A simulation is a representation of the real thing. Whether it’s a physical simulation, a software simulation or a social simulation, there must be fidelity to the actual experience for the simulation to be effective.

A physical simulation requires costly (more or less) equipment to re-create an actual system or environment, from simple headphones to special apparatus or even an 18 foot trailer to house an aviation simulator. My personal experiences with physical simulations include the stationary metal ‘car’ at driver training school, the helicopter at the arcade where you get a short ‘ride’ for a quarter, and the ski and snowboard machines at ski resort game rooms where you can experience the thrill of alpine racing. All of this hardware provides a simulated experience that attempts to replicate the real thing. For learning applications, a great deal of fidelity is needed for a learner to acquire skills for a real environment, especially if there are hazards and safety issues.

A software simulation appears to be much less complicated, consisting mainly of two-dimensional screen captures with cursor movements to illustrate processes. I just finished watching a Breeze webinar on the Macromedia site called Building Captivating Simulations for e-Learning. This 60 minute demonstration of the Captivate software is well worth the time if you want to learn about building software simulations for learning. This particular webinar was a demonstration, with 1-way communication, like a lecture. Adding interactivity to a simulation makes a more valuable learning experience, because the learner is immediately involved in manipulating the system or environment. There's a greater probability of skill transfer to the real world after an interactive learning experience.

Interactivity within a learning simulation is most effective when it causes the user to stop and think, then provides real time feedback. This kind of learning experience is possible with all three types of simulations. However, physical simulators and software simulations are most applicable for learning related to processes and procedures, while social simulations have the most potential for discovery-based learning. Nevertheless, a meaningful interactive experience is the key to real learning through the use of simulations.