Date of Conferral

7-25-2025

Degree

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

School

Education

Advisor

Amy White

Abstract

Little evidence links the use of business simulations to advances in the higher order thinking skills that high school students need to prepare for careers in finance. The problem for this study was that students in three southern high schools had limited success on the ACT Applied Math Assessment, and there was a need to explore the relationship of a newly implemented stock market trading simulation course to student success on the assessment. Kolb’s experiential learning theory, which was aligned to the simulation activities, guided the study. The purpose of this quantitative predictive study was to determine whether participation in a stock market trading simulation course in three southern high schools predicted success on the ACT Applied Math Assessment better than nonparticipation. Binary logistic regression was used to determine the predictive value of the simulation while controlling for eighth-grade Ready Math Assessment scores. A sample of 43 students was drawn from archived data, which included only students who completed at least one course in the finance cluster, took the eighth-grade Ready Math Assessment, and took the ACT Applied Math Assessment. The results were not statistically significant (x2 = 5.583, p = .134), and the null hypothesis was retained. The results were limited due to a sample size below the level required for adequate statistical power. Interesting trends were noted within the raw data, which highlighted the success of students who were not proficient in math before the simulation. The findings may promote positive social change by prompting future studies on the use of simulations to improve the percentage of career-ready students with the foundational skills required for success in the business and finance field.

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