Presentation
William Cantor, Assistant Teaching Professor at Penn State University, has been teaching for 26 years, focusing on Information Sciences and Technology. With an engineering background, Professor Cantor transitioned to technology education, where he now specializes in teaching technology courses using ERPsim.
Using ERPsim in Class
Since introducing ERPsim into his courses, Professor Cantor has primarily focused on the Manufacturing Game due to its comprehensive and complex nature. This tool allows students to grasp complex ERP concepts through practical application and competition, significantly enhancing engagement and learning outcomes. The intermediate level of the Manufacturing Game is particularly well-suited for undergraduate classes, balancing complexity with accessibility.
Professor Cantor’s use of ERPsim extends to various games, including logistics and sustainability games, although the Manufacturing Game remains his preferred choice.
Professor Cantor’s success with ERPsim is reflected in his students' performance in North American competitions, where they have demonstrated their skills against top-tier teams. These experiences provide invaluable learning opportunities, allowing students to apply their knowledge in competitive environments and measure their abilities against peers from other institutions.
I guess our success story is just seeing students really engage.
I can't say enough about ERPsim, I just wish I could use it more sometimes.
In addition to teaching, Professor Cantor has been involved in research using ERPsim, particularly exploring its integration with virtual reality (VR) to enhance student engagement. Collaborating with other professors, he has piloted the use of VR in ERPsim games, observing increased cohesion and engagement among students. This innovative approach has shown promising results, particularly in hybrid classes where some students attend in person and others remotely.
The research aims to compare traditional ERPsim engagement with VR-enhanced sessions, analyzing the impact on student interaction and learning outcomes. Initial findings suggest that VR can significantly improve team dynamics and overall engagement, making it a valuable addition to the ERPsim experience. This research has been presented at conferences and continues to evolve with the goal of further enhancing the educational benefits of ERPsim.
ERPsim is already engaging, adding the doing it in a virtual reality space, especially when you don't have all your students in one location, seems to really, improve engagement even more.