1007/s12528-019-09207-0

[15] Tang YM, Chen PC, Law KM, [21] Jaiswal P. Integrating
Wu CH, Lau YY, Guan J, et al. educational technologies to increase
Comparative analysis of Student's live learners' academic achievements.
online learning readiness during the International Journal of Emerging
coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the Technologies in Learning (iJET)
higher education sector. Computers and [Internet]. 2020;15(02):145.
Education [Internet]. 2021;168:104211. DOI: 10.3991/ijet.v15i02.11809
DOI: 10.1016/j.compedu.2021.104211
[22] Meissner D, Zhou Y, Fischer B,
[16] Chugh R, Turnbull D, Cowling MA, Vonortas N. A multilayered perspective on
Vanderburg R, Vanderburg MA. entrepreneurial universities: looking into
Implementing educational technology in the dynamics of joint university-industry
Higher Education Institutions: a labs. Technological Forecasting and Social
review of technologies, stakeholder Change [Internet].
perceptions, frameworks and metrics. 2022;178:121573. DOI: 10.1016/j.
Education and Information Technologies techfore.2022.121573
[Internet]. 2023:1-27. DOI: 10.1007/
s10639-023-11846-x [23] Priyanto P, Suhandi NP. Indonesian
higher education institutions
[17] Mirata V, Awinia C, Godson E, competitiveness and digital
Bergamin P. The future of technology- transformation initiatives. Jurnal
based learning at the Open Pendidik Indonesia (JPIn) [Internet].
University of Tanzania. International 2022;11(1):86-95. DOI: 10.23887/jpi-
Journal of Emerging undiksha.v11i1.34263
Technologies in Learning (iJET)
[Internet]. 2022;17(15):28-42. [24] Schmeller R, Stoll R, Lifer JD.
DOI: 10.3991/ijet.v17i15.33273 Strategy simulations: the relationship
16
Machine Translated by Google

Educational Innovation in Higher Education with the Use of Management Simulators for the…
DOI: http:// dx.doi.org/ 10.5772/ intechopen.112771

of technical scores and socio scores. performance in simulation gaming.

Journal of Education for Business International Journal of Information and
[Internet]. 2021;96(8):485-497. Operations Management Education
DOI: 10.1080/08832323.2020.1858017 [Internet]. 2021;7(1):45. DOI: 10.1504/
ijiome.2021.114737
[25] Flegr S, Kuhn J, Scheiter K. How to
foster STEM learning during [31] Loon M, Evans J, Kerridge C.
Covid-19 remote schooling: combining Learning with a strategic management
virtual and video experiments. simulation game: a case study.
Learning and Instruction [Internet]. International Journal of Management
2023;86:101778. DOI: 10.1016/j. Education [Internet]. 2015;13(3):227-236.
learninstruct.2023.101778 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijme.2015.06.002

[26] Strohmaier AR, Ehmke T, Härtig H, Leiss [32] Rozhkov M, Alyamovskaya N,

D. On the role of linguistic features for Levina T. Modeling perishability in MIT
comprehension and learning from beer game business simulation.
STEM texts. A meta-analysis. IFAC-PapersOnLine [Internet].
Educational Research Review 2022;55(10):1882-1886. DOI: 10.1016/j.
[Internet]. 2023:100533. DOI: 10.1016/j. ifacol.2022.09.673
edurev.2023.100533
[33] Cosenz F, Noto G. Fostering
[27] Minichiello A, Lawanto O, entrepreneurial learning processes
Goodridge W, Iqbal A, Asghar M. through dynamic start-up business
Flipping the digital switch: affective model simulations. International
responses of STEM undergraduates to Journal of Management Education
emergency remote teaching during the [Internet]. 2018;16(3):468-482.
COVID-19 pandemic. Proj Leadersh Soc DOI: 10.1016/j.ijme.2018.08.003
[Internet]. 2022;3:100043.
DOI: 10.1016/j.plas.2022.100043 [34] Babin B, Tatham RL, Anderson RE,
Black B, Hair JF. Multivariate Data
[28] Faisal N, Chadhar M, Analysis. Madrid, Spain: Pearson
Goriss-Hunter A, Stranieri A. Business Education, Limited; 2005. p. 928
simulation games in higher education: A
systematic review of empirical
research. Human Behavior and Emerging
Technologies [Internet]. 2022;(2022):1-
28. DOI: 10.1155/2022/1578791

[29] Mubaraz S, Heikkilä J. Business

simulations as effective virtual and
experiential learning environments. In:
16th International Technology, Education and
Development Conference [Internet]; March
7-8, 2022; Valencia. Spain: Online Conference.
IATED; 2022. DOI: 10.21125/inted.2022.1705

[30] Cristofaro M, Giardino PL, Leoni L.

Reflective and intuitive thinking: how do
they influence learning and
17