Call for Papers: ZFHE Special issue

Posted on 2022-06-09

Call for Papers – Special Issue
Simulation games in teaching at universities

Editors: Julia Schwanholz & Anne Goldmann (Universität Duisburg-Essen)
Date of publication: April 2023
 

To the main topic

Simulation games promote interactive learning (PETRIK & RAPPENGLÜCK, 2017). In everyday university life simulation games are not used comprehensively but are enjoying rising popularity (MEßNER et al., 2018; HERZ & BLÄTTE, 2000). At universities a great variety of simulation games can be found: from well-established, complex, mostly analog ones like the Model United Nations to simulation games which are produced and operated individually (NISSEN 2006; MUNO, 2020). However, most of the games are still contributed by professional and commercial providers, foundations, and educational institutions. At least since the Covid-19 pandemic numerous analog simulation games were revised and retooled into digital ones.

Up to now only narrow findings exist considering which simulation games are used in the different subjects and fields (GOLDMANN et al., 2020). Furthermore, it should be scrutinized to what extent theoretical and practical content of teaching is combined in simulation games in the social sciences. A research gap may be identified concerning single case studies and comparisons of analog and digital games as well as one- or more-day events. The analysis of possible effects regarding the group size, age cohorts, aspired degree and different levels of study seem useful to address as well. Finally, the current state of research should be reflected on the topic of what is learned by participants under the conditions of reduced complexity. A further expansion on the question which social science competences may be best promoted by simulation games would be desirable.

Contributions to the special issue should address one or more of these aspects. Authors could answer the following questions or submit another innovative proposal regarding the discussion about simulation game research in the field of teaching social sciences.

  • What are the study goals & learning objectives of using the method of simulation games at universities?
  • Which audience can (not) benefit from using the method?
  • Which topics of the social sciences are used in simulation games and how?
  • What are the opportunities and challenges arising from the university curriculum regarding simulation games?
  • Which benefit(s) can simulation games add to the social science education compared to conventional teaching formats (e.g., lectures and seminars)?
  • How does the interlocking of theory, empiricism, and practice succeed?
  • How does the process of learning look like using simulation games?
  • What is the significance of internationality regarding the use of simulation games?
  • Does digital or hybrid teaching lead to more or less possibilities regarding the use of simulation games? What does it mean for practical application?

We are looking forward to theoretical contributions as well as single case studies with a German, Austrian or Swiss background or national case comparisons and analyses of simulation games regarding the EU. Comparisons between academic and school learning processes may be another possibility. Accordingly, we welcome submissions from the social sciences as well as related disciplines that address one or more aspects of this.

The contributions may be written in English or German. We are welcoming qualitative research approaches as well as quantitative ones and survey research.

All contributions will first be checked by the guest editors concerning the fit of the special issue and will undergo a double-blind peer review afterwards. The publication in the Journal for Higher Education Development will be open access.

References

Goldmann, A., Schwanholz, J., Delhees, S. & von Schuckmann, A. (2020). Planspiele in der Politikwissenschaft – zu den Versprechen und Fallstricken einer interaktiven Lehr- und Lernmethode. Zeitschrift für Politikwissenschaft, 30, 521–538. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41358-020-00238-z

Herz, D. & Blätte, A. (2000). Simulation und Planspiel in den Sozialwissenschaften: eine Bestandsaufnahme der internationalen Diskussion. Münster: LIT Verlag.

Meßner, M. T., Schedelik, M. & Engartner, T. (2018). Handbuch Planspiele in der sozialwissenschaftlichen Hochschullehre. Frankfurt am Main: Wochenschau Verlag.

Muno, W. (2020). Planspiele und Politiksimulationen in der Hochschullehre. Frankfurt am Main: Wochenschau Verlag.

Nissen, S. (2006). Das Planspiel in der universitären Lehre. Soziologie, 35(4), 468–479.

Petrik, A. & Rappenglück, S. (2017). Handbuch Planspiele in der politischen Bildung. Schwalbach/Ts.: Wochenschau Verlag.

 

Guidelines regarding the journal

The ZFHE is a peer-reviewed online journal that publishes scientific contributions of practical relevance concerning current higher education development issues. The focus is on didactical, structural, and cultural developments in teaching and learning. Topics that are innovative and still regarded as open in respect of their design options are preferred.

