An Online Educational Simulation: Investigating Student Motivational Orientation
Abstract: Educational simulations allow students to experience events or situations that are vocationally relevant but would not normally be possible to replicate in the classroom. This paper considers the findings of a research study that investigated the motivational orientation of students using a transactional learning environment (TLE) simulation embedded in a final year undergraduate law course. Motivational orientation can have a considerable effect on the quality of the learning experience. The findings revealed that the students exhibited high levels of participation with the simulation. The students were intrinsically motivated to use the TLE simulation and also extrinsically motivated to some degree. The simulation also had an effect on the way that the students worked together. This paper also makes recommendations for the future development of the TLE that may be relevant or of interest to other educators who are blending online or electronic simulations into the curriculum.