The didactic function of business games is often seen only in the development of sociocommunicative competences and general problem-solving strategies. An equally important aspect of business games lies in the acquirement of technical and problem-oriented knowledge, which is the focus of this article. Moreover, this knowledge dimension is further elaborated and justified based on four areas of learning objectives seen from learning—theoretical and from didactic points of view: (a) the definition of these structures of knowledge that (cognitive—psychologically seen) correspond to the respective areas of the learning objective; (b) referring to cognitive learning theories, the degree to which knowledge can be acquired, through which learning processes will be assessed; and (c) which conditions are suitable to trigger the respective learning processes. Didactic analyses based on these assumptions deal with the question of how these learning conditions can be implemented in business games.
Anderson, J. (1983). The architecture of cognition. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
2.
Anderson, J. (1995). Learning and memory. New York : John Wiley.
3.
Anderson, J., & Lebriere, C. (1998). Knowledge Representation. In J. Anderson & C. Lebriere (Eds.), The Atomic Components of Thought. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
4.
Baddeley, A. (1986). Working memory. New York: Oxford University Press.
5.
de Kleer, J., & Brown, J. (1983). Assumptions and ambiguities in mechanistic mental models. In D. Gentner & A. Stevens (Eds.), Mental models (pp. 155-190). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Euler, D., & Hahn, A. (2004). Wirtschaftsdidaktik [Didactics of economics]. Berne, Germany: Haupt Verlag.
8.
Eysenck, M.W., & Keane, M. (2005). Cognitive psychology: A student's handbook. New York: Psychology Press.
9.
Fortmüller, R. (1996). Wissenschaftsorientierung und praxisbezug als komplementäre prinzipien lernpsychologisch fundierter lehr-lern-arrangements [Scientific and practice orientation as complementary principles based on learning psychological teaching-learning arrangements]. In R. Fortmüller & J. Aff (Eds.), Wissenschaftsorientierung und praxisbezug in der didaktik der ökonomie (pp. 372-400). Vienna: Manz-Verlag.
10.
Fortmüller, R. (1997). Wissen und problemlösen [Knowledge and problem solving]. Vienna: Manz-Verlag.
11.
Fortmüller, R. (2002a). Informationstechnologie im betriebswirtschaftlichen unterricht: Medium, lerngegenstand oder selbstzweck? [Information technology in economic classes: Medium, subject, or end in itself?]. In R. Fortmüller (Ed.), Komplexe methoden, neue medien (pp. 111-129). Vienna: Manz.
12.
Fortmüller, R. (2002b). Lerntransfer mit e-learning sichern [Securing learning transfer through e-learning]. In A. Hohenstein & K. Wilbers (Eds.), Handbuch e-learning (pp. 1-16). Cologne, Germany: Fachverlag Deutscher Wirtschaftsdienst.
13.
Gruber, H., & Mandl, H. (1996). Das Entstehen von Expertise [The Development of Expert Knowledge]. In J. Hoffmann & W. Kintsch (Eds.), Enzyklopädie der Psychologie: Lernen (pp. 583-615). Göttingen, Germany: Hogrefe.
14.
Haberlandt, K. (1994). Cognitive psychology. Boston : Allyn & Bacon.
15.
Johnson-Laird, P. (1990). Mental models. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
16.
McNamara, T. (1994). Knowledge representation. In R. Sternberg (Ed.), Thinking and problem solving (pp. 81-117). San Diego, CA: Academic Press.
17.
Perrig, W.J. (1996). Implizites lernen [Implicit learning]. In J. Hoffmann & W. Kintsch (Eds.), Enzyklopädie der psychologie: Lernen (pp. 203-234). Göttingen, Germany: Hogrefe.
18.
Pöppe, C. (2005, December). Spiele auf leben und tod [Games about life and death]. Spektrum der Wissenschaft.
19.
Posch, P., Schneider, W., & Mann, W. (1994). Unterrichtsplanung: Mit beispielen für den betriebswirtschaftlichen unterricht [Lesson planning with examples for economic classes]. Vienna: Manz Verlag.
20.
Reimann, P. (1998). Novizen- und expertenwissen [Novice and expert knowledge]. In F. Klix & H. Spada (Eds.), Enzyklopädie der psychologie: Wissen (pp. 336-367). Göttingen, Germany: Hogrefe.
21.
Rosemann, B., & Bielski, S. (2001). Einführung in die Pädagogische Psychologie [Introduction to Educational Psychology]. Weinheim: Beltz.
22.
Schwendenwein, W. (2000). Theorie des unterrichtens und prüfens [Theory of teaching and examining]. Vienna: WUV-Univ. Verlag.
23.
Sloane, P.F.E., & Dilger, B. (2005, July). Prüfungen und standards in der beruflichen bildung [Exams and standards in vocational training]. Berufs- und Wirtschaftspädagogik, 8.
24.
Spitzer, M. (2002). Lernen: Gehirnforschung und die Schule des lebens [Learning: brain research and the school of life]. Heidelberg , Germany: Spektrum Akademischer Verlag.
25.
van der Meer, E. (1996). Gesetzmäßigkeiten und steuerungsmöglichkeiten des wissenserwerbs [Legalities and control mechanisms of knowledge acquirement] . In F. E. Weinert (Ed.), Psychologie des lernens und der instruktion (pp. 209-248). Göttingen, Germany: Hogrefe.
