Simulation-based training for project management education: Mind the gap, as one size does not fit all

Project management training is an important component in engineering education; in particular, simulation-based training (SBT) is considered a valuable teaching strategy. However, the effectiveness of SBT in project management education has not been empirically examined and it remains unclear in the literature why some trainees benefit from SBT more than others. To address this gap, the authors conducted two pre-/post-test experimental design studies, involving area experts and graduate students with a range of individual differences in two project management courses in the United States and Australia. The results suggest that SBT (1) enhances trainees' declarative knowledge only in cases of successful performance in the simulation, and the existence of an appropriate gap (discussed in the paper) between the trainees' prior knowledge and the challenges presented by the simulator; and (2) energizes trainees' learning processes only in cases of success in the simulation, high prior knowledge level, and positive prior attitude toward SBT. These findings advance existing theory by revealing some conditions under which SBT is more effective in project management education, and identifying individual differences that, if taken into account, may improve its value. Practical implications suggest that SBT designers should integrate various levels of difficulty into the design, and lecturers should ensure that trainees possess the required theoretical knowledge before the SBT session.