Editing Simulation (section)

==Simulation in education and training==
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[[File:Commanders_Digest_1974-08-15-_Vol_16_Iss_7_(IA_sim_commanders-digest_1974-08-15_16_7).pdf|thumb|Military simulators pdf]]
Simulation is extensively used for educational purposes. It is used for cases where it is prohibitively expensive or simply too dangerous to allow trainees to use the real equipment in the real world. In such situations they will spend time learning valuable lessons in a "safe" virtual environment yet living a lifelike experience (or at least it is the goal). Often the convenience is to permit mistakes during training for a safety-critical system.

Simulations in education are somewhat like training simulations. They focus on specific tasks. The term 'microworld' is used to refer to educational simulations which model some abstract concept rather than simulating a realistic object or environment, or in some cases model a real-world environment in a simplistic way so as to help a learner develop an understanding of the key concepts. Normally, a user can create some sort of construction within the microworld that will behave in a way consistent with the concepts being modeled. [[Seymour Papert]] was one of the first to advocate the value of microworlds, and the [[Logo (programming language)|Logo]] programming environment developed by Papert is one of the most well-known microworlds.

[[Project management simulation]] is increasingly used to train students and professionals in the art and science of project management. Using simulation for [[project management]] training improves learning retention and enhances the learning process.<ref>{{cite journal|author=Davidovitch, L.|author2=A. Parush|author3=A. Shtub|name-list-style=amp|title=Simulation-based Learning: The Learning-Forgetting-Relearning Process and Impact of Learning History|journal= Computers & Education|date=April 2008|volume=50|number=3|pages= 866–880|doi=10.1016/j.compedu.2006.09.003}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|author=Davidovitch, L.|author2=A. Parush|author3=A. Shtub|name-list-style=amp|title=The Impact of Functional Fidelity in Simulator based Learning of Project Management|journal= International Journal of Engineering Education|date= March 2009|volume=25|number=2|pages= 333–340(8}}</ref>

''Social simulations'' may be used in social science classrooms to illustrate social and political processes in anthropology, economics, history, political science, or sociology courses, typically at the high school or university level. These may, for example, take the form of civics simulations, in which participants assume roles in a simulated society, or international relations simulations in which participants engage in negotiations, alliance formation, trade, diplomacy, and the use of force. Such simulations might be based on fictitious political systems, or be based on current or historical events. An example of the latter would be [[Barnard College]]'s ''Reacting to the Past'' series of historical educational games.<ref>[http://www.barnard.columbia.edu/reacting/ "Reacting to the Past Home Page"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090416225730/http://www.barnard.columbia.edu/reacting/ |date=16 April 2009 }}.</ref> The [[National Science Foundation]] has also supported the creation of [[reacting games]] that address science and math education.<ref>[https://sites.google.com/site/reactingscience/ "Reacting to the Past: STEM Games"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201010072530/https://sites.google.com/site/reactingscience/ |date=10 October 2020 }}.</ref> In social media simulations, participants train communication with critics and other stakeholders in a private environment.

In recent years, there has been increasing use of social simulations for staff training in aid and development agencies. The Carana simulation, for example, was first developed by the [[United Nations Development Programme]], and is now used in a very revised form by the [[World Bank]] for training staff to deal with fragile and conflict-affected countries.<ref>[http://paxsims.wordpress.com/2009/01/27/carana/ "Carana," at 'PaxSims' blog, 27 January 2009] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221102051749/https://paxsims.wordpress.com/2009/01/27/carana/ |date=2 November 2022 }}.</ref>

Military uses for simulation often involve aircraft or armoured fighting vehicles, but can also target small arms and other weapon systems training. Specifically, virtual firearms ranges have become the norm in most military training processes and there is a significant amount of data to suggest this is a useful tool for armed professionals.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Kratzig|first=Gregory|date=March 2013|title=Simulated Pistol Training: The Future of Law Enforcement Training?|url=https://researchoutput.csu.edu.au/ws/portalfiles/portal/9365737/50222postpub.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221010/https://researchoutput.csu.edu.au/ws/portalfiles/portal/9365737/50222postpub.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-10 |url-status=live|journal=International Police Training Journal|issue=5|pages=5–7}} (pages missing)</ref>