An empirical investigation into the learning effects of management flight simulators: A mental models approach

Abstract

There are many claims about the learning effects of Management Flight Simulators (MFS) as a public education and communication tool in water resource management. However, there is still lack of empirical evidence to support this claim. To address this issue, an exploratory experimental study was conducted to examine the learning effects a series of MFS had on the mental model of water users in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). Participants’ mental models of the causal relationships that influence water availability were elicited before and after interacting with a series of increasingly complex MFS, and compared to the reference model structure underpinning the MFS. Results showed that the MFS experience improved participants’ causal knowledge of the model structure and generated Critical Learning Incidents. The findings are interpreted in light of the study limitations along with future research directions.