Simulation in Teaching Within the Health and Engineering Faculties of Saudi Universities

Computer Applications: An International Journal (CAIJ), Vol.6, No.1/2/3, August 2019
DOI: 10.5121/caij.2019.6301 1
SIMULATION IN TEACHING WITHIN THE HEALTH
AND ENGINEERING FACULTIES OF SAUDI
UNIVERSITIES
Abdullah Alenezi
Northern Borders University, Arar, Saudi Arabia
ABSTRACT
This study was carried out to investigate the current status of simulation use during teaching within health
sciences and engineering faculties at Saudi universities. Simulation in teaching has been shown to be
effective at enhancing student understanding. However, the current status of simulation use in teaching,
especially in Saudi universities, remains unclear. To address this, here we aimed to: determine the ability
of simulation to achieve appropriate levels of realism; identify the effectiveness of simulation at improving
skills, awareness, and knowledge in health sciences and engineering; and test whether simulation improves
the critical and evaluative thinking of students. Data were collected using online questionnaires. We found
that simulation is being effectively applied in Saudi universities.
KEYWORDS
Simulation; understanding ; skills; realism; critical ;evaluative.
1. INTRODUCTION
Simulation in teaching or learning can be described as an artificial representation of the real
world through experiment to attain specific skills (Deng et al. 2015). Simulation enables learners
to acquire skills and knowledge by working in a relatively simplified system. Simulations mostly
used to improve skills in health care. In teaching, simulation is used to improve critical as well as
evaluative thinking. This is because most teaching simulations are open-ended or ambiguous,
encouraging the student to contemplate the scenario. As discussed by Lin and Cheng (2015),
simulation helps learners understand contents through experiments. Through simulation, students
are more engaged compared to the cortical learning without experimentation. As discussed by
Action et al. (2015), simulation helps students to appreciate the management of politics, culture,
and the environment. For instance, a student participating in the act of distribution might gain a
better understanding of equality in society. Therefore, the skills of that student can be reinforced
indirectly through research skills or debating. However, the experiences of the simulation might
be more realistic than the experiences gained through other techniques. Thus, simulation allows
students to become more engaged, often forgetting the educational aims of the exercise. Some of
the simulations usually have elements of competition, and in such cases, it is important to remind
the student that the important thing is not winning but acquiring understanding and knowledge.
This study aimed to determine the current status of simulation in teaching within health sciences
and engineering faculties at Saudi Universities.
2. BACKGROUND
Simulation has been used in various Saudi universities and for multiple purposes, but mostly
applying similar principles (Action et al. 2015).

2
In Saudi Arabia, the number of students taking courses within health sciences and engineering
faculties has been increasing at an exponential rate. According to Beal et al. (2017), the health
sector has been increasing over time. To enhance the quality of training, Saudi universities have
been emphasizing the use of simulation in science and engineering. As a result, these students are
offered better education services; achieve better understanding, and acquiring more knowledge.
Therefore, the students get the required competency at the end of their training.
3. PROBLEM STATEMENT
Simulation in teaching is important because it enhances student understanding. Simulations
achieve this mainly by helping students to better contemplate various problems that might occur
in their area of study. As students carry out various experiments, they become familiar with
concepts and acquire the required skills and knowledge. In Saudi Arabia, the number of hospitals
has been increasing rapidly. Since 1986, the number of health institutions in Saudi Arabia has
increased from three to more than 100 (Kassem et al. 2017).Both health sciences and engineering
can work together to produce health professionals.
Additionally, various researchers have been carrying out studies related to simulation in teaching.
For instance, Nousianen et al. (2016) investigated the availability of simulation used in teaching
orthopedic residents in a curriculum that is competency-based, and Lin and Cheng investigated on
the role that simulation plays in teaching pediatric resuscitation. Udani et al. (2015) have
investigated the use of simulation in teaching regional anesthesia, and Beal et al. (2017)
investigated point‐of‐care teaching versus simulation‐based teaching for identification of basic
transoesophageal echocardiography views. However, to our knowledge, no study has attempted to
investigate the current status of simulation use in teaching within health sciences and engineering
faculties in Saudi Universities. Here we aim to address this gap in the literature.
4. OBJECTIVES
The principal objective of this study was to determine the current status of simulation use in
health sciences and engineering faculties in Saudi Universities. The specific objectives were;
To determine the ability of simulation to offer appropriate levels of realism;
To identify the effectiveness of simulation in improving skills, raising awareness, and providing
information in the health sciences and engineering; and
To investigate whether simulation improves critical and evaluative thinking.
5. IMPORTANCE OF THE STUDY
This study will provide a better understanding of the use of simulation in health sciences and
engineering. This will likely lead to greater use of simulation, thereby improving the evaluative
and critical thinking of the students.
6. LITERATURE REVIEW
Theoretical Literature
According to Ogilvie et al. (2016), simulations are scenarios illustrated in a learning process,
whereby the learner is placed in a real-life situation. Simulations represent a reality, whereby the
students are allowed to interact. Therefore, students experience reality in the scenario and gather

