Using simulation and gaming to develop financial skills in undergraduates

This research examines the perceived problems with numerical skills applied to subject areas such as operations management and finance. Research has previously shown that a fear of the use of numbers can emanate from the under‐graduates’ secondary schooling and so hamper their further development in higher education. The use of business simulations, set in the hospitality sector, can be of benefit in overcoming this learning barrier. A variety of research instruments have been applied to formally evaluate students’ learning during a number of trials, which have been very successful with undergraduates at the University of Ulster, University of Surrey and more recently at Leeds Metropolitan University. These trials have enhanced learning and reduced student fear of accounts. The way forward in this revolutionary delivery mode will be examined in this paper and indications for further developments will be explored.