Case-based simulations in the EST classroom

This tutorial is an outgrowth of a classroom-based simulation project and should act as a general outline for using simulations in English for Science and Technology classrooms. The simulation was created based on an actual court case involving two software companies; however, the case was altered significantly to meet the needs of the students. Twenty-six Japanese students studying computer science at a university in northern Japan participated in the simulation. In phase one of the simulation, teams of students were required to make difficult decisions about the case in their role as company engineers. They subsequently wrote of their positions in teams. In phase two of the simulation, each student was required to preside over the related court case, judge between the two companies, and render a fair verdict in writing. The students´ writing exhibited an understanding of the complexity of problems and sound reasoning for addressing such problems; therefore, the simulation-based curriculum was deemed highly successful. Furthermore, students remained engaged throughout the simulation, in part because they could see its long-term value.