3
information in terms of meaning from that scenario (Bean et al., 2017). In the study of Lin and
Cheng (2015), simulation is a means of experiential learning.
Simulation can, through a student-centered approach, enhance constructivist teaching and
learning. The simulationmight contain a game, a role, or even an activity. In most cases,
simulations are non-linear and include ambiguity, in which students are expected to make
decisions. Therefore, the success of a simulation is determined by the commitment and
inventiveness of the participants.
Simulations in Engineering
The use of simulations has increased in many engineering practices (Udani et al. 2015). This is
because simulations provide unprecedented access to the real world. Also, simulations are freed
from certain limitations (e.g., unrealistic parameters, cost constraints, and health and safety
concerns).According to Mc Cabe et al. (2016); simulation in engineering has become
fundamental in the generation of predicting models in climate change, weather, and atmospheric
behaviors. In return, it has enhanced a broad analysis and design in the area, thus improving the
competence of engineers. Various organizations that require engineers during production have
also incorporated simulations into their processes. The appropriate use of computers or other
machines can enhance the production of goods and delivery of services. Furthermore, simulation
in engineering is applied in various contexts, including communication, transportation, and
defense. Lin and Cheng (2015) argue that simulation has long been applied (for decades) in
engineering.
Deng et al. (2015) have reported a relative underuse of simulation in Saudi Arabia relative to
Europe and Japan. Nevertheless, Kassem et al. (2017) have noted that the proportion of students
studying science and engineering in Saudi Arabia is increasing.
Health Sciences
Simulation is being increasingly applied in health sciences. According to Ogivile et al. (2016),
most diseases and their treatment require physical responses and involve complex interactions.
During the teaching of health sciences, simulations are mainly used to increase the students’
understanding of diseases and their treatment (Action et al. 2015). The importance of
computerscience in the teaching of health sciences has increased. A major challenge in the
application of simulation to health sciences is being able to represent biological systems at the
organ, tissues, and cellular scales. Therefore, simulation in medical practices requires an
understanding of complex systems. Thus, the teaching of both engineering and health sciences
requires sophisticated technologies and computer analyses.
Historically, medicine has combined both empiricism and diagnosis (Boto et al. 2016).
Simulation in health sciences improves medical practices by helping to predict treatment
outcomes. Statistical analyses are also carried out to ensure treatment efficacy (Willems et al.,
2017).
Empirical Literature/Case Studies
In 2016, Nousiainen et al. carried out a study in teaching orthopedic residents in a competency-
based curriculum. This study aimed at enabling surgeons to gain a better understanding of bone
and muscle deformities. The study also investigated cost reduction during the treatment of these
diseases. From the study, effective medical services are achieved by having qualified and
experienced doctors. This can also help to improve the time in which the services are offered,
serving many patients within a short period (Jeffries et al. 2015). Greasley (2017) also tested

4
whether simulation could improve the effectiveness of various activities in multipledisciplines.
The study majored at improving the critical and evaluative thinking, improving skills, awareness
and health information and measuring appropriate realism. The study applied a primary source in
data collection, and after the analysis, it displayed a positive relationship between the variables
and the model. This significantly showed that these were the main agendas of simulation.
Research Gaps
Nousiainen et al. (2016) investigated the competence of orthopedic residents and aimed to
provide the students with the required skills and knowledge. Greasley (2017) investigated the
effectiveness of a teaching simulation and detected a positive relationship between the variables
and the model.
7. METHODOLOGY
Research Design
A research design is a set of procedures and methods used in data collection and analysis (Saha et
al.2015).Greasley(2017) have argued that research design is important because it allows data
collection at one point to represent many areas. Our study adopted a qualitative data collection
approach using an online questionnaire. The questionnaire included both open and multiple
choices questions.
Study Area
This study was conducted to investigate the current status of using simulation in teaching in
health sciences and engineering in Saudi Universities. The participating universities were Al-
Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, ImamAbdulrahman Bin Faisal University, King
Abdul-Aziz University, and King Saudi University (KSU). Various respondents were given
online questionnaires related to the current use of simulation in both health sciences and
engineering departments. This study aimed todetermine the ability of simulation to achieve
appropriate levels of realism, to improve students’ skills, awareness, and knowledge, and to
enhance critical and evaluative thinking.
Sampling Procedures
Both random and stratified samplings were used. A stratified technique was used to approach the
heads of departments, while a random sampling technique was used to choose student
respondents. According to Sekhar et al. (2017), a sampling procedure is a process in which a
subgroup is chosen from a population.After selecting respondents; online questionnaires were
posted to them, which they were required to answer within a specific period.
Target Population
The target population (Evanno et al. 2005) of this study included the staff, managers, and students
at the health sciences and engineering departments of Saudi universities. In total, 80 respondents
(20 each from four universities) took part in the study.
Data Collection Instrument
The study questionnaires were distributed to the respondents through random and stratified
sampling and were expected to be answered at the same time. Before sending the questionnaires

