This article introduces some basic concepts of a systemic-constructivist perspective. These show that gaming simulation corresponds closely to a systemic-constructivist approach to learning and instruction. Some quality aspects of facilitating and debriefing simulation games are described from a systemic-constructivist point of view. Finally, a structure for debriefing, and some concrete examples of systemic-constructivist debriefing-methods are presented.

Creating effective learning environments plays an important role in supporting organizational learning, changing individual and social interpretation patterns of reality, developing knowledge and competencies, and changing the sociotechnical systems of organizations. This article describes gaming simulation and the design of simulation games as a design-in-the-small approach that has always been a powerful method and is instrumental in modeling and changing social systems while aiming at their sustainable development. Gaming simulation as an interactive-learning environment propels the principles of problem-oriented learning into action and enhances a shift of existing organizational cultures and structures and in this way contributes to the design-in-the-large processes of organizations. The training program for systems competence through gaming simulation demonstrates that interactive design of simulation games supports change processes in the educational organizations.

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Background. Over the past ten years, we carried out several comprehensive studies in the area of entrepreneurship education using business games that simulate the business processes of startups. The studies researched the learning effects of these games on German university students. Aim. The studies we present investigated if the simulation game-based educational entrepreneurship programs in Germany reached their goals. These goals included the fostering of participants’ entrepreneurial competencies and desire to create a startup. Method. We show traditional summative output-oriented results and more profound results based on our theory-based evaluation approach. A so-called logic model provides a framework for the interpretation of what takes place during the entrepreneurship business simulations. Currently, we have conducted research on more than 50 regular university courses with more than 1000 students. Another part of our studies is the evaluation of entrepreneurship education in the German national business game-based competition, EXIST priME Cup (further called EPC). More than 12,000 students attended more than 500 of these cup seminars. We also show new results from an online survey that was carried out to measure the long-term effects of the startup simulation-based seminars. Results. The results of five studies are summarized, and show an overall increase in the participants’ knowledge of business administration and business plan preparation skills (required in start-up context). Apart from other results, significant gender-based differences are identified. The differences relate to entrepreneurial attitudes and motivation. Some test scenarios with cup seminars for women only with extended debriefing seem to reduce this decrease in the motivation of women; further research with larger samples is necessary. A new study on the long-term effects shows a very high acceptance rate and demonstrates the satisfaction of former students. The simulation game-based program resulted in participants starting startups at a rate that is approximately twice as high (around 16%) as the normal rate in Germany.

Reflecting on Gaming in the Time of Pandemic Crisis As the COVID-19 pandemic affects us all, I focus here, in this editorial, on some aspects related to gaming and simulation in these challenging times. There have been some reflective conversations within the ISAGA network that I would like to share with you. My honored colleague, Simulation & Gaming advisory board member, Jan Klabbers started a discussion via email some weeks ago by stating: "Reflecting on all the confusing and threatening news, on the rapidly and drastically changing political and socioeconomic landscape, and absorbing their impact on our daily affairs, I wonder what game of life we are forced to play nowadays.. . I am interested to learn how you experience the pandemic at your place, and how it is impacting on your views on designing, facilitating, and debriefing games, on the basis of the various rules of social distancing that you.. . envision and apply." Several other colleagues around the globe answered. I would like, here, to share some answers and statements that seem especially interesting for directing future research, for practical decisions in the games design process and for simulations as interactive learning environments. Amparo Garcia-Carbonell, Simulation & Gaming advisory board member, wrote: "I have always believed and enjoyed playing and interacting with my students in situational classroom contexts, with interactive dynamic and face to face and games. Can digital-telematic processes really reproduce similar cognitive processes?" Heide Lukosch, Simulation & Gaming Associate Editor, added: "While I very much 'like' the digital developments we made at the gamelab in Delft, I am still convinced of the power of physical games for learning in its broadest sense, and for increasing awareness. And even the digital games were/are often used in a group setting. I would not know how to replace this experience in a distance setting with the same result.. .. The direct contact between players, exchange of artefacts such as currencies, forms, or tokens, is one of the haptic elements that underpins games' attractiveness. Especially

This research is an investigation of the hedonic intensities of elation and disappointment following the outcomes of risky gambles using two principles: disappointment aversion and the principle of limited emotion processing. Disappointment aversion implies a stronger impact of disappointment compared with elation; the principle of limited emotion processing predicts a smaller impact of elation if it occurs with a real gain, and a smaller impact of disappointment if it occurs with a real loss. Both principles support each other in the gain domain but operate against each other in the loss domain. It was predicted that disappointment would outweigh elation in the gain domain. For the loss domain, this question was left open to empirical scrutiny. Participants were provided with hypothetical gambles and were required to imagine having won, not won, lost, or not lost, money. Results supported the prediction for the gain domain; mixed results emerged for the loss domain. The model adds to the understanding of the cognitive and emotional processes following the outcomes of risky events.