The ZFHE is published by a consortium of European researchers and funded by the Austrian Ministry for Science, Research and Economics. For more information, see https://www.zfhe.at.

 

Submission information

German or English contributions may be submitted in two possible formats:

Research contributions should meet the following criteria. The paper:

  • addresses a systemic question in transdisciplinary, interdisciplinary or subject-specific contexts;
  • has a research gap as its starting point;
  • is extensively embedded in current scholarly discourse;
  • has a robust methodological approach;
  • includes reflection on the author’s own work;
  • explains the research methodology;
  • employs a method that is suitable for answering the research question;
  • presents the scientific discourse in a reflective manner;
  • makes a clearly recognizable contribution to answering the research question or to the research discussion;
  • consistently follows relevant citation rules (APA style, current edition);
  • comprises between 20,000 and 33,000 characters (with spaces, including cover page, bibliography and author information).

Research-driven development contributions should meet the following criteria. The paper:

  • features a higher education development perspective with a sound research base;
  • discusses and differentiates a systemic problem in teaching development;
  • is an academically grounded "institutional research" contribution;
  • is supported by a literature review;
  • meaningfully addresses the interaction between science and praxis and/or the link between the two poles of "research and development"
  • consistently follows pertinent citation rules (APA style, current edition);
  • comprises between 20,000 and 33,000 characters (with spaces, including cover page, bibliography and author information).

Development contributions should meet the following criteria. The paper:

  • deals with a concrete problem in higher education development in the (author’s) higher education institution;
  • addresses a practical need;
  • is embedded in the scientific discussion and literature (without claiming to provide an overview of the literature);
  • offers suggestions for teaching and university development, with recommendations for action (if applicable);
  • offers a systematic and transparent discussion (e.g. no incomprehensible references to specifics or details in a field of practice);
  • elaborates on generalisable aspects relevant to theoretical development;
  • addresses considerations related to the transfer to practice;
  • mentions possibilities for further research;
  • consistently follows relevant citation rules (APA style, current edition);
  • comprises between 20,000 and 33,000 characters (with spaces, including cover page, bibliography and author information).

 

Submission and review schedule

October 3, 2022 – Submission deadline for complete articles: Please upload your contribution(s) to the ZFHE journal system (https://www.zfhe.at) in the corresponding section (research contributions, research-driven development contributions, development contributions) of Special issue Simulation games in anonymous format. To do so, you must first register as an author in the system.

January 9, 2023 – Feedback/Reviews: Contributions are evaluated in a double-blind process (see below).

February 17, 2023 – Revision deadline: Where necessary, contributions may be revised according to feedback and recommendations from the reviews.

April 2023 – Online publication: In April 2023, the finalized contributions are published under https://www.zfhe.at and also made available in print.

 

Review Process

All submitted contributions will be examined in a double-blind peer review process to guarantee scientific quality. The editors of the current issue propose the reviewers for the respective theme and allocate individual contributions to the reviewers; they also determine which contributions will be accepted. The selection of reviewers and the review process for each thematic issue are always supervised by a member of the editorial board.

Formatting and submission

In order to save valuable time with the formatting of the contributions, we kindly ask that all authors work with the template from the beginning. The template can be downloaded from the ZFHE website under the following links:

https://www.zfhe.at/userupload/ZFHE_Sonderheft_TEMPLATE_de.docx

https://www.zfhe.at/userupload/ZFHE_Special_Issue_TEMPLATE_en.docx

Since we must be able to edit the texts, they must be submitted unlocked/unprotected in in Microsoft Word (.doc), Office Open XML (.docx), Open Document Text (.odt) or Plain Text (.txt) format. Please do not submit any PDF files! Submissions in the “Scientific Contribution” and “Workshop Report” categories must first be made in anonymous format in order to guarantee the double-blind review process. Please remove all references to the author(s) of the document (including in the document properties!). Upon a positive review result, this information will be re-inserted.

 

Questions?

If you have any questions regarding the content of the issue, please contact Julia Schwanholz (julia.schwanholz@uni-due.de) or Anne Goldmann (anne.goldmann@uni-due.de).
For technical and organizational questions, please contact Elisabeth Stadler (office@zfhe.at).

 

We look forward to your submissions!

Julia Schwanholz & Anne Goldmann