I discuss the recommended content of a university course on discrete-event simulation at the Senior/Graduate level. Based on 17 years of teaching in the university and of teaching more than 535 simulation short courses to more than 7000 people (college graduates), I strongly recommend that a university course on simulation focus primarily on simulation methodology (selecting simulation input probability distributions, model validation, and design and analysis of simulation experiments, etc.) rather than on how to use a particular simulation package. The instructor should, however, spend approximately three weeks teaching the fundamentals of a particular simulation package.
I have seen numerous students in my simulation short courses (whose university course on simulation was primarily on a simulation package) who didn’t understand the basic principles of how a simulation model works (event list, advancement of the simulation clock, etc.) or simulation methodology. The implication of this is that when a student graduates he/she is not prepared to actually carry out a real simulation study in the workplace. Furthermore, there is a good chance that the simulation package that they learn in school won’t even be the one that is used at their company. It is relatively easy to learn how to use a simulation package on the job (all simulation-software vendors offer training courses on the use of their software), but it is much more difficult to learn what actually constitutes a successful simulation study.
The following is a recommended outline for a university course on simulation using the textbook Simulation Modeling and Analysis (Fifth Edition) by Averill M. Law. There should be a second (or reference) book on how to use a particular simulation package; this simulation package should be general in nature rather than being oriented toward a particular application.
|
Topic |
Chapter in Book |
Homework |
|
Components and organization of a discrete-event simulation model |
Chapter 1 |
Read pages 1-45 (top), 1.5, 1.7 |
|
Brief review of relevant topics in probability and statistics (if appropriate to the students) |
Chapter 4 |
Read pages 214-239 ; do problems 4.1, 4.2, 4.4, 4.8, 4.9, 4.13, 4.16, 4.19 through 4.24 |
|
Introduction to simulation software |
Chapter 3 |
Read sections 3.1 through 3.4 |
|
How to use a particular simulation package (approximately 3 weeks) |
Secondary book on a simulation package |
Two modeling assignments |
|
Model validation |
5 |
Read sections 5.1 through 5.5, 5.6.1 |
|
Selecting input probability distributions |
6 |
Read sections 6.1, 6.2, 6.4 through 6.7, 6.11; do problems 6.1, 6.6, 6.10, 6.17, 6.20, 6.22 |
|
Random-number generators |
7 |
Read sections 7.1, 7.2, 7.4.1; do problems 7.1 through 7.4 |
|
Generating random variates |
8 |
Read sections 8.1, 8.2, and parts of 8.3 and 8.4; do problems 8.1, 8.2, 8.6, 8.8, 8.11 |
|
Output data analysis for a single system |
9 |
Read sections 9.1 through 9.3, 9.4.1, 9.4.3, 9.5.1, 9.5.2, 9.8; do problems 9.1, 9.3 through 9.5, 9.7, 9.8, 9.15 through 9.17 |
|
Student project (throughout the course) |
Students in groups of 2 or 3 model and analyze a local organization, such as a bank, fast-food restaurant, or the student-union cafeteria. |
Instructors, who plan on adopting the book for use in a course, can get a free copy by calling 1-800-338-3987 or by sending an e-mail to mhcom@mcgraw-hill.com. The website for the book is www.mhhe.com/law, where a variety of teaching-support materials may be downloaded.