Dr. Siobhan Killion Secures Funding for Innovative Business Game Development

Published: 17 May, 2024

Dr Siobhán Killion, Head of Discipline for Management at the TU Dublin School of Management, People and Organisations, was part of a successful team that has secured €5,000 for a project based on an innovative Business Game development project. The application was submitted as part of the recent Digital Education & Sustainability call funded by the National Forum for Teaching & Learning SATLE Fund.

The other members of the successful application team included Conor O'Malley, Access and Outreach Project Officer, and Christine Kavanagh Nangle FCA, Head of Discipline for Accounting and Finance at the School of Accounting, Economics and Finance.

This project, initially developed by Conor O'Malley and his team, uses gamification to engage students in business concepts, combining digital education with sustainability.

A total of 38 applications were submitted for the fund, with the review panel comprising both internal and external members of TU Dublin. The panel provided positive feedback on the proposal, noting the innovative use of gamification to engage students and the strong collaboration across different departments. They also highlighted the game's potential to involve transition year students and its applicability in schools and Colleges of Further Education.

“This Business Game development project is an excellent example of cross-university team collaboration and will ultimately provide a wonderful resource for outreach teams in schools and Colleges of Further Education,” the review panel commented. “The cross-departmental element and link with SDGs is also positive.”

In addition to its outreach potential, the game will be incorporated into the curriculum for incoming first-year students, reflecting the TU Dublin School of Management, People and Organisations commitment to embedding digital learning and enhancing the student experience with enjoyable and engaging educational tools.

Dr Siobhán Killion expressed her enthusiasm about the funding award, stating, “The team is absolutely delighted to receive this funding, and we are looking forward to exploring ways to maximise the Business Game's potential over the coming year.”

The funding will allow the team to develop further and refine the Business Game, ensuring it becomes a valuable educational resource that enriches both digital learning and sustainability education at TU Dublin and beyond.

A huge thank you to Conor O'Malley and Christine Nangle for their collaboration and dedication to this project. We are excited to explore the full potential of the Business Game in the coming year!