0.1 Klinger, a., & Wronkovich, m. (april 2011). replicating  (Page 6/9)

Once the specific content and decision points of the simulation were determined, technical production work began. Individuals ranging from lawyers to superintendents to student actors were used to create video dramatizations of the various confrontations and situations that arose as the case unfolded. A narrator was used throughout the simulation to provide continuity and as a vehicle to convey demographic, procedural, and background information to the participants. Every scene and situation in the simulation was deliberately kept gender, racially, and ethnically neutral so that participants would make decisions as themselves throughout the experience. All interactions with the simulation were first person, face-to-face interactions, with the participant being directly addressed by those in the dramatizations.

Post-production work was primarily technically oriented, as video footage was edited to develop the exposition of the scene, but at the same time to keep the total length of the simulation manageable. Each video clip was “deposited” into the current position in the simulation plan and links between the various paths were established. Additional visual details such as captions, still photos, and text boxes were developed to assist in the seamless flow of the story line. After the simulation production was completed, testing began. Each potential decision point and simulation path was validated to make sure that it linked with the appropriate outcomes.

The research study

The research component of the project began with the development of answer documents intended to capture demographic information about respondents, quantitative data about their decision choices, qualitative information about why they chose as they did, and personal feedback about the simulation itself and the simulation experience. The first portion of the study, outlined in this paper, dealt with respondents’ reactions to the simulation experience and outcomes. A subsequent quantitative study will contrast the actual decision-making process of experienced and aspiring administrators.

Research questions

In this initial study on the use of simulations to replicate administrative decision-making, several research questions were posed:

1. How did participants view the content and concepts of this particular simulation? In this case, did participants feel that the simulation authentically replicated actual administrative work?
2. How did participants view the simulation experience as an instructional tool regardless of the content of the specific scenario?

The study

The research study examined two distinct groups during the 2009-2010 school year. The first research group consisted of members of the Ashland Leadership Academy Seminar (ALAS). The participants in ALAS were current school leaders, holding positions from building principal to superintendent. These experienced administrators completed demographic information related to their age, ethnicity, gender, level of experience, and current administrative position. They individually completed the simulation and recorded their responses and rationale at each key decision point, their overall reactions to the decisions made, and their perceptions of the simulation experience itself.