In the last editorial articles my co-editors J. Tuomas Harviainen (2016) and Timothy C. Clapper (2016) described the rich history and currently growing interest in gaming simulation and discussed the diversity of the field. Jan Klabbers (2006) has pointed out that the diversity is partly related to the fact that contributors of articles on gaming simulation find themselves in a dual position. Researchers in gaming simulation may represent two distinct branches of science: the design sciences and the analytical sciences.In articles related to gaming simulation we therefore find different types of gaming simulation applications that can be grouped into the following categories:I. Traditional academic research is directed at extending domain-specific knowledge by using simulation games as experimental environments and behavioral labs. The analytical science perspective uses games and simulations as scenarios to empirically test, justify and develop theories in specific domains. The main focus is on creating universal and context independent knowledge (e.g. Klabbers, 2009). II. The science of design perspective puts an emphasis on the usability of simulation games. Here, games and simulations themselves are studied with the aim of supporting and evaluating their development and use in practical contexts (e.g. Greenblat & Duke, 1975). The main focus is on dealing with an interdisciplinary and practical approach to simulation game design (as science, art and craft) with local knowledge and unique problems or challenges. Design-inthe-small (Klabbers, 2006) produces gaming simulations (gaming artifacts) as interventions and interactive learning environments. Used with that goal in mind, they contribute to the design-in the-large process of socio-technical systems (e.g. for change management and organizational development). In practice, simulation games refer to a large number of different approaches. These include: computer simulation, behavior-oriented role plays with or without computer-assisted simulation, hands-on board games, but also more recent approaches such as digital and non-digital educational games, game-basedlearning, and web-based simulation games. Also significant are those areas currently discussed with reference to buzzwords such as serious games andSimulation & Gaming 48 (1) meaningful play. Nowadays these terms also describe the educational use of games with 3D video technology (sometimes games that were originally created for entertainment purposes). IIa. Many applications of gaming simulation fall into the category of education and training simulation games (e.g. Crookall et al., 1988). Here simulation games are for example used as experiential teaching and learning methods in order to foster knowledge acquisition, development of skills and competencies, understanding of complex relationships and especially facilitating simulation games to train performance of dangerous tasks in a safe learning environment. The focus of applications in this category is very often on the individual learning outcome ...

Evaluations of gaming simulations and business games as teaching devices are typically end-state driven. This emphasis fails to detect how the simulation being evaluated does or does not bring about its desired consequences. This paper advances the use of a logic model approach, which possesses a holistic perspective that aims at including all elements associated with the situation created by a game. The use of the logic model approach is illustrated as applied to SIMGAME, a board game created for secondary school level business education in six European Union countries. Keywords: business games; evaluation methods; logic model; secondary educationO ne can look back at a very long history of gaming simulations and their use for educational purposes. The history of efforts to study and prove their effectiveness and efficiency as a learning tool for business education purposes is also long (Wolfe & Crookall, 1998) and has been accompanied by changes in what has been accepted as valid evaluation criteria and methodologies (Feinstein & Cannon, 2002). Accordingly, a frequent critique in the gaming simulation literature concerns the conduct and results of its evaluation activities. It has been argued that past evaluations have been based on anecdotal evidence (Greenblat, 1989), lacked methodological rigor (Dorn, 1989;Remus, 1981), failed to use valid outcome criteria (Anderson & Lawton, 1992;Feinstein & Cannon, 2002;Wolfe, 1990), or used psychometrically unproven measurement techniques (Gosen & Washbush, 2004;Spector, 2000;Spector, Christensen, Sioutine, & McCormack, 2001).Even when the picture is confined to research considered methodologically sound, traditional evaluation shortcomings become apparent. These failings have resulted in widely varying appraisals of the value of games and simulations for teaching business subjects. This can be exemplified by reviews conducted by those (2001), Gosen and Washbush (2004), Keys and Wolfe (1990), Wolfe (1997), and Greenlaw and Wyman (1973). Although the overall picture suggests gaming simulation is an effective learning tool, the results of the relevant studies are far from ambiguous and are often contradictory.Such heterogeneous results indicate that mediating factors may exist, and that these factors exert an important influence on what makes for an effective experiential learning environment. For practitioners, such as simulation designers and trainers who use them, it would be of value to learn more about these influences. However, because most studies concentrate on showing whether simulations are effective as compared with an alternative teaching method (Wolfe, 1997), they fall short of divulging the specific conditions and factors that must be met to make simulation an effective learning tool. Thus, the problem of knowing whether an educational method such as simulation gaming works is relevant only if we also know how it works. Despite the considerable efforts that have been spent on evaluating the simulation gaming method, too little attention has been paid to gene...