Using of computer simulations in education of public policies (and public administration)

Year 2019, Issue: 46, 343 - 362, 30.06.2019

Muhammed Tolga Gedikkaya , Fatma Gül Gedikkaya

Abstract

This study aims to illustrate how policy simulation games can be used as an effective learning method in public administration education especially in public policies. For this purpose, a popular simulation game namely “Democracy 3” is examined in terms of its features, in order to conclude its use in education of public policies.
In simulation the player has a role of government and makes decisions amoung varios policy ideas. It can be observed how these policy decisions affects the outputs in different policy areas as well as the number and satisfaction level of voters. Including seven policy areas, twenty different categories of voters and over forthy kind of statistical reports, the game is programmed in a complex way to mimic real life policy process. The player strugles to tackle various problems such as obesity, environmental pollution, ghettos, racial crisis, general strike and debt crisis.
It is concluded that the simulation introduces different public policies; explains the policy processes of policy decision making, implementation and evaluation; demonstrates complex relationships between public policies, lets the player to observe how different public policies can be applied at different rates to solve public problems. In this context, the simulation can be used in public administration education as well as public policies. Similation can be shown as an example to apply what is learned and learn through practice. Policy simulations like "Democracy 3" can be used as a new method, an auxiliary material or after class activity.
Addition: Computer simulations can be seen as an effective tool for transforming theoretical knowledge into practice in the field of Public Administration. Public Administration (a) is an academic discipline focused on understanding the dynamic processes of administrative structures and (b) focusing on ways to improve them. Public administration and public policies are concerned with the development, implementation and evaluation of administrative arrangements. There is a need for mechanisms to implement the theoretical knowledge of public administration and to trigger understanding of real life practice. How public administration and public policies work is explained by various processes, stages and models in theory. In practice, however, this field contains quite different nested components and actors and mutual interaction which may lead unintended or unanticipated consequences. In order to understand the complexity of interactions and to avoid such consequences, it is clear there is urgent need to have such simulations to be used by both public administrators and candidates, that is: in public administration education. Simulations such as Democracy 3 may fill that gap.
In the simulation, there are many policy ideas, preferences and tools that can be applied in each policy area. Simulation also includes innovative and extremist policies as well as traditional and general policies. Students or players may use, decide and implement different policy tools according to their own agenda or set of goals as well as the response of the electorate groups if they want to stay in office. These policy ideas, preferences and tools are constracted and programmed in a very innovative, realistic and complex way, it can be expected to be beneficiated and appreciated by not only the beginners in public administration education, but also by the field's veterans, implementers and professors of public administration.
In the game website by Positect Games, it is stated that the use of the game for educational purposes by teachers and instructors became more frequent; therefore it is established the 'site license' service, which enables the installation of more than one student with a single purchase; it is already known that over 70 schools and universities the game is being used to teach politics and economics.
University departments of public administration in Turkey may “transfer this policy”. Simulation games are entertaining in terms of being a game, but they are instructive due to the nature of simulation. There is no data that if any universities in Turkey using such games to teach public policies, therefore this article written in Turkish aimed to introduce the game with Turkish authorites. The use of the simulation in order to provide the application on the theoretical education of public administration and public policy, gives the game a auxiliary role to the class based lessons. At the same time, the students can spend time on the simulation to have fun outside of the lecture and to increase their knowledge while having fun. Therefore, it can be also encouraged by educational institutions in the form of student activity or community activity.

Keywords

Public Administrtaion, Active Learning, Simulations, Games

Bilgisayar simülasyonlarının kamu politikaları (ve kamu yönetimi) öğretiminde kullanımı: democracy 3 örneği

Abstract

Kamu politikalarının oluşturulması sürecinde faklı politika seçeneklerin oluşturulması ve bu seçeneklerin sonuçlarının doğru değerlendirilmesi önem arz etmektedir. Bu yeteneğin ve bilginin gerek öğrenciler ve gerekse uygulayıcılar tarafından geliştirilebilmesinde farklı öğrenme yöntemleri ve modellemeler bulunmaktadır. Çalışmada “politika simülasyonu” türü bilgisayar oyunlarının, kamu politikaları ve kamu yönetiminde etkili öğrenme yöntemi olarak kullanılabileceği savunulmaktadır. Bu amaçla, en çok bilinirliği bulunan simülasyonlardan “Democracy 3” oyununun özellikleri irdelenmiş, bunların kamu politikası öğreniminde niçin ve nasıl kullanılabileceği değerlendirilmiştir.
Simülasyonda oyuncu hükümet rolünde olup, hükümet olarak politika kararları arasında tercih yapabilmekte, bu tercihlerin gerek farklı politika alanlarındaki çıktıları nasıl etkilediğini gerekse farklı seçmen gruplarının sayı ve memnuniyetini nasıl etkilediğini izleyebilmektedir. Yedi farklı politika alanı, yirmi farklı seçmen grubu, kırkı aşkın istatistik tablosu ile kompleks bir yazım içeren oyun, gerçek hayatta ilişkilendirilmiştir. Oyuncu, obezite, çevre kirliliği, gettolaşma, göçmen krizi, genel grev, borç krizi gibi farklı sorunlarla mücadele etmektedir.
Sonuçta, oyun, farklı kamu politikalarını tanıtmakta; politika sürecinin, karar alma, uygulama, değerlendirme gibi aşamalarını uygulamalı olarak göstermekte; kamu politikaları arasındaki karmaşık ilişkileri açıklamakta; farklı kamu politikası araçlarının farklı şekillerde uygulanmasının kamusal sorunlarından çözümünde nasıl bir etkisi olabileceğini gözlemleme imkanı sunmaktadır. Bu haliyle gerek kamu yönetimi gerek kamu politikası öğrenimde kullanılabileceği düşünülmektedir.
Simülasyon, öğrenileni tatbik etme ve tatbik ederek öğrenme örneğidir. “Democracy 3” benzeri politika simülasyonları, yeni bir yöntem, derslere yardımcı veya ders dışı aktivite olarak teşvik edilebilir niteliktedir.

Keywords

Kamu yönetimi, aktif öğrenim, simülasyon, oyun

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