5
to the respondents, a brief description was given to explain the aims of the study and how their
data would be used.
Data Analysis and Presentation
After gathering the data, the responses were checked for completeness, dependability, and
accuracy. Below, these data are presented as simple charts and tables.
8. FINDINGS
All 80 respondents (from four universities) reported that their schools were using simulation in
teaching.
Figure 1.Theeffectiveness of teaching simulations.
We asked respondents whether the teaching simulations were effective. Among the80
respondents, 88% agreed (responded ‘yes’), and12% disagreed (responded ‘no’).
Figure 2.Does simulation achieve an appropriate level of realism?
88%
12%
Chart Title
yes No
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
strongly
agree
agree uncertain disagree stronly
disagree
Series2

6
In response to the statement ‘simulations achieve an appropriate level of realism’, 50% of the
participants strongly agreed, 30% agreed, 8% were uncertain, 5% disagreed, and 7% strongly
disagreed (Fig. 2).
Figure 3.Simulation in improving skills, raising awareness, and providing information.
Figure 3 reports the responses of the students regarding the statement 'Simulation improves skills,
raises awareness, and provides information’. Eighty percent of the respondents were those who
agreed with the statement (40% agreed, 40% strongly agreed). Ten percent of the respondents
were uncertain, 6% disagreed, and 4% strongly disagreed.
Figure 4.Simulation in increasing critical and evaluative thinking.
Figure 4 shows the respondents’ responses about simulation and critical and evaluative thinking.
Ninety percent of the students reported that simulation in teaching had improved their critical and
evaluative thinking.
0
0.05
0.1
0.15
0.2
0.25
0.3
0.35
0.4
0.45
strongly
agreed
agreed uncertain disagreed strongly
disagreed
Series2
Yes
90%
No
10%
Chart Title

7
9. DISCUSSION
Most of our respondents agreed that simulations have been helpful during their studies. This
implied most of the universities in the country were using and are still using simulation as their
mean of enhancing better understanding for their students. Second, most respondents agreed that
the simulations that they had used provided an adequate level of realism. This finding suggests
that the technologies used for simulations have become sufficiently advanced. Our respondents
also agreed that simulation could improve skills, raise awareness, and provide information in
health sciences and engineering. Lastly, our respondents agreed that simulation was effective at
improving critical and evaluative thinking.
10. CONCLUSION
Based on our data, simulation appears to be widely used (all universities included in our study) in
the teaching of health science and engineering in Saudi Arabia. Also, our findings suggest that
this technology is being appropriately applied and is improving teaching standards. Based on
these findings, we predict that simulation technologies will help to meet the increasing demand
for competent doctors and engineers in Saudi Arabia.
11. RECOMMENDATIONS
From the above study, the following recommendations can be made;
Health sciences and engineering faculties in Saudi Universities need to incorporate discoveries in
their studies to enhance multidisciplinary as well as multiscale simulations.
Supporting technologies in both fields need to be enhanced to improve the understanding of
students during simulation, thus increasing their skills and competency
Education institutions currently not using simulation during teaching should introduce these.
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AUTHORS
Abdullah Alenezi, Dr. of Education, is Assistant Professor in the Educational
Technology Department, Faculty of Education, Northern Borders University, Saudi
Arabia (email: abdullah.a.alenezi@nbu.edu.sa). His major areas of interest and
expertise are: organizational change, teaching and learning outcomes arising from
uses of leading-edge technologies, implementation and management of leading-edge
technologies at the local authority and individual institution levels, uses and impacts
of technologies and technology-based resources in formal educational environments,
distance learning and training, and technology integration in the Saudi context.

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