Data Ethics-Gamification Integration

Abstract

This research is focused on the incorporation of an ethics gamification platform (ex: EthicsGame) into traditional business school course syllabi and course delivery. The study seeks to examine the effectiveness of gamification in the business classroom. Specifically, it focuses on the hypothesis that when ethical education modules are added to traditional business non-ethics classes, a gamified-simulation platform integrated in the course teaching is a more engaging tool for younger students which in turn increases course engagement, understanding of potential ethical dilemmas related to the course topic and future application of the ethical lessons. A survey tool was used to assess students’ desire to integrate ethics simulations and gamification into traditional syllabi in courses like data analytics as well as other traditional business school concentration areas like marketing, accounting, finance, sales, and management, as well as the outcomes related to the incorporated tool. Participating students were surveyed on their interest of integrating modules using a gamification platform that focuses on applied, situational, and role-based ethics education in data analytics and traditional business areas as well. While the integration of ethics gamification and simulation modules is relatively new in university/academia, the ethical dilemmas in data analytics have been making regular national news headlines for the last few years and have become a part of our modern technological culture that we can no longer ignore in educating future generations. Planting the seeds of ethical frameworks in the minds of our next generation business leaders and managers will affect positive change as they grow in their careers and in turn affect the careers of those following them. If we can inspire a generation of leaders to raise their standards on understanding and applying business ethics then the university, companies, and students all create an improved downstream ecosystem for what is hopefully the next wave of increasingly ethics educated students. This study’s findings increase the body of research on the topic of how to effectively build a comprehensive ethical framework and foundation using a modern technique that meets this generation of students where they have grown up, in a gamified world.