Students Challenged in a Game of Ethics in ORGS 1100 — Ethical Issues in Social Institutions with Dr. Ian Mercer
Dr. Ian Mercer, Assistant Professor of Management, is taking an innovative and novel approach to teaching his Ethical Issues in Social Institutions classes. Explaining his approach, Dr. Mercer highlights the use of experiential learning as an important way to engage students.
“I’m a big believer in exposing students to experiences that allow them to become immersed in ethical dilemmas that they may well face when they exit academia and enter the organizational world. Along with a highly participative approach, I like using case studies and role-playing exercises. Two such resources are tabletop games and simulations which are gaining traction within management education and also within industry.”
Dr. Mercer is currently using “Regenerate”, a cooperative resource management game, where players must navigate regenerative land stewardship, sustainable development, and systems design thinking.
“Each role is asymmetric, providing students with the opportunity to see how different skill sets can combine to yield positive outcomes. Students have to balance limited resources, such as food, water and electricity, while developing appropriate projects to benefit wider regeneration of the area and bolster community resources. They develop the important team leadership skills that are desired by employers, such as decision making, a collaborative mindset, and both oral and written communication.”
One student who recently took part in the experience described it.
“One aspect of the game that stood out to me was how it focused on team engagement and emphasized effective communication. Everyone worked as a team with one collective goal: to regenerate as much land as we could and build the community. We all had different roles as a partner, which is similar to a workplace, where everyone has a different job, and we all work together and independently to accomplish things. The game reinforced that sustainable development is not only about resource management, but individual engagement and great teamwork. When a negative event impacted our progress, everyone got together and determined what the best course of action would be. This is crucial in the real world because, after all, Rome wasn’t built in a day.”
Dr. Mercer is working to increase visibility and highlight the benefits of using such an exercise through additional work with Tunnel Monster Collective, the publisher of Regenerate, and through his work within the Experiential Learning Association of the Eastern Academy of Management.
