“The Ametros simulation provides students an opportunity to try, understand and experience what a real problem is like within a company in a risk-free environment.”

Mark Parker, Lecturer of Marketing, Brock University

1. Tell us about yourself and your background.

My name is Mark Parker. I’m currently serving as a lecturer in strategy at the Goodman School of Business at Brock University. Prior to my academic career, I have held a variety of managerial positions in marketing and business development in steel and mining companies worldwide. I’m currently in the process of completing my PhD in strategy at the Edinburgh Business School of Heriot-Watt University.

2. Tell us about the course you taught and the Ametros experience you used?

I teach and coordinate an introductory course in business communications. The focus of the communications class is not just writing and presenting skills, it’s the ability to analyze case studies by understanding and interpreting situations, making recommendations, and being able to communicate those recommendations both in oral and in written form. 

The Ametros experience that I used in my course proved to be very valuable because it was an actual simulation of a case situation where a company was facing a problem. Students go through the experience to try and understand what a real problem is like within a company and make recommendations. This type of interactive learning element improves the effectiveness of a student’s learning journey.

3. Did you receive any feedback from your students that you are able to share with us?

The student experience was good. They found the simulation to be highly intriguing and distinct from simply reading a case, while also finding it to be simple to use and understand. The experience gave the students a good ability to respond within a context in which the response had to be fairly immediate. And the instant feedback they get for their response from different players within the simulation really helps the students to understand better how to interact with other people in a real-world scenario.

4. What teaching tips would you share with other instructors?

If case analysis is a part of your course, using a simulation like Ametros can be really beneficial for your students. It assists students in making decisions by helping them understand the situation, identify the problem and its causes by interacting with numerous stakeholders. In addition to this, preparing your students for the experience and listening to their input about the simulation can help you to see how you might improve their learning experience. 

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