ISEDJ

Abstract: This study presents a comparative case study examining differences in the pedagogical impact between an AI-enabled negotiation simulation and a traditional non-AI 5S (Sort, Set in Order, Shine, Standardize, Sustain) lean simulation on students’ conceptual understanding, reflective thinking, and perceived usefulness. The AI-enabled simulation was implemented in an undergraduate Operations and Supply Chain Management (OSCM) course and designed to engage students across all four stages of Kolb’s experiential learning cycle through iterative negotiation rounds with an AI-simulated supplier, while a traditional non-AI 5S simulation served as a conventional experiential benchmark. Using a qualitative-dominant mixed-methods case study approach, data were collected from students’ reflection reports, discussion posts, peer responses, and a post-assignment perception survey. Findings indicate that student artifacts associated with the AI-enabled simulation, compared to those from the 5S simulation, reflected higher levels of conceptual understanding and cognitive engagement. However, students’ perceived usefulness and value were lower for the AI-enabled activity. Compared with the 5S simulation, the AI-enabled activity required more complex tasks. Although it was associated with deeper understanding and insight, students tended to rate easier tasks as more useful. These mixed results reveal a gap between subjective perceptions and objective learning outcomes and underscore the importance of instructional design that incorporates desirable difficulties. This study contributes to OSCM pedagogy by offering evidence-based insights from a single-course implementation into how technology-enhanced experiential learning may support the development of both technical and durable skills while maintaining theoretical coherence and instructional rigor.

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Recommended Citation: JIN, Y., Kim, A., Gürpinar, T., Awudu, I., (2027). A Comparative Case Study of AI-Enabled and Traditional Experiential Simulations in Operations and Supply Chain Education. Information Systems Education Journal 25(1) pp 23-36. https://doi.org/10.62273/GSPC8748